Let’s Talk Aliens.
I recently explored the novel Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor, a Nigerian-American author, as part of a Transnational Literature course at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. The novel begins with a sonic boom of massive change that crashes over the people of Lagos, Nigeria. The explosion is triggered by the arrival of aliens who can shape-shift, communicate with non-human animals, and evade death. These extraterrestrial beings have a plan for the planet: one that includes destroying the petroleum tanks off the shore of Nigeria, and bestowing supernatural strengths upon earth’s aquatic creatures.
Apart from being science-fiction, this novel blends petrofiction, mystic-fiction, Afrofuturism, eco-feminism, and more, into a stunningly mind-bending narrative. By including dialogue in Pidgin English, as well as inviting deities from West African folklore to partake in the action, Lagoon immerses you into this web of a world suddenly spun into riotous transformation by a mysterious and fascinating narrator, Udide Okwanka, the mischievous storyteller spider from Igbo folklore.
Salvation in the Sky
It got me thinking (even more than I’m already used to) about what is implied when we discuss extraterrestrials contacting humans, and why our fascination with them remains so significant in literature, pop-culture, and history at large. To me, it appears that a strong enough belief in aliens can in some cases parallel a type of religious faith. Something significant compels humanity to wonder, to wish, to intertwine our destinies with the existence/influence of some powerful force beyond our perception. Call that imagination, speculation, delusion, whatever. Just as there have been countless accounts of miracles and holy apparitions, for decades people have documented tales of abduction, UFO sightings, crop circles, and the like.
What most intrigues me still about the aliens depicted in Lagoon is that they are portrayed as a species of potential saviors. Could this be a way of suggesting reverse colonization? The aliens initially interact with sea creatures, which emphasizes the importance of safeguarding our ocean ecosystems. Imagine if extraterrestrials really did come down with no other motive than to guide us towards betterment and environmental preservation? At least in the novel, when faced with this transformative potential, chaos ensues in the form of resistance or self-interest. This prompts us to consider why we rely on external forces to address the environmental violence we have created. Shouldn’t protecting the planet be our own responsibility?
Aliens in Literature and Pop Culture
Aliens, as characters or as central themes, serve various narrative and philosophical functions in literature, often acting as a mirror to humanity. This reflection allows authors to address complex issues such as identity, morality, and social structure in a context detached from the earthly familiar. In classics like H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds, aliens are not merely invaders or antagonists; they are catalysts for exploring survival, imperialism, and what it means to be human. These narratives often challenge the reader to question not just the potential for life beyond Earth, but also the ethical dimensions of human actions in the face of the unknown. This is highly evident in Lagoon, from the way the aliens and humans interact.
Moreover, the depiction of aliens can serve to critique contemporary societal issues. For instance, the portrayal of different alien races and cultures can parallel discussions on race, xenophobia, and the acceptance of the “other” in society. Thus, aliens in literature not only entertain but provoke thought and dialogue on a multitude of profound topics.
Top 3 Quotes from the Text
Her husband believed there to be white witches, physical witches and marine witches. All were evil, but the marine witch was the most powerful because she could harness water, the very substance that made up 70 percent of an adult’s body and 75 percent of a child’s. Water is life, she thought, yet again.”
Okorafor 17, original emphasis
You people will call me an alien because I am from space, your outer heavens, beyond. I am what you call an ambassador, the first to come and communicate with you people. I was sent.”
Okorafor 37
Grateful to the Supreme Being that she has been given another chance at life, she flies into the night, her mind buzzing, her perspective changed. […] She has grown an eye in the middle of her forehead but she doesn’t know this. And if she could, she would not know what to make of it. She flies higher than she’s ever flown before. Maybe she is trying to leave the earth. She isn’t sure. She isn’t thinking about it.”
Okorafor 224-225
I dare you to dive into Lagoon as soon as you can. Then swim back and spill… Do you hear that extraterrestrial chatter?
Why does the chatter matter?
Happy New Year,
Meche
P.S. This marks the one year anniversary of Becoming Badass (now The Word Becoming)!
01/01/2023