caste-division
A social hierarchy emerges between intellectual clones who lead and fertile women and workers who serve as hosts or laborers, emphasizing expendability.
1 chapter across 1 book
Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang (1976)Kate Wilhelm
In Chapter 27, Andrew leads a council meeting discussing the perfected cloning process that overcomes the fifth-generation decline, but at the cost of creating a caste system between intellectual clones and expendable workers. The chapter also explores the emotional and physical toll on fertile women used as hosts for implanted clones, highlighting the loss of individuality and creativity in successive generations. Mark reflects on the community's complacency and the fragility of their societal structure, questioning whether preserving the current order is sustainable or ethical.