The world of SF is introduced for a complex female character in the form of the maternal shape-shifter, Anyanwu. Butler's depiction of womanhood through Anyanwu defamiliarizes the construction of women in science fiction. "In Anyanwu, Butler demonstrates the wealth of potential for characterization in science fiction, while at the same time operating against the male-oriented science fiction tropes that have traditionally excluded the voice of such strong female writers as Butler, along with complex female characters as Anyanwu."