Rethinking Cyborg: Identity and Practical Optimism in Okorafor’s Death of the Author

Abstract

This article rethinks the concept of the cyborg in Okorafor's Death of the Author by examining the impacts on identity through technological transformation, and practical optimism by More's transhumanist philosophy. Rather than interpreting the cyborg as merely a human-machine hybrid, my research reconceptualizes it as a technologically enhanced subject by which identity is continuously reshaped through voluntary self-modification and adaptive assimilation. The analysis of this article focuses on the protagonist, Zelu, whose transition from a partially paralyzed woman to an exoskeleton-assisted individual exemplifies the more’s transhumanist idea of morphological freedom and further demonstrating that technological transformation and assimilation becomes a means of reconstructing identity rather than compensating for physical limitation. This transformation challenges conventional notions of disability, embodiment, and selfhood by presenting technology as an extension of human agency. Furthermore, the article employs More's principle of practical optimism to examine how this text envisions technological progress as a catalyst for female autonomy, resilience, and self-determination. Zelu's ability to reclaim control over her body, creativity, and life despite social, physical, and institutional constraints illustrates an optimistic model of empowerment grounded in human enhancement rather than victimhood. By integrating the concepts of morphological freedom and practical optimism, this study argues the cyborg as an evolving posthuman identity that transcends biological limitations while affirming women's capacity for self-directed transformation. Ultimately, this article demonstrates that Okorafor's this text advances a transhumanist vision in which technological assimilation functions as a liberating force that reconstructs identity, expands human potential, and imagines an optimistic future founded on autonomy, adaptability, and continual self-evolution.

Keywords: Cyborg, death of the author, identity, morphological freedom, practical optimism, technological transformation, transhumanism, women autonomy

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21360655