Kindred essay. Butler, O. (1979). Kindred. Boston: Beacon.

Kindred Analysis
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December 18, 2018
Introduction
Written back in 1979, Octavia Butler’s Kindred presents the readers with a microcosm of historical narratives, fantasy, and societal issues. It provides a glimpse as to how people from our society would have reacted to the times when slavery is still at large. However, while most readers would be enticed with the development of the story as a whole, a closer look at the lives of each character would also show another angle of the story. Thus, in this article, quotes from each of the characters would be analyzed based on their personal stories.
Dana
“‘I don’t have a name for the thing that happened to me, but I don’t feel safe anymore.’” (p. 17)
This quote was taken from the time when Dana’s first experience in traveling through time. It was the time when she had realized how dangerous the past is, by seeing first handedly the experiences of slaves during those times. It is well-known that during the past, Blacks were considered as slaves and their rights were almost inexistent. Thus, having a glimpse of it for the first tie, Dana knew how hard it is to have one’s rights taken away from her.
As stated earlier, Dana’s experience as she went back through time as well as her reflection of it, shows the dangers of living in the past. Being a citizen of the present times where everyone’s rights are respected, a glimpse of the past could be daunting, if not traumatic. As for the readers, this realization could lead to a better appreciation of the rights that each one enjoys these days.
Rufus
“The boy already knew more about revenge than I did. What kind of man was he going to grow up into?” (p. 25)
This quote was taken from when Dana went back to the past to save Rufus. Although Dana was the one who said this, this reflects Rufus’ inclination towards being violent and aggressive. Despite this, Dana knew that this tendency is common especially for people who are living in that time of the past. On the one hand, Rufus himself was always beaten and whipped by his own father. On the other hand, the harshness of his father towards the slaves also affects Rufus’ upbringing. In light of all of these, Dana becomes convinced that one day, Rufus’ would most likely become like his father.
Just like how Dana felt, as someone who...