The complexities of Kindred: Dana and the reader’s relationship to Rufus
The complexities of Kindred: Dana and the reader’s relationship to Rufus Kindred by Octavia Butler attempts to add nuance to a commonly understood topic in U.S. history: slavery. Now taught in most if not all U.S. History classes, everyone has their own understanding of slavery, and how brutal its conditions were. However, most of these histories are focussed on a broader view, understanding the “system” more so than the individuals and their emotions. Kindred provides a unique perspective, forcing a woman with modern values to interact with and react to the world of antebellum slavery. Many of the nuances in Kindred come from Dana’s relationship with Rufus. She has seen him as an innocent child before he has a chance to be influenced by his father and the system of slavery. Dana’s understanding of Rufus is vague as she watches him grow up through only a few glimpses of moments in history before she has to save him from being kil...