Book Review Of Butler's Kindred

In the early eighteen hundreds, slavery was in full swing throughout the Southern states of America. Butler’s Kindred is set during this tumultuous time, with slavery’s end in Maryland a distant fifty years away (Rowland 12). This fictional book is a blatant, candid work on slavery through the eyes of the twentieth century. From white slave owners to black slaves, we are given a glimpse of what slavery in the South was like. One of the most prominent characters, in my eyes, was Nigel, who is introduced as a young, black boy, owned by the Weylins (Butler 59).
This adolescent slave is first mentioned as Rufus Weylin’s companion and playmate, which, according to an article by Damian Pargas, was common for black children (483). Nigel is present …show more content…
Dana walks into the cookhouse for the routine reading lesson and sees, “[h]e already had our book out of its hiding place and was spelling out words to Carrie. That surprised me because I had offered Carrie a chance to learn with him, and she had refused” (Butler 104). Not only does Nigel care for others and desire to share with them what he is learning, but he also knows how to relate to them. Carrie, previously unwilling to learn from Dana, is comfortable enough around Nigel to learn from him, which demonstrates his friendship and patience.
Even at the tender age of thirteen, Nigel is strong and sturdy, capable of hard work, and good with his hands (Butler 98). Later in the book, we see these diligent traits continue to be prevalent in his life. For example, once he marries Carrie, Nigel hires himself out to other plantation owners in the area in order to earn money. With this extra cash, he builds a house, complete with a chimney, two chairs, and a bed. Nigel obviously has a strong work ethic, provides for his family, and is a faithful …show more content…
She contrasts him with Rufus, displaying how one’s situation in life never dictates one’s quality of life. In Kindred, Nigel is always searching for ways to better himself and is never content with the status quo. Through this, Butler seems to metaphorically throw down the gauntlet for the upcoming generation, challenging them to replicate Nigel’s maturity and aptitude for learning. Although Nigel presents many attributes which one should strive to emulate, the most resonating aspect is the example of rising above one’s surroundings, without hindering oneself by self-pity and assumed defeat. But through hard work and grim determination, one should expect more from oneself and aspire for the life Nigel leads; the life of a