Octavia Butler Kindred Analysis

Kindred, published in 1979, was written by Octavia Butler who portrays the differences in society, while entertaining her readers with the tales of Dana’s experiences. Butler uses a fictional character who alternates throughout time, in an accurate representation of history and present time, of publication, to better contrast the differences of society and how much society has progressed. Throughout my essay, I will be supporting evidence as to how Kindred delivers a meaning of diversity of the nineteenth century to the twentieth century behind the entertainment that may overpower readers perception of the book. Begging my claim, I will note that Butler was an avid supporter if bringing awareness to the history that blacks struggles, and it …show more content…
Dana’s trips back into the past, have her go from being content in her time, with freedom and no discrimination based on her color, to being oppressed because of her race. What is interesting to take into account is that Dana is in the same country as she was once free, however now being in the nineteenth century, she is stripped of her freedom. Dana was aware of the events that took place and the mistreatment towards colored people, however she comes to a empathetic reality of experiencing what her ancestors had to struggle through, when she is faced to serve her masters and be treated with little to no respect. Dana states in her second trip to the past that she is beginning to become when she witnesses a slave being beaten: ”I was probably less prepared for the reality than the child crying not far from me” (37). Kindred not only demonstrates the ignorant behavior of the past, but also helps inform on today’s issues that aren’t as apparent as the similar past behavior. Covering today’s issues with race, alongside with coming together as a society with forgiveness. Octavia Butler proposes the readers with the concept of change. As Dana travels to the nineteenth century, she is compelled to …show more content…
Dana looks at Kevin as an individual who is based on his own actions, and her family looks at him as a part of his ancestors who caused an entire race to be belittled. Kevin and Dana decide to ignore their families and go away to marry: “Then let’s go to Vegas and pretend we haven’t got relatives” (115). Kindred demonstrates the ignorant behavior of the past on race, but also in present time as well, as shown throughout Dana’s journey in the past where “a society that considered blacks subhuman” (70). and also shown in the present when Dana turns on the television and “The news switched to a story about South Africa—blacks rioting there and dying wholesale in battles with police over the policies of the white supremacist government” (200). Kindred supplements these experiences Dana has, by connecting a supreme figure, Kevin with Dana, who is belittled by the past society. Butler challenges readers by creating diversity between Dana and her husband, Kevin, by their race, and also by subjecting Kevin to the nineteenth century for an extended period of time, leaving him to conform to the past, so he may fit in with those around him. Diversity is shown when Dana’s freedom to travel is