Growing up, we had to take around fifteen years of history classes, teaching us of the past and what our ancestors did. Did you ever think they not only taught us those things so we’d have bar trivia knowledge, but also as a warning? Unlike textbook readings of the past, where you have to wonder what it must’ve been like, Octavia Butler makes the readers of Kindred to actually place themselves in the 1800s, making them emphasize with Dana-our time traveling heroin-and the other slaves. Reading Kindred, one has to wonder, has anything really changed? There is still horrible cases of racism and prejudice in the United States, more than 300 years later. Is that due to power and control? Even though we just had our first African American president,
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They believe that they are the superior race, and that blacks are just workers to them. If you were a male slave, your position in life was to work until you die, then you’ll be replaced. Females were seen as cooks, cleaners, and worse of all, breeders. If a child was born on the plantation, they were already a slave. When Kevin gets stuck in their time, he uses his race to his advantage, helping runaway slaves and making sure he had a somewhat decent life. Unfortunately, the United States has a horrible history of treating anyone who isn’t a white male like lesser than a …show more content…
Rufus had authority over Dana, but needed her to survive. Dana needed Kevin to help protect her when they’re sent back. Kevin needed Dana almost as his rock, stable ground. Without relationships, there would be no power, no control. And even though most like to deny it, there is always someone who holds the upper hand in relationships, whether it be with your friends or with your significant other. There is always a need for control and without even knowing it, you could be the in the situation where someone is controlling your life. Octavia Butler illustrates the human desire for control and with that they hope to find happiness and
They believe that they are the superior race, and that blacks are just workers to them. If you were a male slave, your position in life was to work until you die, then you’ll be replaced. Females were seen as cooks, cleaners, and worse of all, breeders. If a child was born on the plantation, they were already a slave. When Kevin gets stuck in their time, he uses his race to his advantage, helping runaway slaves and making sure he had a somewhat decent life. Unfortunately, the United States has a horrible history of treating anyone who isn’t a white male like lesser than a …show more content…
Rufus had authority over Dana, but needed her to survive. Dana needed Kevin to help protect her when they’re sent back. Kevin needed Dana almost as his rock, stable ground. Without relationships, there would be no power, no control. And even though most like to deny it, there is always someone who holds the upper hand in relationships, whether it be with your friends or with your significant other. There is always a need for control and without even knowing it, you could be the in the situation where someone is controlling your life. Octavia Butler illustrates the human desire for control and with that they hope to find happiness and