Kindred is a scientific fiction story that incorporates time travel from the 1970’s all the way back to one of America’s ugliest times, 1815 where slavery ruled the south. Dana, an African America who is from the present, can time travel during times of death for Rufus, the planation slave owner. Rufus and Dana have a very complex relationship that can be friendly and also, at times, terrifying. Rufus shows a lot of this indifference in his own character and judgment, throughout the book he can be seen filled with love and compassion or full of hate and anger. Although many might see Rufus as an unusual slave owner having sexual relationships with his very own slave as loving and romantic, it’s truly not a romantic experience. Slaves were
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Rufus sought to it that Alice was treated with the best care, often angering the other slaves. After Alice was beaten and whipped for trying to escape and run away, it was Rufus who ensured that her body would heal properly. When it came time to disinfect Alice’s back with a brine, Rufus was very apprehensive saying, “That’s what daddy uses on the filed hands. It hurts worse than the beating sometimes” (Butler P.147). Rufus was even kind enough to let her sleep on her bed, even with Dana disapproving as he said, “Don’t talk foolishness. I’m not going to put her on the floor” (Butler P.148). Things would soon change when Alice became fully healthy as Rufus desired her body and wanted sexual relations with her even if Alice wasn’t willing to accept telling Dana to talk to Alice about consenting to sex with him saying “…Go to her. Send her to me. I’ll have her whether you help or not. All I want you to do is fix it so I don’t have to beat her” (Butler P.164). Following common practice, Rufus threatens to beat Alice if she did not comply. Consequence of resistance sex for slaves often came in the form of physical beatings and insults (Boundless). At the time, rapping slaves was perfectly legal as they were the owner’s property thus having no basic rights (US
Rufus sought to it that Alice was treated with the best care, often angering the other slaves. After Alice was beaten and whipped for trying to escape and run away, it was Rufus who ensured that her body would heal properly. When it came time to disinfect Alice’s back with a brine, Rufus was very apprehensive saying, “That’s what daddy uses on the filed hands. It hurts worse than the beating sometimes” (Butler P.147). Rufus was even kind enough to let her sleep on her bed, even with Dana disapproving as he said, “Don’t talk foolishness. I’m not going to put her on the floor” (Butler P.148). Things would soon change when Alice became fully healthy as Rufus desired her body and wanted sexual relations with her even if Alice wasn’t willing to accept telling Dana to talk to Alice about consenting to sex with him saying “…Go to her. Send her to me. I’ll have her whether you help or not. All I want you to do is fix it so I don’t have to beat her” (Butler P.164). Following common practice, Rufus threatens to beat Alice if she did not comply. Consequence of resistance sex for slaves often came in the form of physical beatings and insults (Boundless). At the time, rapping slaves was perfectly legal as they were the owner’s property thus having no basic rights (US