Blog Five

Hello, my name is Annalice Weatherly, and I am a student at LaGuardia Community college.  This blog is for my class ENG 260, The Novel; in it, are my related answers to what I think the novel Kindred by Octavia Butler is about.

Kindred is about slavery and the physical plus emotional toll that it put upon the black people. The author approached a different style than most slave narrative did, which makes the story even more unique and interesting. Nevertheless, the book is still about slavery. The main character Dana, was unconsciously summoned whenever Rufus, the son of a slave owner’s life was in danger. Dana made six involuntary journeys back in time to save Rufus life and was treated like a slave in each trip. She was beating, slept, worked, and talked to as if she was a slave.

In one occasion, Dana was whipped until she passed out because she attempted to teach the other slaves how to read and write. “I treated you good” Said Weyin quietly “and you pay me back by stealing from me!” Tom Weyin, the plantation owner saw education as treat because if the slaves learned how to read and write, then they would be able to write passes and escaped. Consequently, he punished Dana for trying to educate the slaves. On Dana’s second trip to Maryland, she accoutered a white man who beat and tried to rape her like they did with most female slaves. Dana had to learn how to live in the plantation as a slave while trying to save Rufus life and to ensure the birth of one of her direct ancestors. Only then can she go back home. Hence, she did her best to live as a slave and did what she had to, to guarantee her own survival.