Octavia Butler’s novel Kindred is a very good representation and exploration of the idea of nature vs. nurture. Through the characters of Rufus and Kevin, The author examines how environmental factors can shape an individual’s character. Rufus, a slave owner’s son, is a product of his environment and his upbringing, leading him to be cruel and hostile towards slaves. Meanwhile, Kevin is the product of two different worlds: the modern 20th century and the 1800s surrounded by slaves. The development of Kevin's character is a case study of the power of nurture over nature. As Kevin is exposed to the harshness of the antebellum South, he comes to understand the cruelty of slavery. He begins to understand the inhumanity of it and eventually changes his views on racial equality. Through his interactions with Rufus, Kevin is transformed …show more content…
Although Rufus is initially presented as an innocent, unknowing child, he quickly becomes the focal point of Dana’s narrative. He is a symbol of nurture and change, actively showing how one’s environment and the people they meet shape their future. From being treated as a son to facing cruelty and abuse, Rufus’s life is characterized by the many roads he takes that lead him further away from his original nature. With every negative force he faces, Rufus grows more corrupted and cynical. The second time Rufus is presented in the past he and Dana had time to talk in his home. He clearly has not yet been shaped by his parents or environment. As they talk it becomes more clear that he hardly sees Dana as black. Rufus even goes on to call her the N word in such a casual tone because he hadn’t known it was wrong. However like all people he grew up and was taught by his parents causing him to gain their morals and beliefs. While Rufus does go on to do many things that are considered objectively wrong it wouldn’t be fair to blame his character or original nature for