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Octavia Butler's Kindred As A Feminist

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Feminism: Viewing feminism from all aspects
From the following classic definition of a “feminist” by believing the idea of equality, there is an added responsibility of delivering the idea, convincing people, and helping people realize the occurrence of feminism. Being a feminist by any means is not an easy task. As the idea of feminism is rapidly developing across the globe, it refers to various questions, misconceptions, and sometimes extreme detestation directed towards the feminists. Society still doesn’t understand the essence of feminism, and the true meaning of it. Some believe that a feminist fight for women's equality, while others believe that women should be able to fulfill their highest potential. Meanwhile, there is the misconception …show more content…

She explores themes such as identity, oppression, community, and power through the views of a black feminist, and she treats these themes with the expression they deserve. She is a solitary voice in a genre dominated by white males and she brings emotionality, passion, and optimism to Science Fiction. One of her more popular novels, and fourth to be published, is Kindred. This book uses time travel as transportation for exploring the terror and torture of the occurring South. The main character, Dana, is a modern black woman who has both slave and white ancestry. Therefore she is mixed. She shares a special connection with her white, slave owner ancestor, Rufus. This connection forces her to travel back in time and across the continent to assist Rufus when his life is …show more content…

Many women in the book, such as Sarah has all of her children sold, and is acceptable with slavery. Some of the female’s children become objects used against them, as a way to control their mother. Overall kindred is an example by and about women of color. These stories demonstrate the complexities surrounding problem that affect women of color. Slavery, power, and motherhood are all themes from Kindred. Today, oppressed women around the world still face difficulty regarding their personal survival, and the survival of their children in their communities. Butler, however, does a tremendous job in presenting the struggle of a woman with their limited ability to help themselves and their love ones. Another key contribution to women oppression is young men and the examples that they have in their lives. Rufus the boy/men from Kindred doesn’t respect the females slave, not even his mother. “He had spent his life watching his father ignore, even sell the children he had had with black women. (107)” Rufus represent the young men in modern day society. Most of these young men grow up with wrong role models that doesn’t teach them the values of women. Rufus doesn’t respect black women because to him the children that his father had with black women are worth less. These children are like bad eggs that are produced and sold right away so they don’t turn rotten. To Rufus these women are like properties, nevertheless caged

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