What Is The Theme Of Discrimination In Kindred

In the novel, Kindred, by Octavia E Butler, there are many issues discussed like race, gender and discrimination. Octavia Butler helps portray these issues through her use of time travel in the book as well as using other authorial choices. Because she chose to have the main characters time travel she was able to use foreshadowing and elements from the past to help portray the concepts to the reader. While doing this she also used it to show how the perspectives of people from back then and now differ. Also, how people's views and values changed and grew as time passed. Furthermore, she used different authorial choices like imagery, descriptive word choice and her use of dialogue to expand her ideas on race and gender problems. She uses these

Knowing that Rufus made assumptions about Dana and Kevin's relationship just because of their race is an example of how people from back then had small minds. Octavia uses her book to show the change in time and the growth society has had, but she also displays that even though it has improved, there is still a lot of racial and gender based discrimination made in modern times. Because Dana and Kevin have two very different lives and past experiences they act and think in very different ways. From the text you can see how someone acts and their thought process, the audience is able to understand if the character has ever faced racial or gender based discrimination. The growing up of a white man and a black woman would be very different. With not only racial factors in the mix but also gender factors. Everyone can face discrimination and hardships but some factors highly increase the chance of it. Going through that changes your overall personality and the way you think. When Danna and Kevin were back in time automatically people assumed things about Dana purely based on her appearance while on the other hand no one assumed anything about Kevin. After seeing

This is shown differently with white and black women from both times. The readers see how white women, for example, Margaret is seen as less than their husbands. In addition, society expects them to be nothing more than wives and mothers. On the other hand, black women are constantly victimized and treated inhumanely. In the novel, it is repeatedly shown that black women in the 19th century were even more oppressed than they are today. For instance Rufus constantly asserts his “racial superiority” over African Americans. Such as when he sexually abuses Alice without anyone saying anything or stopping him which he could do because of his power and privilege as a white man during this time. Although his cruel behavior could be a result of his family and society constantly reminding him that his gender and race gives him authority, it's almost not his fault he has this mentality because of the way he grew up and what his parents taught him. When Dana was forced to work for the Weylins she starts to notice the unhealthy relationship between Rufus and his mother, Margaret. She states, "I remembered suddenly the way he used to talk to his mother. If he couldn't get what he wanted from her gently then he stopped being gentle. Why not? She always forgave him" (218). Dana realizes that Margaret’s behavior toward Rufus is what influenced him to grow up feeling misogynistic towards not only