ipl-logo

What Is The Theme Of Kindred

1764 Words8 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Signs of her psychological abuse in incidents of the life of a slave girl

Psychological Complexities and Resistance: Unveiling the System of Slavery
The system of slavery in the United States was one of emotional and physical abuse. By delving into Octavia Butler's novel, "Kindred," we gain a deeper understanding of the psychological repercussions endured by individuals ensnared within the system of slavery in the
United States. In the novel, the main character, Dana, portrays symptoms of Stockholm
Syndrome, further highlighting the dehumanizing relationship between captors and captives.
Dana's character and her experiences throughout the story offer valuable insights into the real-life physical and psychological abuse faced by enslaved people in the United States. Her journey through the story illustrates the psychological …show more content…

There is recorded information from ex-enslaved people directly regarding this ideology. In volume 1., of the “Federal Writers’ Project: Slave Narrative Project,” which specifically touches on ex-enslaved people from Alabama, “Aunt” Charity Anderson,
Valenzuela 5 highlights how the system of slavery was engulfed in psychological abuse. To the point where
Ms. Anderson believes that her enslaver was a good man. She even has that understanding that
“all white folks weren’t good to their slaves,” (page 12) but that her enslaver was different, since he allowed her to be in charge of the house, and to wait on his children. (page 13) According to her, Black people “ain't got no manners, and don’t know nothin’ about waitin’ on folks.” (page
12) In fact, Charity was conditioned to believe that the times of slavery were the “good times.”(page 14) Since she wasn’t abused in the same way that other enslaved people were, …show more content…

It demonstrates that their fight for freedom and their sense of
Valenzuela 6 resistance was stronger than any psychological phenomenon like Stockholm Syndrome or a manufactured sense of caring for their captors. It is essential to acknowledge and remember the resistance and the fight against slavery, displayed by enslaved individuals throughout history, as their struggles and contributions played a significant role in the ultimate abolition of slavery.
In conclusion, Octavia Butler's novel "Kindred" sheds light on the psychological complexities experienced by enslaved individuals, exemplified through the character of Dana.
While she exhibits symptoms of Stockholm Syndrome, it is important to note that these responses were a result of the traumatic circumstances and abusive environment. Despite the presence of these symptoms, enslaved people actively resisted their captivity through acts of defiance and rebellion, highlighting their determination and resistance in the fight for freedom.
Their struggles and contributions played a significant role in the eventual abolition of slavery, surpassing any manufactured sense of responsibility for their

Show More
Related

Octavia Butler's Kindred: Literary Analysis

2020 Words | 9 Pages

Imagine being a modern African American woman, and all of the sudden you start feeling dizzy, and wake up in 1815. Not only you don’t know how you got there, but also you don’t know how you are going to get back home. Later, you realize that you are there to save the life of a slave owner’s child. The child you are trying to protect, end us up being a relative of yours. In the novel “Kindred” by Octavia Butler, includes the main character Dana, a modern colored woman that overcomes many obstacles as she experiences slavery.

Read More

Frederick Douglass Paradox Analysis

161 Words | 1 Pages

Douglass uses paradox to demonstrate that slavery degragrates the slaverholder. When Douglass under Mr. Sever’s care he described that: “He was less cruel, less profane… He whipped, but seemed to take no pleasure in it. ”(Douglass 24). Most slaveholders are characterized to be cruel and inhuman because of the whipping and the way they treated the slaves.

Read More

Character Development In The Novel Kindred By Octavia E. Butler

780 Words | 4 Pages

Octavia E. Butler's novel Kindred tells the tale of American slavery from a more modern-day perspective through time travel. The novel includes many themes and recurring motifs, but it also includes many different characters with different motivations and personalities that all go through some sort of character development. No one character follows a certain archetype commonly found in a lot of other literary works, and it makes the story engaging and more realistic. First off is Dana, the main character of the story. At the novel's start, Dana has experience with doing hard labor to barely make a living, but her development starts after she travels back to the Weylin plantation.

Read More

Analysis Of Kindred By Octavia E. Butler

913 Words | 4 Pages

But it came— like a hot iron across my back, burning into me through my light shirt, searing my skin …” (Butler 107). Dana also had formed different relationships with different slaves because they either had house jobs instead of field jobs and some slaves did not for her personality and some didn’t. For most slaves in the 1800’s, slaves and their masters had very little to no relationship and the masters would only tell them what to do or face their consequences. For all of these reasons, the book could categorize into the genre of historical

Read More

Differences And Similarities Between Kindred And Camp 14

865 Words | 4 Pages

Many people have been slaves and prisoners since they were young. Some of them born there and are slaves or prisoners for their whole entire lives. Most of the time their lives are stuck in the darkness and never know what is going to come or happen to them. Every day in their lives they feel worry, afraid, and frightened because they’re scared that they might do something wrong or unable to do what they have been told. In their lives, the only goal they have is to escape from slavery and imprisonment or be a good slaves and prisoners.

Read More

Women In Kindred

990 Words | 4 Pages

While the masters may truly have these feelings for these women, being raised to believe they are superior to them leads the men to express their romantic emotions in ways that are degrading, controlling, and inhumane. Whether a female wants to engage in sexual or romantic acts with a slave owner, she is left in a situation where she has no choice but to obey despite her own feelings. Through the novels Kindred and the slave narrative of Mary Prince, we can see the consequences that come from these sexual and emotional relationships between a slave and her master.

Read More

Human Emotions In Kindred By Octavia E. Butler

725 Words | 3 Pages

The novel Kindred explores Yearning in people that were slaves in forms of love, freedom, and family. On page 36 of kindred a man that is Alice's dad is a slave that left without a pass and got beat for it while he just wanted

Read More

Essay Comparing Butler's Kindred, And A Flight To Canada

1447 Words | 6 Pages

Not only the relations between the enslaved and their owners, but how the enslaved view and treat themselves. In Toni Morrison’s A Mercy, Octavia E. Butler’s Kindred, and Ishmael Reed’s A Flight To Canada, interracial and intraracial relations are depicted through various different ways. The relations between slaves themselves and their masters, is represented by stereotypes, self hate, and the different attitudes of the oppressed enslaved.

Read More

Examples Of Oppression In Kindred

1232 Words | 5 Pages

Oppression has been used for years by a controlling group or person as a tool to keep a certain population in line. There have been many examples of oppression being used throughout history, such as the United States’ use of slavery. In Octavia Butler’s Kindred Dana is forced to witness the tactics used by slave owners to keep slaves in line. The reader learns alongside Dana about the history of slavery, and the brutal ways that slaves were kept. Octavia Butler writes Kindred as a way to educate people on oppression and slavery, in a more modernized and obvious form.

Read More

How The Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass Dehumanize

1377 Words | 6 Pages

Individuals can empathize and grow from learning from the past experiences of others. The pre-civil war era in United States was a time where many humans were mistreated both psychologically and physically. Frederick Douglass’ Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave gives readers the opportunity to understand exactly how America’s history shaped modern-day social norms and behaviors. Douglass’ personal account not only positively influenced the abolitionist movement, but raised questions of morality and human rights. The story of Frederick Douglass’ life shows exactly the repercussions of humans unjustly mistreating other humans.

Read More

Examples Of Reader Response For Kindred

1208 Words | 5 Pages

Octavia E. Butler did a great job at summing up this scene because if you were in a life or death situation, you wouldn’t know much about how or what got you out; that’s why the minimal words were a great addition to this passage, and helped this quote thrive in the novel. Overall, Kindred is a great Sci-Fi experience for readers interested in history, but don’t want it to be a boring story. In conclusion, this novel gives an engaging, thrilling, and avid exploration of slavery for readers wanting to learn more about the 19th century

Read More

Frederick Douglass Use And Abuse Of Power Essay

498 Words | 2 Pages

The Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass shows the imbalance of power between slaves and their masters. In his book, Douglass proves that slavery is a destructive force not only to the slaves, but also for the slaveholders. “Poison of the irresponsible power” that masters have upon their slaves that are dehumanizing and shameless, have changed the masters themselves and their morality(Douglass 39). This amount of power and control in contact with one man breaks the kindest heart and the purest thoughts turning the person evil and corrupt. Douglass uses flashbacks that illustrate the emotions that declare the negative effects of slavery.

Read More

Examples Of Power In Kindred

1127 Words | 5 Pages

Power, Violence, Identity. Three simple words that at a time in America's history meant a lot more. Slavery was a time in everyone's life that affected them physically and mentally until 1865 when all the violence ended. Kindred Give us a perspective of both sides of this these terrible events. We get to learn about a younger white man growing to be just like his father and all his horrible ways, and a younger black woman who is trying to help this younger man be a better person.

Read More

Frederick Douglass Negative Effects On Slaves

753 Words | 4 Pages

Frederick Douglass’s narrative provides a first hand experience into the imbalance of power between a slave and a slaveholder and the negative effects it has on them both. Douglass proves that slavery destroys not only the slave, but the slaveholder as well by saying that this “poison of irresponsible power” has a dehumanizing effect on the slaveholder’s morals and beliefs (Douglass 40). This intense amount of power breaks the  kindest heart and changes the slaveholder into a heartless demon (Douglass 40). Yet these are not the only ways that Douglass proves what ill effect slavery has on the slaveholder. Douglass also uses deep characterization, emotional appeal, and religion to present the negative effects of slavery.

Read More

Octavia Butler's Kindred: An Analysis

1124 Words | 5 Pages

Octavia E. Butler wrote Kindred with the intention of making her readers feel and recognize the effect of slavery through a new, creative lens and address societal gender roles that still remain today. In order to differentiate it from other novels, she added science fiction through time travel. This element allowed her to fit into Achebe’s description of a writer’s role in society; A writer “must remain free to disagree with his/her society and go into rebellion against it if need be. But I am for choosing my cause very carefully.” Unlike most science fictions authors, Butler drifted away from using out of this world scenarios and applied science fiction concepts to real, tragic events in our history.

Read More

More about What Is The Theme Of Kindred

Related Topics

Open Document