The Theme Of Love And Freedom In Kindred

Rufus has also felt that he was entitled to Dana’s service. When Rufus’ father had a heart attack, he demanded that Dana stop him from dying, even when she had no clue of how to do so. When Dana was not able to save him, Rufus sent her

Octavia Butler reveals Nigel trying to protect Dana from Tom W. owing to the fact that he tells her to be mindful about how she speaks, because of this: “he doesn't like any free and educated black” (Butler 74). Octavia Butler reveals the people in the past by presenting the element of being protected and risking one's life for another. The past reveals having someone to protect Dana which gives her a sense of relief knowing someone is there to care for her. Nigel warns Dana Tom W. despite for “Educated blacks” demonstrates the urge for

He isn’t yet tainted by the overwhelming ideology that his skin color alone gives him authority, making all African American people inferior to him. During her third trip to the Weylin plantation Dana considers, “…I would try to keep friendship with him , maybe plant a few ideas in his mind that would help both me and the people who would be his slaves in the years to come” (68). He listens to her as a child even though her conversations about freedom for blacks, interracial marriage and coming from 1976 seem unbelievable. At that time Rufus is subjugated by his father through demoralization, whippings and lack of feelings of love from a parent. In contrast Dana shows compassion balanced with authority and she is his savior who comes to his rescue whenever he’s in danger.

Rufus consistently demonstrates that he cannot understand Dana’s point of view throughout Kindred and, although he usually tried to listen to her when he was younger, as he ages he ignores her opinions more and

Haven’t you ever felt like giving up? That’s how Dana and Frederick Douglass felt when they were slaves. Dana is the main character in the novel, Kindred, which is about Dana going back in the past of the antebellum South. Frederick Douglass is a real African-American slave, and he wrote his book, A Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, about his journey as one. In the novels Kindred and, A Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, the theme of surviving and it being more difficult than imagined is explored through the main characters Dana and Frederick Douglass. In order to survive, both Dana and Frederick Douglass have to learn how to be a field slave, be broken by their overseers, and fight

Butler first describes the scenery of where she is living by stating she lived in Southern California. She then states that Dana is transported to Maryland in 1815. “I was in a green pace. I was at the edge of woods. Before me was a wide tranquil river... [13]” From this acute description, the reader can imagine that Dana is at a place that is not urban like Southern California in 1976. As the story progresses,

The novel under the title Kindred is a magnificent literary piece created by renowned African-American fantasy writer and novelist of contemporary times Octavia Butler. This superb piece encompasses the most burning issues and problems faced by the African-American community. The novel throws light on the pathetic condition of the black slaves and vehemently condemns domestic violence and slavery inflicted and imposed upon the black stratum of the American society. The novel also discusses atrocities and hatred exercised upon the African Americans on the basis of racial and ethnic discrimination prevailing in the society. Butler points out the communication gap between spouses and family members, which adds to the misery of the black

This also illustrates how Dana believes she can have a lasting effect on Rufus, to steer him away from the ways of his father. However, she only has a limited period of time to shed her 20th century mentality on him. And, Rufus’ change is not gradual relative to Dana, because every time she returns, she finds Rufus years older, and acting that much more like his father.

During the final scenes of the book, Rufus finally reaches a breaking point after Alice commits suicide. He proceeds to attack Dana, attempting to hurt her. Dana secretly hides a knife she found in her bag, and waits until she has to use it: “Oh God. Almost against my will, I closed my fingers around the handle of the knife still concealed in my bag. ... I was aware of him trying not to hurt me even as I raised the knife, even as I sank it into his side.” (Butler 259 - 260). Rufus was a white slave owner during the antebellum period of America. He is responsible for oppressing a race of people, and he is also Dana’s ancestor. By killing him with the knife, the knife becomes a symbol of breaking oppression from the past. He is a part of Dana’s past and he is a cause of oppression, oppression that Dana ends as soon as she. “sank it [the knife] into his side.” However, Butler later shows that while Dana tries her hardest to escape her oppression, she can not be fully clear of it due to her vulnerability. This is made clear when Dana gets sent back to the present after she kills Rufus, “His [Rufus’s] body went limp and leaden across me. … Something harder and stronger than Rufus’s hand clamped down on my arm … Something … paint, plaster, wood - a wall. … I pulled my arm toward me, pulled hard. And suddenly, there was an avalanche of pain, red impossible agony! And I screamed and screamed.” (Butler 260 - 261). After Dana kills Rufus and she is sent back to the present, she realizes her arm from the elbow down is stuck in her living room wall. After she attempts to pull it out, her arm is ripped off and she screams in agony. This shows that even though she killed her oppressor, who was Rufus, she still will not be able to fully break free from his oppression. Additionally, since her arm is permanently

Palomon says, " The Beauty of the lady whom I see wandering yonder in the garden

“I came back for [Alice’s mother], but you’re just like her” (Butler, 42). The patroller had come for Alice’s mother, but instead found Dana. Still he decided she was good enough and proceeded in his attack, in which Dana was almost raped. Women were seen and used as sexual objects, until the man decided when he was over it. They were easily replaceable and thrown around. Weylin had casually begun taking [Tess] to bed, and had hurt her. Apparently, she paid her debts” (Butler, 159). Tess, the slave who took care of the laundry, had to deal with recurring sexual assault from her master Tom Weylin. Since Tess was owned by him, he could do what he pleased to her because she could not fight back. After her grew tired of her, Weylin passed her over to the overseer, without any consideration to her or her health. Rufus pursues Dana even when it was clear from the beginning that Dana wanted no sexual relationship with him. Feeling defeated, Rufus begins to come onto Dana, “so what else do I have to lose?” (Butler, 259). After Alice’s death, Rufus feels as if he has

As depicted in, “‘You wouldn’t hurt me until something frustrated you, made you angry or jealous. You wouldn’t hurt me until someone hurt you. Rufe, I know you’” (256). In this quote, Rufus is trying to convince Dana to stay in his time. He is telling her he would not harm her. This shows how Dana has lost faith in her understanding with Rufus in which they need each other too much to hurt one another. It shows that because of Rufus’s impulsive behavior, Dana has lost trust in Rufus to not harm her. This quote shows that Dana and Rufus’s relationship has developed into one of no trust or general ground rules. It has developed as Rufus has aged. As a further matter, not only has Dana lost trust with Rufus, but Rufus has lost faith in Dana to keep him safe. Shown in, “Rufus wasn’t afraid of dying. Now, in his grief, he seemed almost to want death. But he was afraid of dying alone, afraid of being deserted by the one person he had depended on for so long” (257). In this quote, the person Dana is referring to as “The one person he had depended on for so long,” is herself. This quote shows that because of Dana coming and going into Rufus’s time, Rufus has lost faith in Dana. Rufus truly has depended on Dana to come and save him when he was in desperate need, and he

In Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Knight’s Tale, ” love is the most important part of the story. William Shakespeare once said, “The course of true love never did run smooth.” This quote reflects the story of the Knights Arcite and Palamon. During their imprisonment, they fall in love with Emelye, which sends them into a frenzy of love and suffering. Arcite and Palamon show that love is synonymous to suffering through imprisonment, banishment, and battle.

Some of the most common fears are being afraid of clowns and jumping off of cliffs. However, to me taking a chance is far more terrifying than either of those. Hell, I’d rather jump off a cliff.

The tale that the Franklin chooses to tell is one of love, pain, and equality. The tale begins with a noble Breton knight named Arveragus who falls in love with a beautiful women named Dorigen in the land of Brittany. In order to win her love Arveragus promises her that their marriage will be based on mutual agreement and respect for one another. His attempt is successful and they are later married. They live happily with one another until a great problem presents itself.