Middle

My feelings about the novel were fairly positive by this point. Rufus has become my favorite character by this point; not because I like him, but because his complexity and the relationship he develops with Dana intrigue me. Although he does some horrible things, I have at multiple points in the novel found myself pitying him. He seems to see Dana as a sort of mother figure, but of course in an Oedipus Rex sort of way. The involvement of Kevin in traveling to the past with Dana was an interesting twist, and I looked forward to finding out the toll that it would take on their relationship. Another thing I have enjoyed up to this point in the novel is Butler's depiction of the ease with which people (such as Rufus, Dana, and Kevin) can be assimilated into such a repulsive society. It became clear that the reason for which Dana was being called back in time, time and again, to save Rufus was because he represented some part of her family line, although this explanation is found wanting.

end

The book ended as I thought it probably would. I knew that Dana would somehow have to free herself from Rufus in one of two ways: with either her death or his. I hated the fact that Rufus fell into the part of the stereotypical white male of the time. In the beginning of the book, I thought that he would be different from others. I thought that he would respect Alice and that they would have a happy romance. I guess that this was too much to expect in their time period. It also would not provide a good plot line in any case. I must admit though, that I am glad Dana killed Rufus. Although this marked a change in her, it may not have been for the worst. She stuck up for herself when she saw that she there was need. She knew that she would never be rid of Rufus if she did not kill him. Her action may have had negative consequences, but it was something that needed to be done. Dana did not deserve to be Rufus' personal little bodyguard. She had a life of her own that needed to be lived.

1st Thoughts

The first chapter of Kindred successfully did it's job by actively drawing me into the story and keeping me interested. At first I was hesitant about the concept of time travel and American slavery together, but the fact that it started with a woman's arm being amputated and the fast pace of the story did the trick. The main questions that came into my mind upon reading the first chapter regarded the method or purpose of Dana's journey through time, why Rufus was a significant enough character to pull Dana back in time, and how it came to be that her arm is being cut off. Overall, the book looked like it would make for an interesting read, if nothing else.

end

I, too, thought the explanation of Dana’s lost limb was a bit…disappointing, maybe? One would think that since Butler decided to start the novel off with this tidbit, it would be an integral part of the conclusion.
Rufus’s unpredictability throughout the book kept it interesting. I didn’t know whether it was possible for him to shed the norms of his time. Apparently it wasn’t. I guess since Rufus was not a one-dimensional character, he couldn’t have been strictly the “good guy” or the “bad guy.” The ending seemed to leave many things unanswered, as I'm sure was intended, but I didn't like this aspect.

Middle

As I was reading, I got a bit distracted with the way Butler worded things sometimes. The little sprinkling of facts and explanations seemed too like an ill-disguised history lesson. And I felt that everything clicked too quickly for Dana in terms of who everyone was, where she was, and why she was there.
The twists did keep me on my toes, though. Kevin making the jump with Dana added whole new levels to both their relationship and the struggle of daily life in the 19th century. Both of them now have to assume different roles – a reminder of how far into this world they are weaving themselves.
It was long foreshadowed that Rufus would do terrible things, so I was not surprised about this. Rufus still remains a complex character, though. I wonder how much longer his dwindling conscience can still manage to exist. The gun incident could lead to the end of the Rufus with morals (admittedly, not many morals) but somehow I doubt it. I think he will return and we will see him diminish even further. His relationship with Dana has changed as he has; as he becomes the domineering man society expects, Rufus seems to take more pleasure in controlling Dana’s circumstances. He continues to hurt her despite the guilt that comes from it.

Middle

I am not sure that I particularly like the direction in which Kindred is heading. To me, it does not seem that any good can come out of the Dana's current situations. Also, I was hoping that more of my questions would be answered. Why is Dana dragged back and forth throughout time? Why does Rufus need saving? Surely every boy who puts himself into danger does not have a futuristic relative come save him. I mainly want to know why Dana was chosen. In some cases, I am sure that she would much rather give up than be put through different obstacles and trials. I had kind of hoped that Dana would mainly be on the side of Rufus' life helping him, and not actually in it. Of course, I would imagine that it would lead to a very boring book. In any case, I mainly just feel sorry for Dana. She does not have the choice of when she time travels. No one should be forced to live with this unfairness.

1st thoughts

I am not fond of the topic of time travel, but I liked the presence of evidence of Dana's time travel (returning with wet clothes, etc.). We aren’t left to wonder until the end of the book if she was really traveling through time or whether it was one huge hallucination; other evolving issues can be focused on.
Kevin and Dana adjusted to everything far too quickly, I felt. Kevin’s initial reaction of disbelief, confusion, and so on was much more believable and expected than his fairly calm demeanor by the end of the chapter.
The difference in how time passes between the two eras is interesting. I don’t know if the ratio will remain consistent, though.

Introductions

Hello, I’m Jennifer Boyd, but you can call me Jen. I’ve lived in Austin my whole life (in the same house, even), so adapting to a smaller environment should be interesting. I have one older sibling – a 24 year-old sister who lives outside of Detroit. She’s my best friend, and I hate living so far away from her.

I’m not extremely talkative in groups, but I’m working on improving that. I can’t tell a joke to save my life, but I do enjoy hearing them. My attention span is a bit short, so I look around and move a lot. It doesn’t mean I’m not listening, I promise! My major is Business right now, but I don’t know what specific field or career I’m interested in yet.

I’m not sure how else to describe myself; I am a bit biased, after all.

Introductions

Hey everyone.

For those of y0u that don't know, my name is Brandon Ramirez. I'm proud to say that I come from Lubbock, Texas (please note the extreme sarcasm). I was born on October 28th, 1988, thus making me 18 years old. Technically, my major is biology, but mentally I am pretty much undecided on what I want to commit myself to. I would love to tell you all more about myself, but you probably wouldn't find it to be too interesting. In all honesty, I do not feel that an internet blog is the best medium for introducing myself to you because you would inevitably be reading about the person that I want you to think I am, and I'm not nearly that cool.

In any case, I look forward to class tomorrow/later today and getting to know you all better.

end

There was definitely a bit of confusion on my end after finishing Kindred. I can't say that I was entirely happy with the ending either.
As the novel progressed, I was nearly positive that something would have to be done to keep Rufus from completely ruining any chance Dana had of returning to life as she knew it, in 1976. However, I didn't really think she would eventually come to the point where murdering him was acceptable. I understand what he was trying to do and obviously I didn't expect her to let it happen...but could she not have simply stabbed him in the chest or elsewhere to wound him just enough to enable her escape? With her conscience, I figure she would have felt remorseful enough after doing so that she could somehow use that to get back to present-day as she actually did post-murder. I dont know, maybe it's the optimist in me, but I really don't think his death was vital to the plot. From the way Dana constantly talked about how she worried of what Rufus may do to the slaves on the plantation now that his father was gone, I didn't think she would have the gall to kill him as that would ultimately result in the selling of most of the Wyelin plantation slaves.
Also, I guess I'm not entirely sure how Dana's hand just...came off. I understand that it was molded in plaster but you would think there was another way around getting it out, as opposed to having it completely come off. A bit dramatic, I thought. Then again, trying to look at all sides, it is a novel and I do notice the symbolism in that in leaving her arm in the 1800s, she left a part of herself...both physically and emotionally. Anyway, overall I do see what Butler was trying to do with the novel but I'm not sure I would include in in my list of favorites.

the end, my last ending did not post for some reason

Could the ending be any worse? Butler does a good job of building the tension in the book and then it simply ends with Dana losing her arm to a dead guy that somehow turns into a wall. Where was the explanation in that. I feel like the reader had to assume so much for themselves. What happened to Nigel and Carrie?
Also, I am dissapointed in how the relationship between Dana and Rufus played out. I knew it was not going to happen but I at least had some hope. I and others were correct when we stated Rufus would not be able to change because his age in time would not allow it. The antebellum south was no place for a plantation owner who would be easy on his slaves. Well, although I do believe Rufus was influenced by his time, you could also make the argument that Rufus knew what he was doing when he would punish Dana or his slaves. Rufus and other plantation owners knew how to work their slaves and how to keep them entertained and to the point where freedom was not constantly on their minds (which is hard to imagine, I thought anyone enslaved would be thinking of freedom at all times). Rufus threw parties and allowed for Nigel and Carrie to have a proper wedding.
I am partially contempt with the novel because Butler gives her characters emotions that are realistic. In the case of Tom Weylin, he became softer towards Dana in his old age because he realized he would have to leave his plantation to his son and she was the one who protected Rufus. Margaret is another example. She also gave in to Dana because of her old age. She probably felt safer around Dana because Dana had saved her son's life and her knowlegde of medicine was beyond that of any doctor at that time.
Overall, the book is not one of my favorites, but it took us back in time to imagine the emotional and physical state of people in that century.

middle

After reaching what was about the mid-point of the book, my opinion of the novel changed. I still enjoyed the fresh approach Butler took in addressing the issue of race, but I felt the book was getting slightly tiresome. I think it is well-written and creatively original, but I seemed to experience a kind of feeling as if things were going nowhere. Everything seemed to remain stagnant in the sense that most of the text consists of Dana traveling back and forth from past to present. Maybe that's the feeling Butler intended for the reader to feel, though. It is possible that she hoped the reader would feel as if there was no solution to the problem, no hope for the future, etc. It is certainly a valid argument to raise. I, however, cannot be sure and only know my own feelings after reading this far.

end

to be honest the ending of the book was not what i expected. I think the book in general was ok. There was to much build-up through out the book for it to end the way it did.I would've liked it to end differently. i think Dana finished and accomplished what she had been wanting to for so many years this,i think, was hard for her.Only because she had to choose between saving her life or risking her future by killng Rufus.Her and Rufus had such a strong relationship that when it came down to choosing it was one that was not very easy to make.She had finally come to understand the pain and struggle her ancestors had gone through but even more importantly she realized that she could endure alot more than she ever thought possible. Although the book was alot more predictable than i would've imgined i found it interesting when I compared the life of Dana and Rufus.There was a big difference as well as many smilarities.

For instance while both were educated Dana was obviously more aware and intellectual of many things while Rufus on the other hand was a little bit more unaware at least when it came to illnesses and things of that nature. On the other hand Dana was unaware and often times really stubborn of her place in that specific period in time.

In closing the book was entertaining at some points but at others was very cliche. I do think though that it did a pretty good job of showng two drastic ways of living in hichmany different people called home.

1st thoughts

My first thoughts after reading the first chapter of Kindred were relatively positive. I loved the way Butler so easily drew me in as she began the book with such a mysterious, vague scene unfolding. I didn't want to put the book down because I think I secretly hoped Butler would explain to me why Dana's arm was missing...
I was also somewhat surprised that the book was associated so frequently with science-fiction. I thought maybe as the book continued that the time travel aspect would be elaborated upon more, but from reading the first chapter alone, it seems like the author chooses more to allow the reader to understand Dana's thoughts and emotions rather than delve into the details of time travel. I do also remember being extremely intrigued by the fact that the author chose to create such a distinguished time difference between the past and present in the sense that, while Dana is in the 1800s for a decent amount of time, merely ten to fifteen seconds passed in her absence in the present.

1st thoughts

The prologue captured my attention right away. I was surprised by how much excitement Octavia Butler was able to fit into a few short pages. By simply reading the prologue, one can already tell that this book will be filled with adventure, fear, and confusion. It is evident to me that while Dana's travels start out short, they will escalate throughout the book until finally resulting in massive amounts of lost time. The more Dana helps, the more she will be needed. She is depicted as a strong woman: one who has a good sense of priority. She is shown in sharp contrast to Rufus' mother, who is the stereotypical woman in distress. Dana knows that she has no time to think about how she appeared by a random river. She instead uses her first instincts in knowing that she must save the drowning boy. I believe that as the book goes on, her strength will increase to a high level. Once she has reached this level, she will either have to use her strength for one final heroic gesture or she will break and give up. It should be interesting to see how it plays out.

Intoductions

Hi, my name is Tina Longman and I live in Kerrville, Texas. I graduated from the small school of Our Lady of the Hills High School. We reached 80 kids this year! I was born in San Francisco, then moved to New Hampshire, and am now here in Texas. Needless to say, we have moved around a bit. I am planning on majoring in English and then going on to law school to study Environmental Law.
My favorite activity to participate in is Polocrosse. For those of you who have never heard of it, Polocrosse is pretty much just lacrosse on horseback. I also love watching musicals, playing volleyball, most horse activities, being a team member for ACTS retreats, reading, listening to music, etc. For anything else you want to know, just ask me!

Climax

Wow.... this was a little beyond my expectations. What surprises me about the ending is not the climactic death of Rufus by Dana's hands, but the fact that despite the ancestral roots and years (or months?) of protection for Rufus, there seemed to be little guilt for what she'd done despite the fact that she'd acted in self-defense. There's virtually no "family" connection at this point, and it's almost as though the reader forgets that they're related to each other. The climax takes none of this into account, until the epilogue mentions the geneology that Dana and Kevin discover, and my reaction was "Oh yeah! They were family.... how could I have forgotten?" Rufus fell in love with Dana; Dana killed Rufus. After all is accomplished, and the bond of protection is broken, even the sanctity of blood couldn't serve to prevent the tragedy that would eventually occur. Cold irony...(No happy ending, but then we all knew she'd lose an arm, right?)

It was obvious from the moment Dana went home that Alice would do something tragic. After Hagar was born and Rufus' life becomes less significant to perpetuate the following generations, nothing could change the course of history or cause a truly positive outcome. They had both played their roles. I still don't understand, despite all that occured, why cold, indifferent fate chose to submit Dana to retribution for her deed by taking her arm--which, it seems, was the cause for the horrible effect. (Haha... but, I noticed that it didn't take her writing arm. Just chance?...) "Something cold and nonliving." I suppose fate dealt Rufus a worse punishment.

For the most part, all other aspects of the story followed a fairly predictable pattern: the danger to Rufus--and to Dana--gradually crescendoed into a finality that couldn't be avoided by any natural force except for history and fact. Slavery in America's past was ugly and harsh, just like the end of Kindred. Perhaps this is the reason for the lack of a positive outcome. By lending a hand in her ancestor's death--whether inevitably or by chance--Dana paid the price for taking a life that was not hers to take. The result is complex, and the end is harsh.

MIdpoint

As I'd thought, Dana has gone through most of the foreshadowings I'd seen at the beginning of the novel. Butler's style seems very predictable at this point, almost to the point of cliche, but there have been a few unexpected twists. (Actually, now that I think of it they really weren't so unexpected at all...)

I notice that Butler attempts to fuse historical references into the sequence of events to make the story semi-informal for the reader, almost like side-notes in an encyclopedia. For instance, she mentions the KKK with the effect of a dictionary definition: "Patrols. Groups of young whites who ostensibly maintained order among the slaves. Patrols. Forefunners of the Ku Klux Klan" (37). She uses research to draw the reader to a past time with information she'd obviously attained for the purpose, and the effect is that the story is more of a history lesson than a drama. This is useful, but as a form of literature it seems to lack stucture. I still don't understand why Dana is brought to the past to protect her ancestors, or the link that time plays in the story, and it seems that these will remain unsolved mysteries and only serve as a means to "experience" the historical events.

One thing that intrigues me, however, is Rufus' character. He seems ambiguous, and it's difficult to tell whether he'll become good or bad, and seems to represent Dana's desire for "goodness" to come of her experience. The potential for a postitve change, also capable of monstrosities. If Rufus develops as a person, the change will come because he's the time link for Dana, and I'm sure this will be a crucial defining moment in the novel.

It really amazes me, as I read the story, that self-righteousness and religion can be twisted to a point to make evil justifiable. I notice that the Weylins' treatment of the slaves, however, is surprisingly bereft of these "righteous" excuses. Instead, it's mainly for profit in the plantation. The greatest emotion I form as I read the story is frustration at the blindness and ignorance that are contained within the family, bitter and empty because of selfishness for the cost of economic growth. Selfishness, I think, is the cause of Rufus' ruthless attitude, attempting to get his wishes met at all cost to those he loves.

Yay! I'm done!

So it all has a relatively happy ending - Dana slays the evil slave owner. I figured she would, just not like this. In the chapter, "The Fire", when she was still new to that age, Dana used violence stricktly for survival . After being tackled and beaten by a man, she was perfectly capable of defending herself against him - and she did, eventually: "In that instant, I knew I could... destroy him...The thought sickened me, froze my hands where they were... My chance was gone, and I'd done nothing" (pg. 42). She settles for simply incapacitating him.

But what I'd found interesting was that when faced with death, when the decision of whether to dipose of her attacker or not could not be dwelled on, Dana had some trouble. But later, when Rufus tried to rape her, and immediate survival was not the issue, she had no problem with making the decision to end his life. (I'm not saying I wouldn't either, but one could argue that Dana has been bumped down a peg, ethically.) Maybe she was still really peeved at all the other stuff he did...

Kindred was a good read, but not nearly as good as Beloved, by Toni Morrison. Seriously guys, that book is intense.

"Slavery was a long slow process of dulling"

Dana's character still interests me. For example, upon learning from Rufus that she was in the year 1815, she did not flip out (I don't think I could say that about myself), but rather, she "sat still" and believed him (pg. 27). At times I thought Butler should have made Dana more jumpy at first so that by the end of the novel, her transformation into a slavemaster-killing-machine would be more apparent.

I noticed that some of the other characters have adapted to a life of slavery, but in a different way. Sarah, for instance, "...had done the safe thing - had accepted a life of slavery because she was afraid... She was the kind of woman who would be held in contempt during the militant nineteen sixties" (pg. 145). I suppose I can say that this novel is about transformation, and that not all transformation is good.

And actually I had a question: What's up with the title "Marse"? Is it short for "Master"?

Middle

-The novel has been good at times and very predictable at other times. It has been basically the same throughout. Rufus finds himself in life threatening situation and Dana has to bail him out.
-Well to start out, Dana’s goal is to try and change Rufus from the type of person he is. However, these time changes interfere with her purpose. She is unable to reach Rufus because he is maturing too fast for her. She may not be aging but Rufus is. Everytime she goes back to 1976 and then returns to Rufus’ time, he has aged so many years. Also, it is unlikely that Dana, an African American in the time of slaves, can change the type of person Rufus grows up to be. Rufus lives in the antebellum south. A region known for its cruelty to slaves and conservative nature. If being African American is not difficult enough, Dana is also a woman. Women, or better yet African American women, had no rights. Look at the case of Alice. She was a free woman that turned into a slave simply because a white man wanted to do as he pleased with her. It is impossible to believe that Dana will be able to change Rufus. However, I do respect Dana in her will to do what she can for the slaves around her. Even after being beaten, she is able to maintain her dignity as a modern African American woman from 1976. The fact that she has the courage to teach slaves to read makes her a heroin whether she successfully or not accomplishes her purpose of maintaining order while Hagard is born.
-I am shocked by the detail and insight that Butler gives regarding slavery. Dana accurately depicts the treatment of these slaves in comparison to how Nazis treated their victims. The fact that people persecuted each other because of the color of their skin and continue even until today sickens me.

Upon completing the prologue and the first chapter, I had mixed emotions about the book. I must admit I was not looking forward to a book that deals with time travel. I figured all books on time travel are the same, until I read on a little more. It occured to me that Butler was different in her approach to time travel. Going back in time was completely against Dana’s will. She had no desire or reason to change anything in the past. One of the first lines that called my attention in the first chapter was when Dana stated, “It was also the day I met Rufus—the day he called me to him for the first time.” Right away it proves that these actions are involuntary. What surprises me after Dana goes through time is that she is not stunned by the incident. Rather she reacts instinctively to Rufu’s need for helf. I also noted that Dana was able to use CPR, an action commonly used in reviving drowning victims. However, Rufu’s mother was stunned by the action that allowed her son to live. It occured to me that Dana’s knowledge might prove useful in time where medicine and simple respiratory aid was unheard of. As I read on I hope to find the purpose in Butler’s use of time travel.

introduction

Well I finally came around to taking care of my school work. My name is Edgar Flores-Morales and I am 18 years old. I'm from Dallas, TX and graduated from St. Mark's School of Texas. Don't really know what else to say. I recently got back from some long trips to Mexico, which is why I am so far behind on my work.

First Impression

I often have trouble not rolling my eyes whenever I read anything about time travel, but this was surprisingly easy to read. I noticed immediately that Butler uses very little imagery to describe Dana's journey: Dana feels really sick and then stuff vanishes. But enough of that.

I was a bit intrigued with Dana's reaction to drowning Rufus - she doesn't freak out and wonder what just happened to her or dwell on the fact that some child is drowning. She simply "reacted to the child in trouble." This is more than one could say for Margaret, who flails and screams and makes herself useless. Dana's calm in this situation leads me to believe that she is more fit to adapt and live in the antebellum south. Of course, after I came to that conclusion, I thought that perhaps the time travel aspect of the book has little to do with Butler's overall theme of adaptation and peoples' ability to adapt to alien environments.

Howdy

Hey everybody! I have finally gotten over my chronic laziness and started posting! My name is Katherine McDonald, and I went to school in Austin. I'm thinking of majoring in kinesiology or something science-ish. My summer was rather brief - I didn't travel anywhere interesting or go on vacation, in fact I stayed in town almost the entire summer. I did, however, practice martial arts everyday. That was fun...

Middle

The book has(in my opinion) gotten a lot better. As stated before I thought it would be a book that would be very predictable and in some cases has but in general is very different. I find the relationship between Dana and Rufus very odd. She has saved his life so many times and because of this should be appreciated more than she has been. Yet Rufus continues to treat her like nothing more than a rag doll and has deceived her more than once. Although Rufus has gone through the trouble of recapturng Alice the feelings he has for Dana seem stronger than those for Alice. He sees Dana as a caretaker and personally I think loves her. He tries to deny the strong connection present by diverting his attention to Alice. The relationship among Dana and Alice is and can be seen as a sisterly bond, one consisting of intimate conversations and deeply held thoughts. I think Dana tries to help Alice because she sees that they're so alike all the way down to their appearances and sort of helps Alice almost as if she was her. Dana is torn between wanting to help Alice escape the brutality of Rufus but also knows that the only way for her to return home permanently is for them to have Hagar. She is torn between her morals as well as her wants.

1st thoughts

After reading the 1st chapter i have the impression that the rest of the book is going to be predictable. Although the story is in many ways unique it makes me feel like it is unoriginal at the same time.Perhaps it is the whole idea of time travel but the rest of the story is still unsure at least to me.While the story seems trite it also has a somewhat original aspect to it. I think its the fact that Dana had no choice or desire to travel back in time that makes it unique. Often times the person traveling has a desire to change the past but in this case the time travel is very much a surprise to Dana. The fact that she has to save an early ancestors life more than once makes it interesting to read.The uncertainty of her life back in time has kept me glued to the book since I've started it. As I continue reading the book I think Dana will come across some hard decisions that may make it difficult due to her morals. I have no doubt that she will face adversity she is not personally use to and in return will gain a greater appreciation for the slaves that lived in such a hard and trying time.

The fact that Dana killed Rufus did not surprise me. Dana herself has said several times in the novel that she believes if necessary she would have the ability to kill, and when Rufus physically threatened her, she did what she said she would. In the Readers Guide, Robert Crossley discusses how the loss of Danas arm symbolizes her return to modern society "not-whole." I liked this symbolism because I do believe something as brutal as slavery would leave someone broken. There were obviously other broken characters in the novel, Alice being a prime example, and I think Butler's use of the injury Dana sustained to convey this "brokeness" was effective.
One of the things in the last chapters I found most compelling was the discussion of the complex slave-master relationship. Dana observes that the slaves "strangely, seemed to like him, hold him in contempt, and fear him all at the same time" (referring to Rufus 229). These relationships are intriguing because they don't fit the conventional belief that if 'someone is hurting you then you will hate them.' The masters use manipulation (such as the bible verses) and other tactics to create a state of confusion so that the slaves never rebel. This is why Dana still feels some connection to the plantation even after she has returned to her own time.
Also I wanted to discuss what the novel meens for discussion on racism as a whole (atleast to myself). At several points through-out the novel Dana makes the assertion that Rufus has been influenced by his time to such a great extent that in some ways he cannot be blamed for his actions. To me this is a pretty poor excuse. Even in modern society there is still racism in almost every facet of society. If people continue to use the excuse that they were "raised that way" it will never truly end. I do believe that even someone like Rufus deep down knew that what he was doing was wrong-he just didn't care.
Finally I wanted to discuss the final discussion question at the end of the novel. I believe it is going to be very difficult for Dana and Kevin to adjust to modern life again. They have been through so much and have definately been permantly scared by their experiences. I liked how Butler ended the novel somehwat vague, and this allowed the reader to focus on the overall message and not simply get caught up in a complicated ending that explained everything. In fact I liked how we never even knew exactly how she was able to time-travel. I think if she had added in some sort of vehicle or another "plausible" explanation it would have trivialized the novel.
I enjoyed the novel very much and I look forward to discussing it with everyone further later this week~!

Here are the thoughts I had upon finishing the book:

-I was not happy with the progression of Dana and Rufus’ relationship during the latter part of Kindred. The two continued to depend upon each other, but I felt that their bond was based more on coercion than friendship. I think this is due to the fact that Rufus acquired character traits in resemblance to that of his father, Tom Weylin. Not only did Rufus become bitter towards Dana and the other slaves, but he also made imprudent choices (i.e.-drinking, attacking Isaac and Alice).
I found a line in the last chapter that adequately described Rufus. Dana remarked, "Maybe he'll never be as hard as his father was, but he's still a man of his time." I agreed with Dana that Rufus' attitude could be justified in accordance with the current conservative and racist time period.
Might I also add that it was extremely awkward to read about Rufus always trying to rape Alice, and even Dana for that matter. I never imagined that Rufus would stoop that low, but I suppose he was only mimicking his father's relationship with Tess.
I was also disappointed that Dana ultimately killed Rufus. It was always obvious that she would have to commit the killing in order to preserve her future with Kevin in 1976, but murdering Rufus only made their alliance seem less authentic. I think that the friendship between Dana and Alice proved to be the most genuine relationship in the novel.
-On a more positive note, it was nice to see softer sides in both Margaret and Tom Weylin. As Tom aged, he was more hospitable to Dana and seemed less demanding towards the other slaves. After he died, Margaret came back to the plantation in a completely different temperament. Her disposition towards the slaves, and especially Dana, was surprisingly pleasant (granted, she was on drugs). Despite being addicted to laudanum, it was much more bearable to read the end of Kindred without Margaret’s intolerably cruel behavior towards everyone that wasn’t well-to-do or white.
-The worst part of Kindred had to have been the ending. In the prologue, I was very intrigued to see the cause behind Dana’s amputated arm. I personally had no idea how Octavia Butler would explain that situation at the end of the book. Turns out, Butler never logically explained how it happened. Dana was in the middle of killing Rufus and OOPS! her arm got stuck in a wall. Talk about random! How in the world does Rufus' arm clamping down on Dana's turn into a wall?! The way it happens is highly unrealistic, but I understood that this was Butler's attempt at symbolism to let the reader know that Dana was leaving a piece of herself behind. I personally think leaving behind an arm is quite disgusting. I'm sure everyone was glad to have Dana's limb laying up in the attic!
-The epilogue ended the novel on a really bland note. I was disappointed to know that Rufus never freed all of the slaves, due to his selfish reasoning that Dana would only kill him upon releasing the slaves. I guess I'm just an advocate for happy endings, but at the same time, I know it's more realistic for all of Rufus' slaves to be sold to other people rather than being freed. I wished I could have known what happened to all the other notable characters that Dana taught, befriended, and nurtured. I hated that I had to assume the worst for people like Sarah, Nigel, and Carrie.

First Impression

The very first sentence of the novel, told within the prologue, immediately conveys a sense of intense trauma:
"I lost my arm on the last trip home." For a novel that seems to offer a racial struggle as the basis of its plot sequence, hearing these words--as well as the seemingly unnatural cause of the injury--gives the reader an unexpected shock that forshadows Dana's severe conflicts in the story, but still leaves questions. The first chapter opens new ones as Dana experiences the first "trip" to the past. Who was the boy she saved? How is he connected to her, and what new struggles will she confront as she experiences more backward pulls? The relationship between Dana and her white husband establishes a sense of the ethnic integration within contemporary society, and the reader can predict conflict because of the juxtaposed viewpoints of the times.

The appearance of the gun made me think of the ignorance that once lived in America's southern culture because of superstition and fear, and I couldn't imagine the carrier of the weapon having seen Dana appear out of nowhere. If he'd been on the scene with the drowning boy, he would have been there with the mother trying to save him. She'd just saved the boy's life, so what prompted him to threaten Dana? The event makes little sense so far, but the man's irrational fear that thrived in the bible-belt region of America's past, seems to present itself here. My guess is that Dana will confront this ignorance and make a change within this culture, and it will strengthen her as it did the black slaves of that time. She'll have to adjust; there is no other option, unless she meets death.

I'm sure that her relationship will be challenged, as well, but it seems just as likely that her husband's love will preserve the value of freedom and integration in her perception. He'll anchor Dana to her home, and to the concept of racial integration.

By the middle of Kindred, I could honestly say that my feelings for this book had taken a turn for the worst. I thought the way Butler set up the novel made it really redundant. Each chapter followed the same pattern: Dana passes out and goes back in time, Dana endures hardship/helps Rufus, Dana passes out again and returns to the present. I'm not trying to say that the book was completely predictable, because it wasn't. Kindred had it's share of twists and turns, but the situations and circumstances were never shocking, nor unexpected.

One question that I kept asking myself was, "What is the real purpose behind Dana's transportations to the 1800s?" Yes, the book tells us that she must save Rufus to preserve her family heritage, but what difference will it make if she doesn't? Everything up to 1976 has already taken place, so what will the outcome be if Rufus never lives long enough to father Hagar? Will Dana just die if she ignores Rufus' cries for help? I desperately wanted Octavia Butler to address this hypothetical issue, but she failed to do so. Since I saw no real motivation for the time travel, I felt apathetic towards Kindred as a whole. Nonetheless, I took the book for what it was: an easy read. I found myself analyzing the book way too much, and soon decided that the author's intention was never scrutiny as much as it was a general understanding. Thus, I tried to enjoy the book as much as I possibly could by empathizing with the characters and watching them as they matured in Kindred. Despite my disinterest with the plot, there were numerous tidbits of the story that I enjoyed after reading half the novel.

-The indispensable relationship that Dana builds with Rufus makes the book worth the read, in my opinion. The fact that Dana is a black woman while Rufus is white adds an interesting dynamic to the story. Considering the the 19th century time period, their friendship was completely unique. It also becomes evident that these two characters undergo the most change throughout the passing years. As Rufus becomes more like his ignorant and hostile father, Dana evolves into a hardworking and appreciative slave. The two completely depend on each other despite their obvious differences.
- Individually, Dana really grew on me as my favorite character in Kindred. I loved how she always stayed true to herself. She never compromised her intelligence to assimilate with the other slaves. I'm also glad that she made the most of her time in the antebellum south by teaching the younger kids how to read.
-So far in the book, I've gained a lot of personal insight thanks to Butler's realistic situations in regards to slavery. The humiliation and suffering that some of these people went through is disgusting. It's hard to believe that such acts of hatred based on skin color were justified at any point in time.

Yelloww...

Hey guys!... My name is Dylan Kennedy and I'm from Amarillo, in the dead center of the Texas Panhandle. Forgive me for not posting sooner; I just returned from an incredible month's stay in Italy, and it's been pretty busy preparing for college since my arrival. The country was AMAZING, the best summer experience of my life and I learned so much more than I could have been prepared for. (For those who are curious about the people of Italy, it was extremely surprising how much the Italians were interested in Texas culture. Especially the girls... I became popular pretty quick... No, really...they love Texans; I think I had to tell about 100 people that I don't own a horse, I don't live on a ranch, and--as my last name suggests--I'm not related to former President Kennedy...)

Well, I wouldn't want to bore you about any details about my beautiful hometown, whose Spanish name refers to the dry, yellow grass surrounding the city, so... I'll get to the interesting stuff: I'll talk about myself! ;-)

Well...what should I say... I'm a pretty complex guy, and my greatest passion is growth. I'm not afraid of taking opportunities when I see them, and I'm ready for college to take me to a different level and a new life. One of the things that people quickly know of me is that I'm an artist; expressive in words and in the paint on a canvas. Art is my next passion, my greatest talent and expression. I guess you could say I work well with my hands... I can draw/paint anything, with time. I value strength, appreciate beauty and thrive through passion, and I try to balance work with enjoying life. With every step that life takes me I know I'll be successful. That's how I function; constantly growing and evolving as I go through life to learn everything I can from it. I'm independent, and limitation is my biggest fear. Not failure, but being unable to get to the next point in my goals, held back by something beyond my control.

I intend to major in art, and to pursue architecture at the graduate level. I want to be an architect, to design buildings and houses and offer my artistic vision to society. I can think of no better way to make my mark in my community; the streets will be my gallery.

(Wow... I really feel like I'm writing a scholarship essay here... geez, I gotta get out of that, LOL. I should really post this on my facebook profile....)

Well, I won't make this too long, so I'll end briefly by saying I really can't wait to meet you guys and it's exciting to think that everything is coming so soon... Take care, and have a great week before school starts for us!

Dylan Kennedy

Octavia Butler's prologue and first chapter of Kindred left me with the best emotions that I felt throughout the entire novel. I loved how right from the beginning Butler grabbed my attention with a very complex and ambiguous prologue. The excitement of Dana losing her arm inside a wall, or essentially between two time periods, is sufficient enough to reel any reader into the story line. Right from the get-go, I found myself with tons of unanswered questions. I was dying to know more about Kevin and Dana, and especially the "trip" Dana had embarked on that ultimately resulted in a dismembered arm.

Kindred's first chapter, "The River", doesn't exactly present the character descriptions that I was hoping to receive. I can collect that Dana and Kevin are a couple moving into a new home together. Both characters seem very likable, as well as intellectual. As much as I'd like to know a little more about Kevin and Dana, Butler obviously isn't interested in lengthy analyses. By the second page of the "The River," the book's theme of time travel is presented when Dana passes out and finds herself in the antebellum South. This is her first and perhaps one of her most exciting encounters with the Weylins. She enters the past only to find a young boy, better known as Rufus, drowning in a river. After Dana saves his life, she is repaid by having a rifle pointed at her face just before she travels back to the present. In resemblance to the prologue, this scenario was exciting, yet very vague. Now that I've been introduced to Rufus and two other main characters, I can begin to piece together the unanswered questions about the "trips" Dana takes. At the end of the chapter, I find myself very anxious to see where Dana will end up on her next transportation to the past. I'm almost certain that when she travels back again to the 1800s that her encounter will include the same characters from her previous journey. I'm not quite sure if she will return to Rufus in the same year that she has just met him.

On a side note, I found it very interesting that time passes at two completely different speeds when comparing the past and the present in Kindred. Her first encounter in the South takes a few minutes, while in 1976, or the present, she is gone for merely seconds. This differentiation proved to futher help me in keeping a clear contrast between the 19th and 20th century.

Allow me to introduce myself

Hello fellow FYS members! Sorry for the tardiness of my blog, but one of the first facts I can share about myself is that I'm a huge procrastinator. Hopefully this habit of mine will be supressed by the time I actually have to deal with a college workload (althought it's pretty unlikely).
Well, I'll just start off with the basics. My name is Melissa and I'm from Memphis, TN. Yes, I'm one of the few kids that will be coming from what seems to almost be some foreign land, considering I'm by no means from Texas. Southwestern was a really random choice of school for me, but it seems to fit my personality really well. I have quite a bit of family in the Houston area, so I've had the pleasure of spending countless holidays and summers in the great state of Texas. Long story short, I've always wanted to go to a liberal arts college live and Austin. Thus, Southwestern couldn't be a better fit for me.
At SU I plan on majoring in ___________ (fill in the blank). I honestly have no clue what I'll end up studying. I'm coming to school with an open mind this fall. Right now I'm leaning towards political science, but who knows what it will be tomorrow.
So now's the part where I'm going to mention the fact that I really despise writing about myself. Everytime I list my interests, I feel that I sound similar to every average teenager. Just like that vast majority of young adults, I love music, movies, traveling, the whole nine yards. Despite my cliche list of interests, I really feel that I have a unique personality. I suppose you'd just have to get to know me to really see that. So since I lack the clever rhetoric to descibe my not-so-ordinary personality, I'm going to leave all of you with something short, yet insightful about myself. Here are five things I want to do before I die:
1. Go to a world cup championship soccer game
2. Have a conversation with Bob Dylan (this is the idealist in me)
3. Travel the world
4. Open up my own coffee shop/hookah bar
5. Have a career that will allow me to positively affect the lives of people all over the world

There is a sense of closure with the visit to the ruined plantation. Yet the imprint of the experience of both Kevin and Dana is still very potent. They both had to fight their inner demons and confront their own weaknesses. Yet, the lasting impact of that remains unclear creating a sense of almost despair.
Even at the end I never felt connected to Dana. She was a dichotomy of cowardice and strength but her courage seemed false.Only at the end, when she was willing to do what was necessary, did she impress me. Throughout the novel she never completely conformed but kept herself apart in an effort to remain superior to those around her. She was selectively defiant rather than really courageous. Throughout the novel there is a sense of disconnect between Dana and others for which she feels sympathy but not true empathy until the end when Rufus in his temper treats her as treats the other slaves. She never understood people like Sarah and even thought herself above them because through her connection to Rufus she could be an observer for the most part. This seen by her condemnation of the title of Aunt Sarah or Mammy.
Rufus never truly matures, his needs and wants just progress. In that society, since plantation owner's children never were given real responsibility that lack of maturity of selflessness was common.
While every character is shaped by their culture, one must never discard an individual's own contribution. Rufus was always vengeful and selfish and while the culture permitted and encouraged this, in the end it was his own free will that shaped him into what he became.
Race is merely an excuse for prejudice. Prejudice allows subjugating people which in turn allows the elevation of others. Everyone seeks superiority even Dana and race is a convenient way to satisfy this need.
This novel dealt with the psychology of slavery for both the slaves and the masters. At the end I found myself not hating the plantation owners but mankind in general for his nature that makes oppression so appealing

After Fight

At this point I found myself conflicted between understanding and condemnation for many of the characters. Dana has caused the least conflict as she has reacted relatively rationally given the situation yet their lacks a sense of connection or empathy that usually the protagonist invokes in me.
In many ways I see her as more of a product of her environment then an individual. She reacts but as she comments on earlier in many ways she is an observer rather than a participant. At the end of the fight the issues with Alice and Rufus draw her into a more active role in ante bellum South. She shows strength threw her sense of identity but remarkably foolish idealism as well through her trust in Rufus.
Rufus is the product of his raising as the saying goes. His father desires perfection and obedience while his mother fawned obsessively over him causing an unstable environment and model for relating to people. he employs both his parents styles. His obsession with Dana and Alice which he deems love is akin to his mother's obsession with him but its hardened by his father's apathetic attitude making it a selfish all consuming obsession rather than love.
Rufus's father is a hard man but nit cruel. In his own way as Rufus says he is fair. he has an overwhelming sense of his superiority and authority but his harsh implementation and his reaction to any perceived defiance be it from slave or his son is dealt with harshly and pitilessly. In many ways he is apathetic rather than sadistic making him an enigma and therefore more dangerous which accounts for Dana's instinctive fear of him. His actions are motivated solely by societal standards and society's perception of him.
Dana seems to have reached a breaking point as has Kevin as they both exhibited highly emotional responses especially Kevin. This is a turning point for both as Dana has lost her idealism and Kevin seems to have lost his identity and his time due to his prolonged stay in the South and the acclimation to that lifestyle.
This novel shows society's profound influence on individual's behavior as it promotes and feeds upon the natural instinct to strive for superiority.

Intro

Hello fellow FYS members!
Well, the basics first, I suppose:
My name is Shireen Tabrizi, I am 18 years old, and I live in the fantastic city of Austin, TX.
I plan on majoring in International Studies, possibly double majoring in Political Science. Who knows, really. I'd like to eventually work for the UN or something along those lines. I plan on joining the Peace Corps after completion of my Bachelor's but I suppose I can't really predict where I'll be in four years.
I volunteered in an orphanage this summer for three weeks in Tanzania and it was definitely an experience to stay with me forever, in every aspect. It kind of helped me see what direction I'd like my life to go in, in a sense.
I'm extremely excited to start something as new and big as college. Then there's that whole living on my own thing I've been fantasizing about for years...even though I'll only be 30 minutes from home at most. Minor detail, right?
I love music...don't we all? Well then I'll be seeing a good portion of you at ACL this year, I assume! Two words: Bob Dylan.
That, I guess, would be me in a nutshell. A nice, long nutshell. I tend to ramble, I apologize.
I look forward to meeting you all surprisingly soon!

Conclusion Reaction

Overall, I really enjoyed this book more than I anticipated. As I mentioned in my previous posts, I was greatly impressed by Butler's ability to utilize two unassociated concepts which culminated into an exceptional literary work. I found the book hard to put down, although I the idea of posting a reaction blog after certain sections slowed my progress (hence the reason for the major time lapse between this blog and the last one).

I was amazed at the fact that I felt connected to the characters, as well as a part of the story. I could feel the characters' emotions and myself relating to their actions and reactions. Their anger became my anger; their desires became my desire; their fight became my fight; and their pain became my pain. I also found that towards the end of the book, I didn't want it to end. I recall purposely slowing down so that it wouldn't end so fast, or waiting a couple days (as hard as it was) to pick the book up again and finish reading it.

I found it uncommon that the book's prologue was actually part of its culmination. I also didn't like the fact that Dana and Kevin were left to mend their lives back together after such unnerving experiences. They had to keep all that had happened to themselves, otherwise they might both end up in a psychiatric hospital. Despite these few qualms, I really did enjoy the book

More on Rufus...

Originally, I put this in the comments, but it got so long that it seemed a bit ridiculous for a comment. So, I thought I'd make it its own entry. Feel free to respond in comments or start your own post about these issues.

Micah, thanks for reiterating that you think Rufus's capacity for change is what made him so intriguing to us. And thanks, Lauren, for reminding us to be cautious of using judgments like "good" or "bad" too simplistically.

I'm curious about this statement from Micah, though: "I was being too much of a rationalist, trying to avoid the idea of some mystical force working in Rufus...."

I'm not clear what you mean here, probably because this just typing, rather than face-to-face interaction. I think what you're saying is that Rufus's interaction with Dana is a kind of mystical force--even though you wanted to be rational and resist staying that, but in the end you were forced to concede that the book is decidedly irrational and mystical (which I also take to be one of the things that really disappointed you about the book). This is when classroom discussion is much better than electronic communication. It's sometimes hard to verify what other people mean when all we have is this typing.

But discussion brings up an aspect of the book that I'd like all of us to continue to think about. Is it because Dana's presence is bizarre, mystical, and almost supernaturally powerful that she changes Rufus? Or, does she affect Rufus so much because she is not afraid to present herself as smart and capable when she first arrives, making her the first assertive black person that Rufus has ever met? Or, do we think that if any young white person in the south had a meaningful interaction with a slave that s/he, like Rufus, would be capable of change?

To me, this isn't just a moot point or a question of semantics. It goes to the heart of the book. Dana acts the way she does, at first, because she really doesn't know better. She even judges the slaves around her for not being "stronger." As she gains more experience in the antebellum south, she realizes the complexity of slave situations and the very real and gruesome dangers that aggressive slaves face. Ultimately, this gives her more insight into why slaves feel and act the way that they do. (The most obvious example is when it comes to escaping, but I think there are others as well. I mentioned the "mammy" figure in one of my comments. In some ways, I do think Butler wants to redeem--or at least complicate--the "mammy" figure, which has often been derided as a kind of female Uncle Tom.)

So, I find this compelling because it seems that we are saying that Rufus is capable of more change than other whites because of his interactions with Dana. If Dana's interactions are unique because she is assertive, then Butler's novel provides important insight into the catch 22 of slavery. (1) Only smart, assertive, vocal slaves might be able to change people's minds and lives. But (2) most slaves learn that to stay alive, they need to act the part of a submissive even not too smart person--a part that will likely encourage whites to see blacks in the same condescending way.

Again, I don't think this is just an issue of semantics. I've found that many of my students, when we read slave narratives, seem perplexed that slaves don't escape or "demand their freedom" more forcefully. This response seems reasonable to me, in many ways. Obviously, I'd like to believe--as I suspect Dana wanted to believe about herself--that I would have demanded my freedom. But I think Butler's novel really helps us understand how that's a safe, abstract belief, when we're sitting in the US in the 21st century. Dana is forced to rethink her preconceived notions of slavery once she's actually placed in the situation.

End

Rufus’ death was predictable, since an obvious ending for the book would be to sever the connection between him and Dana. But Dana being the murderer surprised me.
Yes, the concept of racism is horrible and unimaginable for our day and age, but do we feel this way because we’ve had about 150 years of civil rights to reflect on. In the 1800’s racism wasn’t an atrocity, but the way it had always been. I wonder how our lifestyle would be viewed by someone from antebellum south. Say the book was to be reversed. Would Rufus be just as disgusted with our way of life as we are with his.
Notes while reading:
-I’m surprised by Mr. Weylin’s reasonable nature.
-If you became “useless” you were likely to be sold. Sickness or accidents life altering enough as they are, rendered you unnecessary. Kind of scary, I would become very cautious.
-If he was considering suicide he is mentally unstable, and his favorite woman to sleep with just killed herself. Now Dana is alone with him… not a good idea!

The Book is Over... My Thoughts Now.

I enjoyed the book all the way until Alice killed herself... well her killing herself was fine, but everything after was not on the same level as the rest of the book.

As Rufus forces himself on Dana all respect I had towards the book was gone... I get it, Rufus loved Dana because she was "half of a whole woman" with Alice, but I didn't Rufus to end up being a despised character, I wanted him to free all the slaves and live a nice, long life watching his children grow and tell them of the woman named Dana... I also wanted Dana to reveal herself as a future relative. There were just so many let downs at the conclusion of this book.

So the book started out as a favorite, but the end left a bad taste in my mouth... oh, and the way her arm got caught-- LAME!

The novel has definately taken a much more sinister turn than I initially expected, but I believe it is admirable that it is depicting slavery in what seems to be an accurate way. Dana's assimilation into the Weylin plantation is disturbing to say the least. While Dana claims that "we were simply actors", it appears, especially after the beating and subsequent enslavement, that the "acting" has stopped. The scenes of brutality are especially hard to read, and it is hard to imagine that humans are capable of such atrocities. Dana's comparison of the slave plantation to Nazi Germany is particulary fitting.
Rufus' character developemnt is interesti0ng because, while he has been influenced by Dana, he is much more influenced by the ways of his time. The fact that he is now capable of rape, and that the laws of his time don't punish him, only seems to fuel his tendency to become more like his father. Ironically Dana's very existence depends on the crimes that Rufus inflicts on Alice. Dana seems more and more hardened as time goes on, even to the point she believes herself capable of murder (something she has yet to attempt despite the hardships she faces at the hands of the Weylins). The scene where she goes to tell Alice that she must go to Rufus that night is disturbing, because Dana seems to inform Alice of what she must do with a "determined calm". She realizes that her very existence depends on their "relationship" and therefore she knows what she must do, but it is still hard to imagine allowing Alice to relive her rape again. It will be interesting to see Dana's character continue to develop. The novel as a whole is disturbing, but it tells a gripping story.

First chapter

Upon reading the first chapter, there is a sense of bewilderment as it starts at the end rather than the beginning. I'm intrigued by the impossibility of Dana's situation but at the same time it doesn't engage any empathy.
The prologue is rooted more in reality with Dana and to a lesser extent, Kevin, departing from it with their explanation of her injury. Dana's reaction to her amputation isn't emotional but deep as she analyzes her own reactions and compares them with norms rather than just reacting. They are grounded as seen by their ready understanding of the cops' motivation and assumptions. Yet both the police's reaction to Dana's injury and Kevin's to the accusations shows an undercurrent of distrust and perhaps racism.
The first chapter begins grounded in reality but becomes fantastic when Dana time-travels. Her reaction to this bewildering experience is exceptional and pragmatic. She doesn't bemoan what happened but responds instinctively to the needs of the child. While her actions are considered and selfless, the mother's action show hysteria and helplessness. This formed my impression of Dana, Kevin through his rational analysis and calm interpretation established himself as rational and caring, and this family who just reacted.
I think self-control or the lack of it as seen by these opposing groups is going to come into conflict in the novel.

Introduction

hello
My name is Rebecca. I live in Lancaster, CA where you can be baked alive if you dare step outside.
I'm the youngest of three kids and the only girl. Both my brothers are in college and are graduating this year. I'm 17 right now but in two weeks exactly i will be legal, an event I'm looking forward too and dreading.
We have a dumb dog, chickens and a tortoise , all of which are more my mom's than mine.
I'm planning on majoring in political science with a minor in international studies but i have no idea what I'm actually going to do career wise. I used to want to be a teacher but then I realized a good teacher is far more flexible and patient than I. As you might have guessed, I'm very stubborn and have strong convictions about most thing especially political and moral issues.

I'm an avid reader and a professional procrastinator. That is me in a blog

After reading the prologue and the first chapter my first impression of Dana is that she is an extremely logical person. When she is first trasported back in time (though she doesn't know this is what has happened yet) she returns to the present and analyzes the details of her ordeal. Key phrases like "I know what I saw, and what I did-my facts" and "not that what happened to me made sense, but I could tell it coherently" show that she is a logical person trying to work out something illogical that has happened to her. Rather than scream or have some other dramatic reaction she chooses to calm herself down and go over the facts. Kevin seems like an understanding person who is able to operate well in stressful situations. Again rather than taking an illogical approach to the situation he wraps a towel around Dana and comforts her. Even in the prolgue when Dana is laying in the hospital and Kevin has just been released by the police they manage to keep themselves composed. Both seem like intellegent and logical human beings.
My sense of the novel as a whole, at this very early point in the book, is that it is going to be less of a science fiction novel and more of a novel dealing with the human experience. What stood out to me more was how the characters reacted to the remarkable events and not the remarkable event itself. I feel for Dana mainly because it is hard for anyone to deal with a loss in security, and while her struggle is para-normal I feel anyone who has experienced a loss in security (job loss, break up, etc.) can relate to how she feels at the moment. It seems like it is going to be an interesting and thought-provoking novel.

Hey Everyone!

Ok so I hope I do all of this right because I am absolutely clueless when it comes to computers, but I am determined to learn! My name is Daniel Quentin, but I have always gone by my middle name of Quentin. I am not sure why my parents named me Daniel only to choose to call me Quentin, but hey I wasn't there to give input so its how I ended up. I'm 18 years old and I live with my mother in Texas. My father lives in Hong Kong and just got back from visiting my father and my two new twin brothers...so that was pretty exciting! I have a total of 5 siblings with another on the way in February so I come from a very large, very extended, very complicated family lol. I have 30 cousins alone on my Father's side and that seems to grow every year. I was on the debate team in high school, and I love discussing politics and politcal theory. I plan on majoring in Communications with a possible minor in English. My ultimate goal would be getting a job as a journalist so I could combine my love of politics with my love of writing. I suppose thats all to really say right now. I'm looking forward to meeting all of you in August and I'm sure next year is going to be a blast!

The Fight-- My thoughts of the book thus far

I read this section of the book while at a Youth Conference, the book has quickly become one of my escapes, as I read I would be approached by many, curious people thinking I had received the highly anticipated book 7 of Harry Potter... after I told them what I was actually reading and a brief summary, most claimed that they wanted to read the book.

I am so intrigued by the book... the story progresses at a rate that keeps my interest and keeps just enough hidden to peak my curiousity. My biggest surprise came when I read how Dana and Kevin met and it was revealed that Kevin was a white man, I feel this was a brilliant choice that Octavia made, I had hoped that Kevin would experience the time travel and when he was pulled back I knew the couple was in for an interesting time. The development of the Weylins was done so thoroughly that I could relate them to people I have met seamlessly, I especially enjoy how the Weylins fear Dana because they cannot explain her, it's very representative of how humans become uncomfortable around the unknown.

The questions that I have encountered have been resolved by the story's progress and there seem to be few loose-ends, I cannot wait to continue the book and find out how Dana loses her arm... I keep thinking each time she is pulled back it will be the time, but when it doesn't happen, I want to continue reading until it is uncovered.

The End

I am still uncertain as to how I feel about the book. There were parts of it I found really touching and a bit moving, but almost every feeling I got from these "touching parts" was eradicated by the reminder of how illogical it all was. Perhaps this is a fault on my part.

I was a bit disappointed by the absurdity of the ending. Yes, it was clever to end with the symbol of Dana "leaving part of herself behind," but the means by which Butler achieves this seem to me a tad comical. Again, everytime I started to feel something, I was numbed by the book's complete lack of logic. It's not even that irrationality bothers me, it's just that it seems to not fit well in this book. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is one of the most irrational, illogical books I have ever read, but its absence of logic is fitting because it is the foundation from which the book is built. There is quite the gap between dancing lobsters and nineteenth century slavery.

What I liked most about the book was the pure realism involved with Rufus. I think he is the most realistically developed character in the novel. He is a such a complex, confusing, and at times, unreadable character. He is a product of his father, yet still retains traits of his own. I wanted so badly for him to become good, but if my wishful thinking would've come true, he would not have been a very real character. He is walking proof of how strongly we are influenced by our environment and how truly unstable we are when we try to be ourselves while someone else is shaping us.

I am starting to think that traveling back in time is just a creative manifestation of the way we distort history by looking back on it from dishonest eyes. Dana goes back in time and things obviously do not happen as they did the first time it was the nineteenth century. Could this be symbolic of the way history changes each time we look back into it? We are biased in the sense that we will never be able to see first hand what took place in the past. We are constantly discovering new things and getting new perspectives about the past; our history books are always changing.

Mid-Book Thoughts

As of right now, I still cannot bring myself to get past the irrationality of the method of time travel presented in this book. For everything that happens, there must be some sort of force acting behind it. Although time travel is an incredibly ambiguous thing, we must assume that the same basic rules apply to it as they do to other actions. I realize the novel is one of fiction, however, if we are to take it seriously should there not be a better way of juxtaposing two different times than by sending the novel's characters back and forth through time on a whim with no explanation? It is important to note that writing gives the one with the pen the ultimate ability to play God, but it seems as if Ms. Butler is abusing her powers in this particular novel. I was more content with the presentation of time travel in Chuck Palahniuk's newest novel Rant, simply because there is a means of achieving the ridiculous feat of traveling through time. Of course, any method of traveling across time may seem a bit absurd, but at least Palahniuk gives his characters a method; Butler does not. This is all rather insignificant though. I am no literary critic, nor am I even close to being on the same level as Octavia Butler mentally. This is just a small issue I have with the novel.

On a different note, I am really interested in the evolution of the relationship between Rufus and Dana. It seems as if their desire to help each other is now based not on an authentic feeling of compassion, but on the necessity of fulfilling the other's wishes to stay alive. It's like they are holding each other at gunpoint and are trying to agree on things to avoid getting shot. I think it's also really interesting that Rufus has aged quite a bit more than Dana during the book so far, yet they both seem to have gone through drastic changes in character. A few days for Dana have been a few years for Rufus, but it doesn't seem as if Rufus has changed his view of Dana more than Dana has changed her view of Rufus.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to pass out and wake up in 1988 so that I can murder my parents prior to my conception as a means of achieving immortality.

Que Onda

Hey ya'll, I'm pretty sure that you've already figured out that I'm Hispanic from my title. If not it's ok..it'll come to you.Ne who, my name is JoseAlonso Jimenez.I'm 18, live with my mother(since my parents are divorced),have three siblings,was born and raised in Houston, TX and love sports.I guess if you were to know anything about me it would be that I recently formed a passion for the outdoors. This past summer I spent 45 days in the Canadian Yukon without any contact to the outside world. Because of this I came to appreciate nature for all the good and terrrible things it offers. Ok enough of that, I had narrowed my choices for college down to three schools. Two which were in Texas and another up in Maine. After I figured out that I wouldn't be able to handle to weather it was up to TCU and SU. Obviously I chose SU...TCU reminded me to much of Houston. So I guess that's all there is to say for a somewhat formal intro. Hope to meet you all and continue to have a good summer.

Ch. 1-- The River

I went into this book with many reservations... I was worried how the two generes would mesh together seamlessly, however when I finished the first chapter I realized that Octavia's writing (yes, we're on a first name basis) was extremely fluid. I rather enjoy the book and am looking forward to see how the storyline progresses. My favorite aspect of the story is how Dana actually disappears to the past instead of as if in a dream, and how she brings back the environment of the past, with the mud and wet dress, this will keep her somewhat credible, which is against the grain with most time-travel books.

Hey You Guys!

Hi,
I'm Tyler Fredregill, I was born and raised in Huntsville, Tx (most famously known for Prisons, SHSU, and a big tall statue), in other words... my hometown is LAME, but I made it work.

I had a blast in high school, I was captain of the Speech Team and a member of a group that went to the younger schools to teach about choices to make in High School and in life. I'm an avid member of my youth group and absolutely love having such an awesome God watching over me. I have a wonderful family who let me know everyday that I will not be living the luxurious life anymore... but I beg to differ. I have a twelve year-old brother named Tristan, he doesn't know it, but I look up to him just as much as he does to me. I plan on majoring in Biology and Spanish and want to become a Cosmetic/Reconstructive Surgeon and mission in Bangladesh or Africa. I LOVE traveling and Buffalo Wild Wings... so if there are any other B-Dubs lovers let me know! I think that covers enough... probably too much.

See you soon,
Tyler

The Fight Reaction Blog

Kindred, so far, has been an easy read. The unpredictable plot, complex characters, and untraditional approach to juxtaposing racial encounters (between the antebellum south and the late 1960s) captivate the reader, and simultaneously bring the issues of racism and slavery to the reader’s attention. The concept of time travel plays a major role in both the plot and the book’s overall effect on the reader. I find it interesting that even though days, weeks, months, and (in Kevin’s case) years go by during their journeys into the past, they find that once they return home, it has merely been from several seconds to a few minutes. I would have never guessed that Dana would be able to bring something (or someone) along with her during her transitions between the two time periods. I was even more surprised by the fact that she left Kevin behind while traveling back home. As a result, when they were finally together again, he had aged nearly five years.

Octavia Butler has done a great job making the reader feel as though they are a part of the story. I understood Dana’s anger towards Rufus for lying to her, making Alice a slave, and acting irrationally for selfish reasons; but I also empathized with Rufus when he saw she was just going to leave without a word. As a result, he felt the need to use violence in order to ensure that things went his way. I am also intrigued by the complexity of the characters, namely Rufus and his father. Initially, I thought I would like Rufus, but, throughout the book, I have felt both anger and an admiration (and unconditional love) towards him. Contrastingly, I was initially repulsed by Rufus’s father; the fact that he honored his word to any man (or woman in this case; black or white) was a surprising character trait to give a slave owner.

I had no idea that Dana’s journeys into the past would lengthen and become more dangerous, to the point that she has no idea whether she will return home or not. Not only does Dana’s life become more dangerous, but Rufus is getting into more trouble and danger. Although he does summon Dana to help him whenever he is in trouble, it reaches a point where Dana isn’t sure she can help him anymore (which could end his life, and consequently, her own life).
Both Kevin and Dana has adapted very well to the time period, which is, in a sense, both good and bad. They seem to be able to accept the way things are which could cause trouble for them when they return home. I am wondering if Kevin was able to return home with Dana right before the gun was fired…

Conclusion

At the end of the book, I wondered to myself what the point of it all was. The two have come to the end of the story, rationalized that it was all real, and now they have to piece their lives together again. Butler doesn't say outright how or if the two are going to live any differently than they did before. I don't know if I see the change, myself. Which leads me to believe that the story was really more of an exposition aimed at the reader. Maybe it didn't matter to Butler what Dana took away from her experience. What we, as readers, take away from it is the real focus point. Hence the use of the first-person "I" form. It's almost hippie-esque: "the journey is the destination, man." I use that phrase a lot and I think it applies here. The two, Dana and Kevin, are essentially back where they started from at almost the same exact time they left and all they have to show for it are the scars. So the lessons learned along the way are the crucial elements not the endpoints.
There were definitely points in this novel that got my ire up. The worst examples were actually not the scenes of physical violence, but examples of the cowardice of the slave owners in their attempts to justify slavery and violence. For example, Mrs. Weylin's offhanded remark about how "impudent" Dana use to be and how someone must have "taught her a lesson" as if she were a little child in need of a spanking.
Another important observation is the growth of Rufus and how he is corrupted by his environment. At the beginning, Rufus calls Dana a "nigger" and then is shocked that she finds the term offensive. He had never thought about it before and he agrees to refer to her as "black" when she tells him to. I wrote in the margins: "Children must be taught to hate, but a desire to get along seems to be innate." Or something like that. Any way, as the years pass for Rufus, he becomes "more like his father." Even Kevin seems to get a little sucked into the comfortable position of superiority as a white male. He thinks that 1814 would be "a nice time to live in." Butler is pointing out the precarious relationship between cultures. We need to watch the state of equality in our own time because we are all constantly jockeying for position in the hierarchy trying to "get ahead". A current example, one especially relevent to us Texans, is the status of Mexican immigrants. Look at the way we tend to view Mexicans as a workforce of a more "manual labor" sort. It's interesting that the "flood of illegal immigration" has not innundated our white collar, managerial occupations. We are far more use to seeing Mexicans mowing our lawns, cleaning up our trash, and ringing up groceries at the gas station. What Octavia Butler taught me is to watch closely that our job hierarchy doesn't become totally based on race. But it scares me today when I hear people say something like "we need Mexicans to do the jobs that Americans won't accept." That to mean sounds eerily like segregationist-talk and we should keep an eye open.

Middle

Octavia Butler’s kindred demonstrates every social inequality since the 1800’s. There is the race discrimination, which is the most prominent, but also the limitations of women and even class. I’m enjoying the character Dana. I love the way she establishes her and Rufus’s equality; at least as much as she dares in antebellum south.
Here are a couple of notes I jotted down while reading.

-The book even includes modern day racism. Sort of the after effect of 1800’s.
-I’m assuming the book will end around the time Hagar is born (1831). So 16 years will go by.
-Since Kevin has been stuck in the 1800’s he might spend too long there and learn to adapt and maybe except their way of living. Why doesn’t he attempt to kill Rufus? Though that might make things dangerous for Dana when she returns.
-Rufus feels slavery is essential to social acceptance
-I don’t think Rufus sent the letters. He is used to controlling, or at least having some degree of authority over, the women around him. His mother included.
-Throughout the book Dana has such perfect grammar. Even Rufus called her a walking book. (To which she said, “Then I hope Kevin did a good job teaching you to read”! Ha, I love it!) Well on page 180 Dana says “She forgave him nothing.” Guess she gave in to the southern accent!
-Kevin loves Dana as a mother figure. At one point I found myself pitying him.

1st thoughts

I really like the character Dana; so far she appears to be your typical heroine. I’m not quite sure what to make of the husband yet. He was affectionate and seemed genuinely concerned for her at the hospital. Then the first chapter begins with him frustrated at his writer’s block and Ms. Butler uses words like malevolent, colorless and intimidating.
Here are a couple notes I wrote while reading.
-“Trip” was involuntary.
-Few minutes vs. 10-15 seconds.
-After being spontaneously transported to strange location her maternal instincts immediately kick in to save Rufus. Impressive. Not that I’ve been in such a situation and would have done otherwise, but it did seem sort of abrupt.
-So she must lose her arm in the alternate time. Dad looks like a prime candidate for that sort of violence.
I’m curious to see how she develops a plot centered on time travel.

Introductions

Hi, my name is Lauren Tedmon.
I’m a Leo, my birthstone is peridot and I was born in the year of the snake. Sorry, I’m not that interesting; I’m just having a difficult time describing myself. I’ve been sitting for a while working on this. Not because I’m some sort of narcissist, I'm just not much of a writer. I apologize ahead of time to Alexis (the walking grammar book) my writing is bound to horrify you. It’s second only to my abysmal spelling. Thank God for spell check!
I have 7 animals, four of which are humans. My family and I are not really from anywhere, one of the perks of being a military brat. My dad’s is a pilot, which makes my fear of planes sort of ironic. He originally wanted me to join the military, but I convinced him that there are other ways to serve our country, many of which don’t require boot camp. So now I’m enrolled at SU and I’m planning on majoring in chemistry, assuming I can survive it.
That’s all I can think of, guess I’ll resort to likes and dislikes.
Likes:
Piano
The show, House
Time with friends
Theatre
Skiing
Dislikes:
Excessive use of the word “like”
planes

Chapter 1: The River ~ First Reaction

I have to admit that at first, I felt that it was all too coincidental that I ended up in the seminar about cultural encounters, as an African American female. After learning more about the seminar itself and the required summer reading, I became less apprehensive about the class and intrigued by the reading assignment.
Despite the contrast between my sense of organization and Octavia Butler's beginning in media res, I was, in a sense, glued to the book (not even wanting to pause in order to write this blog). I was both surprised and amazed at Octavia Butler's ability to captivate her reders so early in the story, especially in such an unconventional method. The sense of time travel further enables the reader to compare cultural encounters with African Americans in the antebellum south with those of a more modern world.
Although I tpically view the idea of time travel as juvenile, namely compared to the issues of racism and tolerance, I am intrigued by Butler's integration of the two to emphasize the latter and its change over time.
I am uncertain about the remainder of the book, but I can hardly wait to pick it up again.

The Flight

Well I seem to have guessed correctly that Dana's stays in the past were going to progressively longer. However, I did not see that her time (1976) was going to stay roughly the same. Not much of a chance for living a double life. I still don't care for the dialogue. However, I have to give major credit to Ms. Butler for creating two incredibly complex characters. Not Dana nor Kevin; they seem pretty simple. But Rufus and his father are hard to figure out. Mr. Weylin's sense of fairness totally took me by surprise. I couldn't believe it when he honored the promise his son made to a slave and even had disdain for his son for breaking that promise. Rufus I just can't figure out, though. He does something decent and then immediately nullifies it by doing something terribly cruel. When I read "The Fight," I was ready to hate Rufus for trying to rape Alice. The chapter starts terribly. Then we learn that Rufus paid a white preacher to preside over Nigel and Carrie's wedding with all the same respect as a "legitimate" white-person's wedding. And then later in that same chapter, when Dana asks Rufus if he would ever sell a slave, Rufus says "I don't think so." He's clearly trying to fight his upbringing and society, but I fear that it will ultimately beat him in the end.

First Chapter Reaction

Well it's good to be reading a true fiction again. If the rest of the story is like the first chapter, this thing is going to read really fast. I like that. I'm not sure if I like our two characters' (Kevin and Dana's) ability to rationalize their emotions so easily after a shocking event. But that's a criticism of writing style, not plot.
I think it will be interesting to hear Octavia Butler's perspective on race considering her main character is of my parents' generation. I know their perspectives and I think I know the opinions of kids my own age that I know. It's not usually my style, but if fantasy can work as a medium for a racial dialogue I'm willing to give it a shot.
I think Dana's jumps are progressively going to get more frequent and her stays in the "other dimensions" are going to get longer. I don't know whether she'll eventually have to give up her 1970's life, but I do believe that she's going to be living a double life throughout this story taking knowledge she acquires from each one and using it in the other.

Introduction

Hello, my name is Alexis Cochran, but I also go by Allie, Alex, and Lexis. I was born in Memphis, Tennessee, but I have lived in Texas for the last six years. I currently live in Keller around neverending construction and potholes the size of craters.

I enjoy spending time with my family, hanging out with my friends, shopping, being organized, kodak moments, dancing, singing, listening to music, playing both the piano and the saxophone (basically, anything that has to do with music), setting goals, making lists, completing tasks, and laughing at almost anything. I typically come off as shy, quiet, and introverted, but once you get to know me, I am the exact opposite. I have a few close friends, but I try to be nice to everyone, despite my tendency to be brutally honest. My friends and family call me a "Walking Grammar Book," because proper grammar is important to me. I am a perfectionist, therefore I hate making mistakes and usually set unrealistically high standards for myself.

Besides school and music, church is another major part of my life. I am involved in everything, from dance team to tech team, to youth group to praise team. Around Spring Break, I spent a month in India on a mission trip, and will hopefully return sometime in the near future.

I plan on majoring in both biology and music, or simply biology with a minor in music or dance. I hope to become a neurosurgeon, cardiothoracic surgeon, or an obstetrician. I guess that's about it!

First Reaction

After reading the prologue and the first chapter, I think I am going to like this book. At first I was sort of turned off by the whole time travel business, but as I continue to read it is growing on me.

While reading the prologue I thought that maybe Kevin was the reason for the narrator's injury and that the narrator was showering him with love, despite the violent outburst, but I am coming to see that the injury probably occured in her alternate reality with Rufus.

It seems like the time travel thing is going to do a really good job with the whole race issue and how it changes throughout time. It allows us to see the changes in the way African Americans were treated then and now. I am fascinated by the author's ability to combine time travel with a race issue...I have certainly never combined the two ideas in my head before.

I haven't really read enough of the book to say a whole lot about it, these are just a couple of really small thoughts I had.

Hi friends!

I am your RA.
I am a counselor at a Boy Scout Camp.
I am a theatre major.
I am a sophomore.
...


I am/have run out of ideas for this "I am" thing.

Last year I had Dr. Stockton for my college writing course. I enjoyed it greatly and when I heard I and my residents got to work with her this coming fall, I became more enthused than I already was about being an RA.

I thought of a few more "I am"s. So prepare yourself.


I am an avid movie collector.
I am (working on being) an avid backpacker.
I am leaving the computer to go participate in a campfire.

Introduction

Hello, my name is Evan Brewer. With a name that has the word "brew" as a prefix, none of my nicknames are really school-appropriate . . . although, an unknown girl gave me a hug at a rock concert for no reason other than my letterjacket said "Brewer" on the back. She thought that was cute I guess. ("Cute is what we aim for" . . . )



I enjoy moments like that: the unexpected, unscripted moments of life. I'm involved in theatre, music, and dance so everything about me cries out for drama. I talk too much, hum showtunes to myself, and stretch my calves when I have nothing better to do . . . all of which are confusing to others in daily life, but valuable characteristics in my line of work. I come from a small, bubble-like community in Fort Worth - namely, Fort Worth Country Day School. It was a really small place so I got into just about everything. I am proud to say that I was the only football-playing ballet dancer at my high school.



I love to play my guitar and listen to music and I try to get out to as many concerts as I can. I already have my ticket for the Austin City Limits festival. I enjoy an eclectic mix of music. Some of my favorite concerts have been Edgefest 16, the Coast-to-Coast Roast Ska Tour (with Reel Big Fish), and John Mayer with Maroon Five. In all honesty, though I plan to major in Biology and hopefully become a vet some day . . . deep in my heart I want to be a rockstar.

Hello...?

My name is Micah, although I have been called "Mikey," "Micaphone," "Mic Mic," and other terribly cheesy nicknames, so feel free to address me in whichever clever or not-so-clever fashion you think is necessary. I live in a silver forest of plastics plants (please do not confuse this with "plastic plants") and breathe polluted air. We call this Baytown.

I enjoy a nice paradox, but not a pair of Docs, since I am not much of a boot person. I love music and listen to many different forms of it, particularly music created by artists with interesting/intelligent/clever things to say.

I am a pretty nice fellow almost all of the time, despite the overwhelming sarcastic, critical voice that speaks in my head.

My crystal ball is rather cloudy at this particular moment in my life, so I plan on freestyling my future. The word "freestyle" may spark a particular image in your mind of a man with silver teeth and a very big chain holding a microphone in his hand, but do not be deceived: I am no "gangsta", nor am I any sort of rapper.

I am afraid my autobiographical sketch will misrepresent me as a person, but perception and perspective are out of my control; I can only control presentation and I feel that the presentation suits me well.

Peace, love, and lots of loud music.

Welcome!

Hello! I'm Elizabeth Stockton, and I'll be the professor for the FYS section, "When You Walk Through the Garden." I've asked you to read Octavia Butler's novel Kindred over the summer, and we will be talking about her novel here before we meet each other in person in August. For now, though, let's start off by introducing ourselves to one another.

So, I'll go first. I am an Assistant Professor of English at Southwestern University. I specialize in antebellum American novels--meaning, novels written before the Civil War, from about 1820-1860. In particular, my research focuses on how legal changes affected novels that were written during that period. Our FYS course will dovetail with some of my specialties, but I'm really interested in the new directions it will take me--and new directions it will hopefully take you, as well.

I am originally from Katy, TX, but when I was 18, I moved away and have lived in Atlanta, Chicago, and most recently Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where I earned my Ph.D. I now live in Georgetown with my husband and two rather large dogs. In my spare time, I listen to indie rock, watch baseball, and desperately try to keep my failing vegetable garden alive. This summer, I taught a summer school course on Film Noir and am now working with two undergraduates on a summer research project.

I am eager to learn more about each of you. Please feel free to write as much or as little about yourself as you'd like here. Be sure to label your post "introduction" so that everyone will be able to find it.

And again, welcome!
Professor Stockton