Race is the central theme of Kindred. There's just no getting around it. America has a dark history of slavery and few of us take time out of our daily lives to think about what life was really like in those days. But Octavia Butler wants us to consider just how much this history still informs American culture today. The main character Dana, for example, feels pretty removed from slavery until she goes back in time and feels just what it was like to live as a black person at this time. When she finally comes back to the present, she starts seeing all kinds of patterns in people's behavior that definitely continue on from slave times. It's just that no one realizes the connections.
Questions About Race
- How do you think Kevin handles the responsibility of being a white person during slave times? Why?
- How do the children of white fathers and black mothers get treated in this book? Can you find particular passages to back up your answer?
- How does Dana respond to being called a traitor to her race? Who calls her this and why?
Chew on This
In Kindred, we find that race is not just a matter of black and white. It is a complicated issue with many layers of affection and hatred.
In Kindred, we learn that racism in America isn't just a thing of the past.