Introduction
Time reversal has always been an exciting topic in the science fiction genre. One of the fascinating works in which this technique is used is the novel Kindred by Octavia Butler. In the novel, Octavia Butler reveals such vital topics as racial discrimination, violence, morality, power, and responsibility. Moreover, the book offers a unique perspective on the issue of time travel and questions how history affects our present and how our actions can change the future. In this essay, I would like to analyze the novel Kindred and discuss the meaning of human interaction with time and the sense of responsibility toward loved ones.
The Role of Time for Humans
The author resorts to an unusual technique, which consists of taking the main character Dana, from the modern world to the times of slavery in the United States. It allows the reader to consider many social, political, and moral issues related to slavery and racial discrimination. Octavia Butler uses the composition of time travel to show how actions can affect the future and how one understands the world and life’s responsibility.
The novel’s main character, Dana, is moved in time to the beginning of the 19th century, during slavery in America. She faces many difficulties and dangers to save her ancestors from cruelty and violence: “I’ve been watching the violence of this time go by on the screen long enough to have picked up a few things” (Butler 47). In her journey through time, she is forced to witness the cruelty and violence that affects everyone who falls victim to slavery and racial discrimination.
Familial Relationships
Another thematic direction of the novel that struck me is how the main character Dana’s relationship with her family and friends reflects modern society and the problems that exist in it. In the novel, she often feels responsible for her ancestors, their actions, and her family and friends. She sees her mission as saving ancestors from imminent death and helping her relatives and friends solve complex life problems.
Furthermore, Dana feels pressure and demands on herself because her parents and friends expect her to find solutions that would help solve their problems. Awareness of the importance of further action comes with clarification of the situation: “She stopped, peered at me through the darkness. She was Alice, then. These people were my relatives, my ancestors. And this place could be my refuge” (Butler 36). She feels responsible for their well-being and needs to help them solve their problems, no matter what sacrifices she has to make.
The Intersection of the Time and Family Themes
In the novel Kindred by Octavia Butler Kindred, one can observe how time travel can have severe consequences and provoke responsibilities toward our loved ones. The main character, Dana, feels pressured by her actions in the past and her duty to change events to save her ancestors’ lives. At the same time, she is forced to deal with her emotions and feelings of insecurity caused by unexpected encounters with her family in the past. Dana’s experiences give us a unique perspective on how our actions can affect the future and how we must consider our responsibilities to our loved ones when we make decisions that affect our lives and the lives of our descendants.
Conclusion
Therefore, the novel Kindred offers an exciting fantasy story about time travel and reminds us of the importance of our responsibility to future generations.
Work Cited
Butler, Octavia E. Kindred. Beacon Press, 2004.