Kindred

Octavia E. Butler

Octavia E. Butler was born in Pasadena, California on June 22, 1947, where she was raised by her mother and grandmother. Octavia attended Pasadena City College to receive her associate degree in arts before attending California State University and UCLA. She wrote many novels such as Patternmaster in 1976, Mind of My Mind in 1977, Wild Seed in 1980, Clay's Ark in 1984, Parable of the Sower in 1993, and Parable of the talents in 1998. By far Octavia's most famous novel is Kindred which was published in 1979, where she blends elements of science fiction and African American spirituality. Octavia explain that she "wanted to a noval that would make others feel the history". Octavia passed away on February 24, 2006, in her Seattle home at the age of 58.

Historical Background

Even if Kindred is about time travelling ( that is non-realistic).However,there is history behind this book that we have to unfold. It goes back to the 1800's where there was slavery. While in the world you would become a slave by status or how much money you had. However, in America it was about race and color. Slavery was abolish in many places,yet it still stuck with America with a long time and after being banned there was still segregation. This book compares how dangerous minorities live where back then and how much has involved from the 1800s.

While reading this Kindred I came across the movie, Harriet. This movie talks about the life of Harriet Tubmen and the struggles that she had to go through to expand and help others escape. Watching this Harriet gave me a better understanding of what African Americans had to struggle with during this Civil War. Additionally, I think that understood the events that Deina was living better.

Themes and Tone

The themes of kindred are race, gender, and power from the point of view of a black woman in the 1970s.

The tone of kindred that the author wants to convey to the audience is dark and bitterness.

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