Race as a Form of Black And White Portrayed in the Novel Kindred by Octavia Butler

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Race as a Form of Black And White Portrayed in the Novel Kindred by Octavia Butler
The book, “Kindred” by Octavia Butler, revolves around the life of Dana a black woman living in the modern world and is forced to travel back in time on a saving mission. The theme of race clearly cuts throughout the novel as it talks of the historical injustices that the slaves during the 1800 years suffered through slavery. By travelling back to history i.e. 1976 to 1800, she is able to save the life of Rufus a white son of a plantation owner first from drowning and second from a fire. She has to risk her life to go back in time just to save the white man’s son.
Race clearly plays out by what Dana sees and goes through when she goes back in time. For instance during the fire incident she is beaten up by white men and almost raped, this is just because she was saving Alice’s mother. Additionally, a group of white men breaks into Alice’s house and beats up her husband (Butler, 37). The blacks during that time would be beaten up with no reason with no place to report such atrocities they would suffer in silence as the whites ruled and dominated the black slaves.
In her travelling back to time, Dana shows the good heart the black people have over other people no matter their color. She repeatedly travels back to save Rufus a white son despite the numerous attacks and assaults she incurs during the flashbacks. This shows that the love for the blacks for the white is unshaken even when they are oppressed and looked down upon. The whites on the other hand, remain unshaken by the love the blacks show and instead o...