Reading and discussing the story "Kindred" opened my eyes to unserstand some issues from the past and the present. I have written about 5 blogs about this story and I would have to say that the blog entry that I am most particularly proud of is, blog # 5. Writing this blog was when I first started to understand how bad slavery really was. I already knew it was a digusting tragic issue, but reading and learning details about what went on made me very sad interested to learn more.
TO BE CONTINUED..............
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Monday, May 7, 2012
HEROISM
Sarah is a slave of Tom Weylins. Tom ripped Sarahs family apart, selling her children and leaving her with only one child who was not healthy. He did this to scare Sarah from running away. She was afraid he would hurt the only child she had left.
Alice was Rufus Weylins slave. Alice and Rufus grew up together and were friends as children. As Rufus grew older he became more and more like his father. Rufus fell inlove with Alice and grew to be obsessed with her. Alice did not love Rufus in return so he became angry and abusive towards her. He raped her and whipped her just to have her in any way he could. Alice tried escaping but could not get away.
Dana was someone that was not even from this era. She was not used to all the abuse that was going on around her. This was all new to her and still she stuck it out and did whatever she had to do to get through it for her and her husband Kevin. She was treated as a slave. Instead of curling up in a ball and crying about it she played the part hoping that somehow she would eventually return home for good with her husband.
In my opinion Dana is the most heroic character. She is a strong woman who fought her way home through slavery.
SLAVERY/DOMESTIC ABUSE
SLAVERY/DOMESTIC ABUSE
Today I am writing my 8th
blog. As I continue to read Ocatavia
Butlers, “Kindred”, I see how the author addresses issues of domestic
abuse. In the book Dana is given a
beaten by her master Tom Weylin. When she
returns to the present time her relatives believe that her husband, Kevin did
this to her and she is covering up for him.
Dana cannot really explain the truth to them because they will not
believe her. This happens every day. Women who are abused are either embarrassed
or afraid to get the abuser in trouble because they love them. Slavery can be
compared to domestic abuse in the sense that slaves were afraid to escape from
their abuser in fear of getting caught and having to face the
consequences. In a domestically abusive
relationship the fear is the same. Also,
when a person is physically abused a numerous amount of times after a while
they become immune to the pain. Slaves
were beaten all the time. Their bodies became numb after it happening so
frequently.
DESTRUCTIVE
SINGLE-MINDED LOVE
As we
continue reading the story, Kindred, by Octavia Butler, we learn more about the
character named Rufus. Rufus is growing
up and becoming more of a manipulator.
He is basically becoming more like his father. He claims to love a free black woman named
Alice who does not share the same feelings.
Rufus then threatens and forces himself on her or she will be sold or
brutally hurt.
When it
comes to his “friend” Dana, Rufus uses her husband, Kevin against her. Dana desperately wants to get back to Kevin
but Rufus will not let her. He even goes
as far as to threatening her life if she would try to leave. Dana is forced to help Rufus do horrible
things. He even has her help him rape
Alice.
I don’t
know how Rufus can say he loves Alice or call Dana his friend. Loving someone means you want them to be
happy. Friendship is supposed to consist
of loyalty, understanding and love.
Rufus does not show any of these qualities. In the end Rufus got what he deserved. I strongly agree with the choices these women
made to survive. If they hadn’t done
what they did eventually Rufus could have killed them. Alice would have lived a lifetime of abuse
and misery and Dana would have never seen Kevin again.
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