Women In Octavia Butler's Kindred

565 Words3 Pages
Up until the early part of the twentieth century, women have always played a domestic role in society. Dana finds this out when she goes back to the pre-civil war south. Her experiences there demonstrate her inability to adapt and survive in another world, but it also highlights some issues she has with living in her own world. Dana is lacking some very basic skills when she goes back into the past. Sarah says, “ I told him you wasn’t lazy. Told him you didn’t know how to do some things – and, girl, you come here not knowing how to do nothing” (Butler 95) Dana lacks the ability to cook or clean, and she cannot work as effectively as the other slaves. Women in the antebellum south were in charge of caring for and keeping the house running and these skills were essential. Kevin and Dana are essentially…show more content…
“’Look, your ancestors survived that era – survived with fewer advantages than you have. You’re no less than they are.’ ‘In a way I am.’ ‘What way?’ ‘Strength. Endurance. To survive, my ancestors had to put up with more than I ever could. Much more.’” (Butler 51) Mentally, Dana is just not as tough as her ancestors, and not as tough as Kevin. Kevin is not nearly as fazed by the violence he sees and Dana is. While he never acclimates, he accepts his surroundings much more readily than Dana does. She is much less prepared to accept major changes in her reality than he is. Dana represents modern women in the novel, and she is vastly less prepared for life than Kevin is. Dana has never been required to prepare herself mentally for the challenges she faces in the antebellum south. That’s not to say that she couldn’t, given time, but she demonstrates a lack of ability to cope. In contrast, Sarah stands as a good representation of black women in antebellum society. She is smart, and can accept the reality of her
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