OK, so I accidentally already read Kindred over Christmas Break or Thanksgiving Break or last summer or I don't remember when, and I realize that's a terrible thing to do because now I know how the whole book ends and I'll probably be tempted to blurt out spoilers during class discussions, BUT whatever. I really enjoyed reading it the first time around and it was hard to put down, but now that I'm reading it for a second time, I'm less captivated. With Slaughterhouse-Five, it was the opposite. The first time around, I missed a lot, and the second time around, I discovered all these layers of themes and sub-themes and Vonnegut genius. But Kindred feels so plot-driven, it's as if once the plot is revealed, there's not much left to discover upon rereading it. I'm trying not to be a pessimist about this, because I really do think it's a good book, so I'll just focus on the major part of the book that I think is pretty neat: Rufus's character development. But no spoilers!! So, I'll just start with what we have to work with in the first few chapters.
Prologue
Although we don't get much on Rufus's personality, the really important detail is how affectionately he interacts with his mother upon being rescued by Dana when he's drowning. He clearly really loves her and depends on her, and we can see why when our first glimpse of his dad is him pointing a huge rifle at Dana.
Chapter Two
Rufus is probably about eight or nine, and he's described as "curious and unafraid." He's easy to talk to and interacts agreeably enough with Dana. He uses the n-word but doesn't seem to mean any harm by it, simply repeating what he's heard his parents say. He tries to set the house on fire because his father beat him horribly for taking a dollar (which is also the kind of baseless punishment that slave masters were accustomed to inflicting upon their slaves). He's good friends with Alice, a black girl born free, and he shows empathy towards Dana, concerned in particular that she'll get in trouble with his father if she doesn't follow the rules. Dana describes him as likable even if "his environment had left unlikable marks on him."And he helps her to safety, directing her towards Alice's house.
So, he seems agreeable enough, but does someone like Rufus who is raised to be slave owner really have a chance at growing up to be a decent person? Dana's influence seems like it could make a big difference, but will it be enough to dissuade him from going along with societal norms that tell him he is entitled to own other human beings and do what he wants with them like his father does?
Rufus. It reminds me of Kim Possible's friend's naked mole rat. [insert smooth transition]. I love his innocence. I love how you can see that he's just a kid and the way he acts is affected by his dad and his surrounding. It kind of reinforces the idea that people are born a blank slate and as they grow, the slate is molded. I too, really hope that Dana's impact on Rufus stays throughout the years that she's missing in his life. I would love to fine out that Alice and Rufus had a wonderful love story about him overcoming social norms, but I don't think so. I don't know what the message the author is trying to convey but I don't think it's 'good/love triumphs all because all that matters is that you're happy'. [If that was the message, Disney would have tried recreating it as a movie...] I think it might be closer to 'looking back will only hurt you because you can't change things'. The moment is 'structured' that way is necessary for shaping the future… Is the author trying to say that it's time we accept that there are things we can't change, so lets focus, instead, on the future and present? Is that why looking back is such a bad thing?
ReplyDeleteI would like to think that Rufus is going to stay a good person, but that just doesn't seem likely with the way this book is going. He's going to turn out to be a product of his surroundings, and that's something Dana is going to have to see and experience. She has to save his life to save her own, but I'm relatively certain he's not going to develop in a positive direction. Maybe, Dana could have a good influence on him. But I'm guessing not.
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