« Tom and Kevin | Main | Afterthoughts on Kindred »
March 27, 2007
Surprise? Not Really
In the novel Kindred, Butler shows how the characters change throughout the story, especially in the cases of Rufus and Tom Weylin. For many readers, these changes alter their outlook on these characters; however, one may ask if any real change occurs at all. While it may help to humanize the characters by implying said changes, a closer inspection shows that there is actually very little difference in the characters from the beginning to the end of the book, at least in terms of personality.
Tom Weylin makes an excellent example. His upholding of his son’s bargain with Dana (to mail the letter to Kevin) tends to cause the reader to grow suspicious of their original feelings on this character. Why should it, though? It was already observed that Weylin believes in keeping promises, as shown by his disdain for Kevin when the latter states that he never intends on releasing Dana (after saying that he bought her under those pretenses). Really, we are still seeing the same man, the same slave owner. He acts as is fit for the time he lives in, and he has a moral code about giving his word. These traits are part of his designed personality, and their expression really should not surprise the reader.
The same could be said of Rufus. In the beginning of the book, the reader identifies him as a sweet-manner child (mainly due to the description given from Dana’s point of view). Later in the story, it is again the intention of the author to show the character as having undergone a change, this time from the adorable child to the hormone-driven young slave master. One must once more question this supposed transition: was Rufus ever truly sweet or innocent? He attempted to set fire to the house to get back at his father, and admits to burning down the stables to achieve the same end. Later in life, he attempts to rape a woman because she won’t leave her husband for him. It has always been Rufus’s nature to use force and violence to make his point or get what he wants.
While, in retrospect, these similarities tend to stand out (at least to me), it is perhaps a credit to Butler’s writing that she can make someone believe that a profound change has occurred, even when it really hasn’t.
Posted by gdejongh at March 27, 2007 12:25 PM