Themes in Kindred
Themes in Kindred Growing up in a home that prohibited dancing and makeup, Octavia Butler turned to reading and writing. Her most popular novel Kindred was first published in 1979. ... In Kindred, Dana, an aspiring writer of 1976, travels mysteriously back and forth from California in 1976 to antebellum Maryland in 1815. Kindred explores many themes of survival, the human condition, and appearance versus reality to ensure the existence of Dana, a modern day woman. One common theme of Kindred is survival. ... Throughout Kindred, the drive for survival forces Dana to make many painful choices. ... Human condition was another theme of Kindred. ... Another theme that is seen throughout Kindred is appearance versus reality. ... Many critics believe that Octavia Butler’s use of themes, which are related to slavery, is what make Kindred her most popular novel. The themes contrast the present with the past and also show the brutal relationships between slave masters and slaves. By studying the themes of Kindred, readers are able to understand the time period of antebellum Maryland to get a better understanding of this time period.