Role Playing

Role Playing

          In Octavia Butler’s book, “Kindred” the main character Dana and her husband Kevin time travel from 1976 back into 1819 during the slave era. In this time, Dana being a black woman and Kevin being a white man, they are forced to play completely different roles in order to fit in and survive in this brutal time. Dana was going to have to go from a normal women working as a temp in L.A. to playing the role of a slave trying not to get beat. As for Kevin, he has to go from marrying a black woman to playing the role of a slave owner who is supposed to resent all black people.

          When they arrive in 1819 together, they don’t come prepared with a story to tell anyone who asks. They realize that telling the truth about them isn’t going to work real quickly. When Rufus, the boy that Dana is supposed to keep alive, asks Kevin, “does Dana belong to you know?” (Butler 60). Kevin’s response is “in a way, she’s my wife” (60). Rufus gave him a weird look and told him that is was against the law for blacks to marry whites. This ensured them that if it wouldn’t hold up against a 12 year old boy it definitely would not hold up to anyone else. They eventually meet up with Rufus’s father and Kevin is forced to make up a story of why they were there and why they were broke. He was able to think off the top of his head and make up a believable story. Rufus’s father Tom Weylin then offers him a job to teach Rufus to read and while he is recovering from his injury. From that moment on he had to play the role as a teacher, which wasn’t very difficult for him since he was a teacher. He would also have to socialize with “a steady stream of ignorant pretentious guests,” which he complained to Dana about (97). This shows that Kevin isn’t at any real risk being in this time era.

          Dana’s role was much more difficult and risk bearing than the role that Kevin had to play. Even though she didn’t have to work on the plantation, she had to learn to hold her tongue and not talk back to anyone who was white.  One thing that had to be particularly rough for her was not being able to be with Kevin as often as she would have liked. She was also forced to sleep in less than desirable condition but most importantly not with Kevin. One morning Dana was sneaking out of Kevin’s room and Mr. Weylin spotted her coming out. All he did to her was give her a “wink” and walked away (97). Not only could she not be near her husband but she also has to be judge as being a whore and not say anything about it.

          Overall Dana had a much worst “role” to play than Kevin. While Dana was stuck doing busy work and being bossed around by Ms. Weylin; Kevin was “complaining of boredom” (97). This is tough on Dana because she is the one who is potentially risking her life, so she has to think about every move she makes so she doesn’t get whipped or beaten.