Time Travel as a Narrative Device in Octavia Butler's Kindred
The plot of the novel Kindred follows Dana, a 1970s Black woman, who faints and is unexpectedly transported back to the 1820 South. This book uses time travel as both a fantasy plot twist and as a display to examine the horrible realities of slavery and its longstanding impact on modern society. Through Dana's eyes, we're dropped into the world of the 1800s, experiencing the oppressive and unjust conditions ourselves. This storytelling approach also helps us understand the connections between historical segregation and today's trends of inequality. I think time travel in Kindred is meant to act like a bridge to connect two extremely different periods. This device lets Butler "travel" through centuries, combining the past and present in a way that stresses their connected narratives. As Dana goes back and forth through time whenever Rufus calls her in a time of distress, the reader can reflect on what it's like to really live as a slave with the juxtaposition o...