Novel Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

Stereotypes Found in Octavia Butler's Kindred

Many authors are content to mold their characters around standard racial stereotypes, unwilling or unable to challenge typecasting. These authors often give no motivation for their characters stereotypical behavior, allowing the conduct to perpetuate and reinforce the racial divide. Refreshingly, not all authors are as inhibited. Octavia E. Butler, in her novel Kindred, seeks to explain the context in which racial stereotypes are (and have been) created. By using three Caucasian characters, Mr. Tom Weylin, Rufus, and Kevin, Butler is able to characterize (and is some cases dispel) the racial stereotypes associated with the Caucasian "Manifest Destiny" attitude towards African-Americans.

Before explaining the characterization applied in Kindred, it should be noted that an African-American female, a group typically victimized by the very characters whose racial stereotyping she intends to illustrate and contradict, authors the book. Additionally, the setting of the novel (mid 1970's and in the Antebellum South) creates a platform from which the characters motivation springs.

The character of Mr. Weylin could be judged as the least evolved and most stereotypical depiction of the American Caucasian male in the novel, were it not for Butler's skill at bringing humanity to the inhumane.

Mr. Weylin is a slave owner in Maryland during the early 1800's. He is condescending towards the African-American characters, and in particular to the main female African-American character, Dana. (Butler 67)

Mr. Weylin's character does not deem it necessary to be polite, cordial, or endearing to the African-Americans he comes in contact with. He speaks in clipped sentences, giving orders not requests, as can be seen from his exchange with the slave Luke. "Take Dana around back and get her something to eat. 'Yes sir' said the black man softly. 'Want me to take Marse Rufe upstairs first?' 'Do what I told you. I'll take him up." (Butler 67)

Mr. Weylin also contributes to the "stereotype" associated with southern slave owners by viewing African-Americans as chattel, not deserving of the respect accorded to a fellow human being. When Weylin encounters Dana in the hallway of his home he asks her a series of condescending questions designed to undermine and degrade her.

How old are you? he asked,...'twenty-six, sir'... 'you say that like you're sure... what year were you born?'... "How many children have you had?... 'none'... 'you must be barren then'... 'I could buy you. Then you'd live here instead of traveling around the country without enough to eat or a place to sleep" (Butler 91)

Butler could have left the aforementioned exchange as written, solidifying the stereotype, but instead Butler is able to offer insight into the grim slave owner's behavior by having him feel pity for Dana (Butler 91) who he believes is to be sold in Louisiana. (Butler 80) Mr. Weylin views his offer of buying Dana as a helpful gesture, albeit the benefits of her being sold to him are decidedly in his favor.

Through the eyes of Dana, Butler graciously explains that Mr. Weylin's behavior towards African-Americans is not rooted in sadism, but rather, that he is a product of his environment. Dana states: "His (Rufus) father wasn't the monster he could have been with the power he held over his slaves. He wasn't a monster at all. Just and ordinary man who sometimes did the monstrous things his society said were legal and proper." (Butler 134)

Contributing to the "southern slave owner" stereotype Mr. Weylin is also shown to hold honor, and the giving of ones "word" as a principle that must be held in the utmost regard. His son Rufus explains " Daddy's the only man I know, who cares as much about giving his word to a black as to a white... It's one of the few things a bout him that I can respect." (Butler 181) The character of Mr. Weylin's son, Rufus, is also a member of the slave holding class, but he has evolved one step closer to the modern viewpoint many Caucasian males have of African-Americans.

Rufus and his encounters with Dana are the focal point of the novel. (Throughout the novel, Dana time travels back and forth from the 1970's to the antebellum South saving Rufus from death) The link between Rufus and Dana serves to provide Rufus with a bridge to overcome his stereotypical view of African-Americans. An early exchange between the two characters illustrates this point.

Your mother always call black people n******, Rufe?'...'Sure except when she has company, why not?'... 'I'm a black woman Rufe. If you have to call me something other than my name, that's it." (Butler 25)

Rufus agrees to respect Dana, illustrating that Rufus disparagement of African-Americans by referring to them as n****** is a learned behavior, not something inherent This contributes favorably to the "nurture over nature" stereotype associated with racists today.

Rufus' relationship with African-American woman named Alice, a friend from childhood, also presents a racial dichotomy. Rufus may truly love Alice, but the society in which he lives does not have the understanding or empathy to see Alice as more than a possession. (Butler 124) Rufus is a product of such a society.

He rapes Alice and then becomes indignant that her husband tried to kill him. Rufus says "We grew up, She got so she'd rather a buck n***** over me.... I would have taken better care of her than any field hand could. I wouldn't have hurt her if she hadn't just kept saying no. (Butler 123) Interracial relationships were frowned upon, but the victimization of African-American females by Caucasian males was not. (Butler 124) Rufus contributes to the Caucasian male stereotype often portrayed in literature depicting this time period. Interestingly, although Butler explains Rufus' motivation, she does not excuse Rufus from his actions therefore turning Rufus into the most villainous character in the book. Rufus is consistently presented with a new lease on life (Butler 13, 20, 59, 117, 198) and a moral course of action [Dana's advice] but decides to ignore it, eventually leading to his own demise. (Butler 260) Other Caucasian characters are able to define their relationships with African-Americans without race being an inhibitor.