Butler's Kindred Satire

Butler’s Kindred induced a personal understanding of slavery that is relevant, as much as it is unique, to the modern views of African-Americans and society. The largest and most frequent theme of the novel is the underlying notion of society influencing behavior. Butler shows her readers the influence behavior has on society, by literally sending Dana back the source of the behavior. By portraying societal influence in her novel, Butler was able to craftily instill a sense of empathy, understanding, and even sympathy for events of the past. If these attitudes may be developed toward slavery, the most grotesque of all behaviors, they are surely applicable to lesser behaviors of today.

First and foremost, Butler establishes two very common attitudes

toward slavery. One of these attitudes is the tendency to blame victims of past events. Events of the past are often understood from the advantage of hindsight. In retrospect to her sufferings in the past, Dana consistently criticizes her obedience to the white authorities. “I began to realize that I should have resisted, should have refused to let Fowler bring me out here where only other slaves could see what happened to me.” (211) By showing Dana, a victim, blaming even herself, Butler shows the great influence of victim blaming tendencies. Perhaps even more cringe worthy, is that people tend to be more critical of events in which they had no part or understanding. Having thought Kevin was being abusive toward Dana; her cousin goes as far as to criticize her for allowing herself to be beaten. "I never thought you'd be fool enough to let a man beat you." (116) The effects of hindsight bias are still around today, and cripple the ability for people to understand those victim to violence. Even privileged with modern thought, Dana acts in accordance to the laws of the time, which sends a very powerful message to Butler’s readers.
Another society induced attitude, is the tendency to blame the performers of victimization.

While this attitude is seemingly the correct response to any given event, Butler is heartily argues against the notion of blame. One of the marks of a great writer is the ability to make a reader feel sympathy for a character of ill doing. This often involves unlikely misfortunes developed in a somewhat believable way, such as in Walter White from Breaking Bad. Butler does not use unlikely or unrealistic situations for her villainous characters. Instead, Butler directs her readers to realistic events to explain the real sources of mal doing. One such is example, is the power of values instilled by family. “Don’t argue with white folks, ‘Don’t tell them ‘no.’ Don’t let them see you mad. Just say ‘yes, sir.’ Then go ’head and do what you want to do. Might have to take a whippin’ for it later on, but if you want it bad enough, the whippin’ won’t matter much.” (96) Another example of this is Butler’s commitment to realistic events, even for characters that it seems very hard to make a reader understand. If Butler had wanted to make the reader sympathize with Rufus for the simple notion of a good book, she could have done in many ways. Yet, Rofus did not lose his wife and children in a tragic fire; rather, he was subjected to misfortunes that are realistic and common, especially during the time. “Tom Weylin had probably marked his son more than he knew with that whip.” (39) By doing so,

Butler is essentially showing her readers that Rufus is not just a character in a book, but an example of societal influence.
By utilizing the technique of realism, Butler was able show her readers, while not accepting their actions, that if you truly understand their situation, empathy is naturally associated. She is able to show this most efficiently through Dana who, more often than not, understands of the tragic events in which she faces. Having Dana watch Rofus grow up as a child, Butler is able to establish the concept of understanding very early on in the novel. “The boy already knew more about revenge than I did. What kind of man was he going to grow up into?” (25) Even more amazingly, Dana understood Tom, stating that he: “wasn’t a monster at all. Just an ordinary man who sometimes did the monstrous things his society said were legal and proper.” (134)
In so far as Dana develops a sense of understanding, Butler is able to draw her readers to the root of conflicts. In modern society, those who promote racism, bigotry, and prejudice are often attacked by society. Although this seems justified, Kindred was able to show how hate and blame do not lead to the resolution of problems. I believe that modern society should take a page from Kindred, and start to address issues of slavery’s counting impact on prejudice, and bigotry as a whole, in an intelligent, calm, and peaceful manner. After reading this book, I firmly believe that peace may be achieved through understanding.