And yet, on Dana's first substantial visit to the South (the time when Rufus almost sets the house on fire), we immediately see her bending in to some of its customs in this conversation she has with her white ancestor:
"And you don't call me 'Master' either."
I surprised myself by laughing. "Master?"
"You're supposed to." He was very serious. "You want me to call you black." [...]
"You have to say it," he insisted. "Or 'Young Master' or ... or 'Mister' like Alice does. You're supposed to." [...] "You'll get in trouble if you don't, if Daddy hears you."
I'd get into trouble if "Daddy" heard me say anything at all. But the boy was obviously concerned, even frightened for me. His father sounded like a man who worked at inspiring fear. "All right," I said. "If anyone else comes, I'll call you Mister Rufus. Will that do?"
"Yes," said Rufus. He looked relieved.
I cringed when I first read this passage, because even though Dana has lived her whole life under modern principles, she still subjects to calling this seven-year-old boy 'Mister' and shows a respect to him that she wouldn't have had to do if she was white in this time period. In a small way, she was resigned to accept white supremacy. Later though, the ways in which Dana and Kevin play into white supremacy and slavery aren't so small. Kevin doesn't feel disgust anymore when he sees children pretending to auction off slaves. He later contemplates traveling West to see more manifestations of white supremacy (killing off/repressing the Native Americans in ways that were glorified in American textbooks and "Old West mythology"), and admits that plantation life isn't so bad: "No overseer, no more work than the people can manage." Dana assumes the role of a slave by cooking and cleaning for the whites she is staying with. In another scene, Dana feels ashamed of sleeping with Kevin, subconsciously adopting the opinion of Tom Weylin that her actions are that of a whore, even though she is faithfully wedded to him.
What's going on here? It's as if the couple's backgrounds have disappeared after they accustom themselves to life in the 19th century South. Everything that Dana and Kevin have learned in their lifetime simply gives way as they take on the roles of a slave and her master. One explanation may be to say that they have to give up their reservations from the future in order to survive in the past. Dana and Kevin play along with white supremacy only to stay alive. And yet, what is the slavery system if not African Americans adopting deference in order to survive? Slavery is a societal dynamic built on fear, and Dana and Kevin seem to fit right into the narrative, despite their ingrained knowledge that slavery is immoral.
In Kindred, Octavia Butler sets up this interesting hypothetical: coming from where we are today, how would we act if we were suddenly plunged into an era and location known for its evils? While it's easy to say that you wouldn't give in, that you'd stand up for justice and 21st century equality ideals, I think the chances of actually doing that in the situation are slim. Butler's characters have compromised themselves to fit into the narrative of slavery in the 1800's. I sound pessimistic, and this idea scares me a little bit, but realistically, I think most people would do the same. They'd give in to the overwhelming societal forces of the time against their better judgement.
Along with Anshul's example, this whole imagining-ourselves-in-the-slavery-era reminds me very much of Stanley Milgram's experiments with conformity. The most famous one involved subjects tasked with delivering electric shocks to a stranger in another room under the instruction of lab coat wearing authority figure. When word got out, predictably, most people proclaimed they would never succumb to the commands, much as we would like to claim we would act morally and courageously in Dana or Kevin's situation. But in this case, there are imminent physical consequences to every action, making the path of least resistance that much more attractive. It's interesting that even as we are consciously calling attention to this scenario and discussing the potential consequences, it doesn't become any easier for me to predict what I would do.
ReplyDeleteI find that this phenomenon is what what makes the novel so incredibly powerful. I think that Butler purposefully wrote Dana and Kevin to buy into these race stereotype to show the intensity of what was happening in 1815. As a reader, we can compare Dana's and Kevin's actions from the present and from 1815 and we can see the drastic way in which they both changed. I think that this situation plays into the fact that, as you said, they know it wrong but the entire situation is being so forcefully enforced that it is hard to go against it. I think that this is especially true for Dana since she knows that she is in a real danger if she doesn't fall into the narrative that is lined out for her. If she feels like she went back in time with the purpose of keeping Rufus alive, she might believe that they only way to do that it to blend in with what is happening at the time.
ReplyDeleteI think Dana and Kevin's compromising of their morals is definitely motivated by trying to stay alive. Maybe they could do more if they weren't just two people with very little resources, but in their predicament their survival takes precedence over fighting against the terrible realities of the world they've been thrust into. By seeing these characters slip into the ways of 19th century, it makes me think that the idea of changing history singlehandedly isn't as easy as the butterfly effect would lead me to believe. Actually experiencing the past is a lot less easy than imagining what the experience would idealistically be like. I agree that I wouldn't be able to act the way I'd want to if I were plunged into the past.
ReplyDeleteThe pace at which they fall into these roles is really unsettling to me, especially with Kevin. However, like Emma, I understand that Dana and Kevin have to adopt some behaviors of the 19th century South to survive (well Dana at least, it seems like Kevin is just getting comfortable, not so much trying to survive). So I agree with you, I do think that in this situation, a lot of people would just try to blend in. I don't know how much of it would be just for survival and how much would be due to, as you put it, the overwhelming societal forces of the time. It seems like this is what has happened to Kevin, and Butler really brings attention to how easily this can happen.
ReplyDeleteHowever, is it really "against their better judgement" to drop to these overwhelming societal forces? I think that to realistically survive in the 19th century as a 21st-century-born, there are certain customs that are in better judgement to be followed, although wrong by any standards of our time and contrary to our inclinations. Little things such as calling Rufus "Mister," if not followed, I can imagine being quickly disastrous. If someone were to enter the 19th century with a mindset of opposing white supremacy, I think it would be in better judgement to follow these seeming little rules which will pave the way for movement against opposition against larger wrongs/evils--level of pretending is inherently necessary.
ReplyDeleteI think Butler creates a pretty realistic depiction of how one would act if thrown into the Antebellum South, even if it is hard to accept. While we would like to think by going back in time we would have the power to change the evils of a society that thrives on oppression due to our superior knowledge of the future, in reality this would be nearly impossible. One example of this is when Dana tries to run away, believing her superior knowledge could provide her with a way of escaping. When her plan ultimately fails, we see a part of Dana crushed inside, making her realize her 21st century viewpoint may not be as special as she thought it was.
ReplyDeleteAgreeing with most of the commentators, I think the basic human instinct of survival trumps moral values. Dana doesn't compromise everything she believes in, like when she teaches Nigel to read, and even when she kills Rufus, but there are behavioral adjustments she has to make to fit into the narrative of white supremacy to not be killed herself. It is important to note that she consciously makes the decisions she does when it comes submitting to the times or not. When she plays the role of slave, she does so because when she steps out of line, she'll be whipped. In the end, most people would do the same thing as Kevin and Dana, slip into their race roles, but struggle with their morals.
ReplyDelete