Sir, Run Your Own Bath
In Kindred by Octavia Butler, what stands out most is how Kevin and Dana attempt to move through the 1800s as if they can remain detached observers. In reality (or what we can consider so), neither of them is able to do that, and Dana least of all. Her safety depends on performing the role of an enslaved woman, and any resistance puts her at risk of violence. Kevin, on the other hand, experiences only mild inconveniences such as shaving with a single blade. The contrast between their circumstances makes it clear that the ability to “observe” is a privilege that belongs only to him. My argument is that Kevin never fully rejects the time period because his gender and racial privilege shield him from recognizing the full extent of Dana’s suffering. Kevin presents himself as someone who does not comply with the racist culture of the 1800s. He does not use slurs, does not treat Black people as inferior, and does not exploit anyone sexually. When he is trapped in the past for five years, he...
