9/29 English 9HP

We continued our discussion of Kindred: Dana's fear sends her back to 1976, and she and Kevin discuss the whole issue of survival. They debate whether Dana is equipped to survive that era. Kevin says, "Your ancestors survived that era--survived it with fewer advantages than you have. You are no less than they are" (51). Dana thinks "[her] ancestors had to put up with more than [she] ever could" (51). We discussed whether a modern person, like Dana, is in fact advantaged when traveling to this era. I read an interview with Octavia Butler in which she echoes Dana's perspective and discusses her reasons for writing Kindred: Would a character who has knowledge of the present survive so very well in the antebellum South?

(Due 10/1)

Homework: Reread pages 52-57 of "The Fall." Read your independent book!