In this formative discussion, our group discuss the topic on the impact of examples on the way language and behaviors are shaped in society of that era. This topic can be fully demonstrated in the book Kindred especially on the scene when the n word is spoken from Rufus mouth with no intention to really humiliate the African Americans. He claims that his mom said that word every time unless she has a company; “Dana: “Your mother always call black people n….., Rufe?” Rufus: “Sure, except when she has company, why not?” (Butler 19). One idea that I contributed in this discussion I found intriguing has to relate to our perception of ethics. I raise a doubt or based on my curiosity that if we should condemn or question one’s language or behavior just because their ways of language or behavior are not appropriate or corresponded in our perception of our era and when they are just following the languages and behaviors that have already been modeled in their era. I believe the author creates this type of scene between the past and the present for a purpose especially when there is a significant contrast between the two era about how African American are treated. Our discussion always connects to the non-literary text written by Alexander which emphasizes the continued racial inequality present in society, which it becomes a norm where people thought it has been changed while that kind of perception is only an illusion; the reality of it has never changed at all.

Through reading the article of The Injustice of This Moment is Not an ‘Aberration’ by Michelle Alexander, I found an innovative perspective of viewing racial injustice in terms of the authority from politics. The point about people that uphold authority can manipulate the tendency of problems is fully demonstrated in the article in respect of the US presidents. Despite how the author stated her standpoint about the Republicans and the Democratic, she emphasizes that the action done or promoted regarding racial injustice is still all an illusion at the end. While we appear to have made progress, it is merely an appearance, there are so many systems in place that continue the systems of racial and social control which ultimately made “the nation trapped in a cycle of  racial reform, backlash, and re-formation of systems of racial and social control.

Often time, we tend to wanting to promote racial equality through the idea that “there are no differences between races” in order to enhance the similarity of human race. However, this set of idea may have caused the present crisis to be worsen. This type of mindset build up that so-called “illusion” of social justice, which causes the danger of losing the history of the person’d culture, race, ethnicity, and also the value of the individual. Therefore, we should be aware of such issue more carefully with thorough consequence simulated in this society.

Octavia Butler is the author of the book, Kindred. During her interview, she stated that she has a vivid imagination growing up as a strange kid and most of time, alone. Being a writer in the modern era, Butler aims to not just be a black woman science fiction writer, but being a writer that is not set back to any limitation. When writing the book, Kindred, Butler aims to wrote herself into the story and explore in-depth to the place where the scene is set up, Maryland. It is considered that this book is one of the accomplishment that she made that is most associated with her. The writing style she has, add up the genuine scene set up about the slavery during the 1800s.

Kindred is a novel written by Octavia E. Butler that set scene under the era when slavery wasn’t prohibited. From reading at the prologue and the first chapter “The River”, I found this novel mysterious as there are several surprising scenes especially in the first chapter. I am confused and surprised with the idea of vanishing and reappearing in just seconds as it does not appear naturally in reality. The two scenes presented during the event of vanishing and reappearing seem to demonstrate different aspect of the story. The scene with Kevin seem to be the reality and portray the mysterious part about the another scene which portray the encounter of the protagonist with a family that scared the author due to the threats of the gun and makes her feel insecure. The author claims that these two scenes are actually real and present and reject the idea of hallucination. Overall, the set up of the scene is very intriguing and makes the audience wants to explore further about the context of the story in the following chapters.

Reading onto “The Fire”, the overall context of the story starts to become more visible and clear. I become certain that the vanishing event is has to do with time traveling. The emerging scene in my mind is the “traumatic encounter” faced by Dana. It was a shocking moment for her to see someone being whipped to nearly death live. The sensation of that moment engraved a strong sense of fear in her inner world. The quote stated”I could literally smell his sweat, hear every ragged breath, every cry, every cut of the whip.”, which also demonstrate the cruelty of the traumatic encounter and ultimately stood as a critical point in the story in terms of mentally impact to Dana after the time traveling(Butler 33). The usage of anaphora also strengthen the overall idea of the fearful perception regarding the trauma.

In “The Fall”, Kevin is dragged into the past with Dana and experience different way of treatment because of its race as white, which is considered superior at that period of time. However, it did not make Kevin become egoistic. Both of them experience a sense of culture shock in terms of time especially in one scene about a group of slave children acting out a scene of a slave auction. While Kevin is being more optimistic about how the kids are just imitating what they seen in their lives, Dana acts more pathetic about it saying that: “They don’t have to understand. Even the games they play are preparing them for their future – and that future will come whether they understand it or not”(Butler 106).

As the time Dana stays in the past longer, she begins to influence others from her contemporary mindset, Rufus might be the one that got influenced the most. Without the presence of Dana, Rufus used to called the slaves with the “n” word. However, Dana corrects this insult to African American by giving an example to let Rufus knows the feeling of being insulted, which she asks Rufus that: “How do you feel when someone called you ‘trash’?”(Butler 95). Rufus changes his way to called the slaves and he changes his attitude towards the slaves, not with a strong superior tone anymore.