Rufus and the Women in his Life
In Octavia Butler’s Kindred , Rufus has complicated relationships with the women in his life, specifically his mother, Alice, and Dana. Throughout the book each woman influences him and has some part in shaping the person he is by the end. From the start, Rufus’ mother, Margaret Weylin, plays a large role in shaping how Rufus sees and treats the people around him. The first time Dana tries to save Rufus from drowning, Margaret’s reaction is to beat Dana and scream at her for killing Rufus (Butler 14). Similarly, when Rufus falls from a tree and breaks his leg, Dana is pulled back in time to help nurse him to health. As she does so, Margaret orders her around and treats her with hostility and contempt (Butler 70). Rufus, although more accepting of Dana, still absorbs many of his mother’s behaviors. Following her example and society’s, Rufus learns to treat both women and slaves as objects who should cater to his desires. Whether...