Analysis of Octavia Butlers Bloodchild Essay - 1552 Words

Should Octavia E. Butler’s â€Å"Bloodchild† be classified as a slave story? The author claims that â€Å"Bloodchild† is not a tale of slavery, but rather a love story and a coming-of-age tale. Does â€Å"Bloochild† conform to the conventions of the slave stories, love stories, or coming-of-age tales with which you are familiar? What other classifications—in terms of literary genre, form, or mode—apply to â€Å"Bloodchild†? Readers can easily deduce why Octavia Butlers won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards for her story â€Å"Bloodchild.† The reader in a way is compelled to finish reading because of Butlers way of using heavily sensual description and mutliple themes in the story. â€Å"Bloodchild† is an unusual spin of a coming-of-age tale in Gans experience†¦show more content†¦I walked away, hating him. In his way, he was gloating. He was safe and I wasnt. I could have hit him, but I didnt think I would be able to stand it when he refused to hit back, when he looked at me with contempt and pity.† (Butler 21). Qui knew TGatoi specifically chose Gan, so he felt that as long as nothing happens to Gan, he is safe from the Tlic. Gans rite of passage into adulthood occurs when he witnesses Lomas â€Å"give birth† to the baby Tlics. Gan held a sort of pride at being chosen to carry TGatois eggs. He thought the process wouldnt be as painful as it actual was. The â€Å"birthing† was the time his eyes metaphorically opened to his reality. The actual implantation of TGatois eggs in Gan can be seen as his lost of virginity. If a reader were to start the story off at this line: â€Å"Yet I undressed and lay down beside her. I knew what to do, what to expect. I had been told all my life† they would automatically assume this scene is the beginning of intercourse, thus, Gans â€Å"transformation† into a man. â€Å"Bloodchild† has many similarities between the relationship of humans and Tlic and European slavery. It is obvious TGatoi is the households master. She is in absolute control of the family and makes the ultimate decisions. When Lien refuses to drink any of the egg, TGatoi still forces her to do it. It is apparent TGatoi also chooses who can be in the family. Gan states â€Å"TGatoi had evenShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Octavia Butler s Science Fiction Classic1285 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"Bloodchild† Analysis Octavia Butler’s science fiction classic â€Å"Bloodchild† is the coming of age story told from the point of view of Gan. The story takes place on an alien planet the very night that Gan becomes a man. One might expect a highly masculine, ritualistic ceremony or event, but Butler turns the tables. In order to become a man Gan must be impregnated by an insectoid like alien named T’Gatoi. Cages have often been symbolic in literature as a means of subjugation, the cages in â€Å"Bloodchild†Read MoreOctavia Butler Essay3243 Words   |  13 Pages Table of Contents Page 1. A BRIEF CONVERSATION WITH OCTAVIA E. BUTLER Page 2 - 4. Biography Page 5 - 9. Synopsis Page 9 - 14. Analysis of Criticism Page 14 – 15. Influences on Society Page 16. Footnotes Page 17. Bibliography A BRIEF CONVERSATION WITH OCTAVIA E. BUTLER 1. Who is Octavia E. Butler? Where is she headed? Where has she been? Who am I? Im a 51-year-old writer who can remember being a 10-year-oldRead MoreNature On Gender Roles : Bloodchild And Its Satirical965 Words   |  4 PagesBloodchild and its satirical Nature on gender roles Bloodchild is a science fiction story written first published in 1984. It was written by Octavia butler, an African American woman born in 1947. In her time of life she faced many issues that she reflects on in her writing, like racism, and misogyny. This story is a societal satire about a young boy who struggles to understand his role in life while coming of age. Bloodchild is a story that subtly outlines gender roles, possibly those of her time