Kindred Essays

Essay Option 1: Is Dana an agent or a witness?

Some readers view Dana as a powerful figure who shapes events around her through courage, intelligence, and resilience. Others argue that Dana is more of a historical witness, forced to react to violence and trauma without full control.

Who has more influence over the course of events in Kindred: Dana or the world she is thrown into?

Argue either:

• That Dana is an active agent, who makes strategic decisions, protects others, and ultimately shapes the outcomes of her journey.

• Or that Dana is primarily a witness, whose role is to observe, survive, and document history without having the power to change it.

Creative open-ended elements:

• Students may write a missing scene from Kindred in which Dana chooses not to return to the past. What changes?

• They may reflect on the symbolism of Dana’s final injury as either empowerment or proof of helplessness.

• Students may re-frame the story as a journal, asking: What power does the narrator have when the events are already in motion?

Essay Option 2: Is Kevin a partner or a bystander?

Kevin travels with Dana through time and sees the brutal world of slavery firsthand. Some argue that he is a true partner who grows and learns. Others suggest that he remains distant, failing to act meaningfully in the past or fully understand Dana’s experience.

Does Kevin act as a true partner in Kindred, or does Butler portray him as a limited bystander in both time periods?

Argue either:

• That Kevin is a genuine partner who listens, evolves, and takes moral responsibility for his actions and inactions.

• Or that Kevin ultimately stands apart from Dana’s journey, symbolizing the limits of empathy across identity and time.

Creative open-ended elements:

• Students may write a scene from Kevin’s point of view, revealing his doubts or limitations during his years alone in the past.

• They may analyze Butler’s structural decision to exclude Kevin from the most traumatic scenes. What does his absence reveal?

• Students can debate whether love is enough to bridge power and privilege across centuries.