Kindred Essays
- Rosie Jayde Uyola
- May 21
- 2 min read

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.