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Rufus Humphrey, Dana’s white, slave-owning ancestor, is often at the heart of the moral conflict in Octavia E. Butler’s novel Kindred. Both readers and Dana are forced to contend with their understanding of the rationale for Rufus’ behavior as well as his capability for deceit and cruelty, prompting consideration of the interactions between environmental norms and personal character. Despite his capability for committing horrifying atrocities within the institution of slavery, he remains a kind of sympathetic figure that illuminates the nature of slaveowners not as a one-dimensional monster, but a complex human that has been shaped by the status quo of their society.

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Although Rufus holds concrete power over Dana through their slaveholder-slave relationship, this dynamic shifts as the narrative progresses. In fact, we can see that Rufus’ dependence on Dana causes him to lose power over her despite his frantic efforts to use his influence to make her stay.

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how the author gives internal events the sense of excitement, suspense, and climax usually associated with external action

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how the author gives internal events the sense of excitement, suspense, and climax usually associated with external action

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In Jane Eyre, Brontë dramatizes the titular character’s experience of an awakening in consciousness through the use of tricolon, personification, and parallel structure.

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Prompt: In some works of literature, a character who appears briefly, or does not appear at all, is a significant presence.  

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Prompt: In some works of literature, a character who appears briefly, or does not appear at all, is a significant presence.  

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Thesis: Rochester’s forcibly hidden and mentally ill wife Bertha only appears once before Jane in her full form, yet she plays the role of her foil and catalyst of Jane’s journey to equality with her husband. Even as a repressed figure in the attic, she commands the power of Thornfield’s imagination, freeing Jane through her own attempts at emancipation.

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Select one work of acknowledged literary merit and in a well-written essay, show how the conventional or stereotyped character or characters function to achieve the author’s purpose.

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Select one work of acknowledged literary merit and in a well-written essay, show how the conventional or stereotyped character or characters function to achieve the author’s purpose.

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In Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, Bronte characterizes Mr. Rochester as an archetypal Byronic Hero in order to act as a foil to Jane’s superior sense of morality yet also to act as a parallel to Jane’s rejection of stereotypical societal standards. In this way, she advances her feminist argument of equality whilst plating it in a way that is palatable to her audience at the time.

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Prompt: Some works of literature use the element of time in a distinct way. The chronological sequence of events may be altered, or time may be suspended or accelerated. Choose a novel, an epic, or a play of recognized literary merit and show how the author’s manipulation of time contributes to the effectiveness of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.

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Prompt: Some works of literature use the element of time in a distinct way. The chronological sequence of events may be altered, or time may be suspended or accelerated. Choose a novel, an epic, or a play of recognized literary merit and show how the author’s manipulation of time contributes to the effectiveness of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.

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While Kindred appears to fall within the common trope of time travel, Butler adds her own twists that serve to highlight and criticize specific aspects of the cruelty of 19th century slavery. Her snippets of the present demonstrate stark contrasts between the past and present, while the violent transitions and constant worries of remaining trapped in the past that haunt Dana and Kevin reflect the violence and volatility that enslaved people experienced.

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Jane struggles between two conflicting desires - explore these desires and what it tells us about the book.

Thesis: Jane’s conflicting desires to experience love, both familial and romantic, as well as uphold her integrity, an unyielding determination to remain true to her values, govern all of her actions and thoughts in Jane Eyre. Although we’ve witnessed Jane’s bildungsroman, from her time with the Reid’s to her return to Rochester, her personal pride and sense of independence as a woman has never faltered. Ultimately, Jane’s continuous prioritization of her own career and life over her impulses solidifies Jane Eyre as a proto-feminist manifesto of Charlotte Bronte herself.

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Childhood and Adolescence shape the works meaning

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Childhood and Adolescence shape the works meaning

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Though Jane’s turbulent and unstable adolescence created within her a certain diffidence and insecurity, her faith in God strengthened with each setback, and she gained an unparalleled sense of self-assurance and resilience.

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By looking at the contrast between Jane and Helen’s character, we can see that Helen represents the voice of society that cautions against Jane’s strong personality; furthermore, having Helen appear early in the story sets the tone for the rest of the novel in terms of Jane’s actions.

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Effect of past events, whether negative or positive, on a character

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Effect of past events, whether negative or positive, on a character

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Through Dana and Kevin’s travels to the past in Kindred, the two encounter societal norms during the time of slavery that strikingly parallel the interactions they face in their current lives.

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In many works of literature, past events can affect, positively or negatively, the present activities, attitudes, or values of a character. Choose a novel or play in which a character must contend with some aspect of the past, either personal or societal. Then write an essay in which you show how the character’s relationship to the past contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.

Although most of the action occurs as the characters travel to the past, Kevin and Dana’s interactions with the society of slavery sheds also helps to shed light on modern racial dynamics, though to a lesser extent.

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Prompt:  Select a single pivotal moment in the psychological or moral development of the protagonist of a bildungsroman.
Thesis: By examining Jane’s experiences as she grows older, it is clear that she builds independence and a sense of self over time; The pivotal moment in which her psychological development takes a drastic step forward is her departure from Thornfield.

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The conflict created when the will of an individual opposes the will of the majority is the recurring theme of many novels, plays, and essays. Select the work of an essayist who is in opposition to his or her society; or from a work of recognized literary merit, select a fictional character who is in opposition to his or her society. In a critical essay, analyze the conflict and discuss the moral and ethical implications for both the individual and the society. Do not summarize the plot or action of the work you choose.

Ironically, by taking on subordinate roles of less power in Victorian society, Jane Eyre is able to more effectively demonstrate the power of disobeying traditional Victorian societal expectations.

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Prompt:  In retrospect, the reader often discovers that the first chapter of a novel or the opening scene of a drama introduces some of the major themes of the work. Write an essay about the opening scene of a drama or the first chapter of a novel in which you explain how it functions in this way.

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Prompt:  In retrospect, the reader often discovers that the first chapter of a novel or the opening scene of a drama introduces some of the major themes of the work. Write an essay about the opening scene of a drama or the first chapter of a novel in which you explain how it functions in this way.

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Thesis: A turbulent, confusing combination of physical pain, violence, accusation, fear, and helplessness, the opening scene of Kindred, which features Dana in the hospital after losing her arm from her most recent excursion back in time, introduces the core themes of hopeless adversity, injustice, and hatred that lie at the root of the African American struggle featured in the novel.

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Prompt: Choose a novel or play that contrasts two places that represent opposed forces or ideas that are central to the meaning of the work. Write an essay explaining how the places differ, what each place represents, and how their contrast contributes to the meaning of the work.

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Prompt: Choose a novel or play that contrasts two places that represent opposed forces or ideas that are central to the meaning of the work. Write an essay explaining how the places differ, what each place represents, and how their contrast contributes to the meaning of the work.

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Dana’s apartment acts as a calm safehouse where she retains her rights while the plantation represents unpredictability, risk, and oppression; however, as Dana’s time travels become more frequent, her experiences at the plantation bleed into her personal life, as reflected by the transfer of material objects.

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Prompt:  Choose a character from a novel or play of recognized literary merit and write an essay in which you (a) briefly describe the standards of the fictional society in which the character exists and (b) show how the character is affected by and responds to those standards. In your essay do not merely summarize the plot.

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Prompt:  Choose a character from a novel or play of recognized literary merit and write an essay in which you (a) briefly describe the standards of the fictional society in which the character exists and (b) show how the character is affected by and responds to those standards. In your essay do not merely summarize the plot.

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The fictional society depicted in Jane Eyre is in reality highly reflective of the standards of the period in which it was written and takes place - a highly rigid social structure where newer ideas on gender, race and class were heavily condemned. Jane, the protagonist, espouses a feminist perspective in order to ridicule these standards . Overall, she is a living embodiment of the idea that women are capable of all the characteristics that were associated with men: strength, determination and much more.

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While Dana is forcibly pulled across time to ensure Rufus’ safety, she observes her ancestor’s growth over the course of his childhood. Although her employers and her protector abuse Dana, she feels an uncanny, inexplicable attachment to the Weylin household. Kindred explores, as the name suggests, how the sense of family has transcended time through intense physical and mental devotion of oneself to their kin. Ultimately, the idea of home can be a structure or location; however, Octavia Brown argues that the “home” is a culmination of the experiences of the residents of the households as well as the relationships they commit to amongst themselves that contribute to a sense of security and comfort attributed to that location.

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Choose a character from a novel or play of recognized literary merit and write an essay in which you (a) briefly describe the standards of the fictional society in which the character exists and (b) show how the character is affected by and responds to those standards. In your essay do not merely summarize the plot.

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Choose a character from a novel or play of recognized literary merit and write an essay in which you (a) briefly describe the standards of the fictional society in which the character exists and (b) show how the character is affected by and responds to those standards. In your essay do not merely summarize the plot.

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Jane Eyre’s values certainly diverge from patriarchal social norms; while she initially responds to such standards by outwardly rebelling, she adopts a form of quiet resistance against societal expectations, especially  after receiving harsh treatment at the Lowood School. By doing so, Jane is able to establish herself in society and advance toward her goals more easily.

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In many works of literature, a physical journey – the literal movement from one place to another – plays a central role. Choose a novel, play, or epic poem in which a physical journey is an important element and discuss how the journey adds to the meaning of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary. 

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In many works of literature, a physical journey – the literal movement from one place to another – plays a central role. Choose a novel, play, or epic poem in which a physical journey is an important element and discuss how the journey adds to the meaning of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary. 

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Although she faces immense physical and emotional damage as she physically travels between time periods, Dana’s change in perspective regarding the idea of home to associate more closely with the perpetrator of her trauma represents the eroding effects of antebellum social frameworks and dynamics on her psychological perception of family, an issue only exacerbated by the ramifications of each of her travels.

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Describe the ways in which a confidant/confidante to the main character of a work functions.

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Describe the ways in which a confidant/confidante to the main character of a work functions.

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While examining Octavia Butler’s Kindred, it becomes clear that Kevin Franklin serves as a confidant for Dana. However, Kevin takes on multiple roles beyond this within the novel: Butler employs Kevin’s character to explore the larger themes of ignorance due to race, patriarchal domination, and the tribulations of interracial marriages.