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Hello Class and Professor Shaw,

After reading Blood Child to be quite honest, I felt a bit unsettled and unsure how to interpret it. On one hand I could see how the story could be about slavery. However, I believe and agree with symbiosis, and the gender role reversal thought process and that the most important thing for humans is survival. It’s interesting to see how Butler uses men in a gender role reversal when she chooses to write the story based on the men being impregnated instead of women. In my opinion, it was the characters in the story acting out of desperation to keep their lineage alive. Butler writes “The animals we once used began killing most our eggs after implantation long before your ancestors arrived. You know these things Gan. Because your people arrived, we are relearning what it means to be a healthy, thriving people.” (1263) We can see how Tilc community was just looking for a safe place to keep their off springs since those who were there before the Terrans only took advantage of them. They saw the Terrans as a better fit to survive. The Tilc needed the Terrans because if not their species would just die out. I do have some questions such as because does this mean that the Terrans held all the power then? If so, why not find ways to protect themselves and fight back? Also, what about the Terrans species, were they supposed to surrender and be slaves to the Tilc people?

In addition to being in survival mode I thought at first that in the case of Gan and T-Gatoi, that maybe she did force him, and she only saw him as a host. But I think she cared about him by allowing him to choose whether he wants to keep the eggs or not. He agrees to keep it only because he was trying to protect his sister. Aside from that she promises him that she won’ leave him and that she will take care of him.

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“Blood Child” is a short fiction story written by Octavia Butler and has won a few awards for best novelette. For each of their races' survival in “BloodChild” the humans and the T’lic join in a symbiotic relationship, which is a close relationship with two species which benefit both of the parties. In this story the alien races T’lic are characterized as monster looking centipedes but this specific world buildup does not involve good and evil. ““You’re better,” she said this time, probing me with six or seven of her changed limbs. “You’re gaining weight finally. Thinness is dangerous,” The probing changed subtly, became a series of carsses.””(Octavia Butler 1253). Here it is shown that this family's caretaker T’Gatoi actually cares about her “family”, as she also gives the family eggs to eat and share. Once again showing the Terrans need of the T’lic and their special eggs which prolong life but this goes both ways as the prolonging life of the Terrans also means more T’lic children can be bred by them over a longer period of time. “”I’m healthy and young.” She said “I Won't leave us as Lomas was left alone, N’tlic. I'll take care of you””(Octavia Butler 1266). T’Gatoi can be seen as the leader of the house now as Gan's father had passed away. She does this by keeping an eye on all of the family members' health and provides food for them when needed but most importantly she cares about what the family thinks of her.

An example of a symbiotic relationship can also be seen through Lomas and his T’lic, T’Khotgif. “The Tlic driver surged out of her, reared up half her length before me….”Lomas?” she said harshly. I liked her for the question and the concern in her voice when she asked it…. She surged away to the house without another word” (Octavia Butler 1260). The concern this T’lic has for her mate seems more than just a one-sided relationship as worriedness can be seen through the T’lics questions. Lomas’s T’lic came to check on him even though she was very sick and dies later on in the story due to an illness, once again showing that this was not only a one-sided symbiotic relationship as Lomas also asks for her once he is found by T’Gatoi. Instead, it is shown that both of the species have learned to care for each other while also benefiting one another, a true symbiotic relationship.

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After reading the short story Bloodchild by Octavia Butler, I’m inclined to believe that the story is a gender reversal story in many different ways. The first example that I could really see in the story was when Gan’s mother promised him to T’Gatoi in an arranged marriage, writing “But sometime before my older sister was born, my mother promised T’Gatoi one of her children. She would have to give one of us to someone, and she preferred T’Gatoi to some stranger” (Butler). I felt that these two lines were important as it reversed the traditional arranged marriages from older cultures by having the mother promise the son to a well-off woman, rather than having the father arrange for the daughter to be married.

Further, there are many instances of T’Gatoi being abusive towards the narrator or other men, and forcing him to do things that he’s uncomfortable with, such as killing animals. While the killing animals aspect might be synonymous with farmers and traditional male dominated activities like hunting, the way the thing is presented it like psychological torture, with Gan uncomfortable with the idea, showing traditionally effeminate traits. The encounter reminded me of Charlotte’s Web, when Fern wasn’t okay with her father killing Wilbur, yet Fern’s father wasn’t doing it for his amusement, whereas I feel T’Gatoi was making Gan participate for her own amusement.

The biggest example of the gender reversal came during the forced caesarian birth, which was uncomfortable to read. While the man, Lomas, is sick from the growing entity inside him, T’Gatoi performs a forced C-section, tearing into his abdomen without any remorse, while the narrator is ready to throw up. Further evidence of the author’s views towards men came when T’Gatoi realized that a man had been born and Gan thought “He would be dead before I would. He would be through his metamorphosis and screwing everything that would hold still before his sisters even had limbs” (Butler). This exchange highlighted the lower viewpoint of this enslaved man, which could be seen as a reversal of how slave women had traditionally been seen. Thinking back to the movie 12 Years a Slave, the movie focused on how Solomon Northup was treated, and the majority of the film showed the men and women separated, with the men often receiving the worst beatings, which could be seen in one way as women not being worth the time in the eyes of the slave owner’s, nor worth the same amount to the overall operation of the plantation. In the case of Gan, he, too, has a diminished value, both in the eyes of T’Gatoi, with the way she treats him, and in the eyes of his mother, in the way she optioned him off.

Butler, Octavia E. Bloodchild. Seven Stories Press, 2005.
Northup, Solomon. Twelve Years a Slave. William Collins, 2014.

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“Bloodchild” by Octavia Spencer is a gender reversal symbolism of the antebellum period in the South. During the antebellum period, African Americans were treated as animals within the period of slavery by the “dominant race” as in “Bloodchild”; Tlic being the dominant race inflicting pain upon the terrans and carrying on their bloodline.

African American woman were raped and sexually exploited by white masters to expand not only the influence of the white race, an alien race to African Americans, but to also produce more slaves to work upon their plantations. Brainwashed to believe the white race was dominant as the terrans were brainwashed to believe they needed to Tlics to survive. To control the terrans they were given euphoric eggs to be effortlessly groomed.  “They say women have more body fat to protect the grubs. Butt hey usually take men to leave the women free to bear their own young. To provide the next generation of host animals 1261” In order to sufficiently benefit from impregnating the terrans, the Tlics had to leave the woman alone in order to get more prey in the future as men would have to go through excruciating c sections to deliver the alien’s eggs.

The Tlic’s manipulation of the terrans intelligence is driven on the terrans desire for survival knowing if they resist eating the eggs they will be stung. In the beginning of the story Gan’s mother is forced to eat the eggs that increase her vitality and longevity but with so much suffering she had been refusing as she just wished for the pain to be over. This is a symbol of how African American woman felt during rape. They were forced into submission by white masters and bred, meanwhile all they wished for was to die. ““you should take more,” T Gatori said. “Why are you in such a hurry to be old?”1253 says to Gan’s mother. She is not amused of living further with their conditions and by refusing the eggs, she will approach freedom faster through death.
In many of the stories we have covered in this class, African Americans touch on spirituality and how the lord will come to save them from this hell on earth. Although some fought for their rights, many felt it would always be a losing battle. They didn’t believe they could survive without their masters and support. Many couldn’t, growing up in the conditions and level of education they did.
Through impregnating the men, the terrans were not only emasculated but had their dignity stripped. This is symbolisis of not only the women who were rape survivors during the antebellum period but also represents how African American men were emasculated, unable to do anything while their women were raped and beat as it depended on their survival. All the odds were stacked against both the terrans and African Americans in the antebellum period in fighting for not only survival but for freedom.
-Calista Bailey

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Octavia Butler’s “Bloodchild” is a science-fiction story set in a world where humans have a synergistic relationship with an alien-insect-like species called, T’Lic. On the surface, this is an oversimplified theory. While this story may initially strike audiences as a disturbing tale of proprietorship and forced impregnation, a deeper analysis shows a harmonious reality in Preserve. The T’Lic and humans do not have a master-slave attachment, in fact, they established a partnership as a mutual desire to survive.  Humans benefited by escaping enslavement on Earth and being given refuge in Preserve.  In return, T’Lic were able to utilize humans as flourishing hosts to carry their developing eggs, therefore preserving the T’Lic species. T’Gatoi introduces readers to the history: "Because your people arrive, we are relearning what it means to be a healthy, thriving people. And your ancestors, fleeing from their own kind who would have killed or enslaved them-they survived because of us. We saw them as people and gave them the Preserve…”. (1263) To help further ensure the strong development of their species, T’lic eggs were fed to humans to provide healing, rejuvenation, and strength. T’lic were also able to relieve pain for humans during the surgical-like delivery of the eggs.

Over generations, the partnerships between humans and the T’Lic became personal and intimate, further solidifying the theory of solidary between the two. This is demonstrated in the affectionate and intense interactions between T’Gatoi and Gan. At first, readers are led to believe that Gan is simply only the property of T’Gatoi, valued only for their use as hosts for eggs.  Instead, “Bloodchild” ends with a confirming statement of T’Gatoi’s devotion to Gan: “’ I’m healthy and young,’ ‘I won’t leave you as Lomas was left – alone, N’Tlic. I’ll take care of you.’ she said.” (1266)

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"Bloodchild" by Octavia Spencer is a nuanced piece of science fiction and, unsurprisingly, has been interpreted in numerous different ways by critics. While all three interpretations have merit, I believe that symbiosis and survival was what "Bloodchild" was about at its core.

The central conflict in the short story comes to fruition when Gan must witness the bloody and violent extraction of grubs from Bram Lomas at the hands of T'Gatoi. After getting a glimpse at the horrible fate that will soon also be his, Gan starts to question T'Gatoi and what his existence means to her for the very first time in his life.

The world in which "Bloodchild '' takes place consists of two races, Terran and Tlic, the latter being the insect-esq race that reigns supreme over the humans. In this world the Terrans are alien to the Tlic planet and thus are exploited and used as a means for Tlic breeding and status. It was never explicitly touched upon as to why humans had to come to a foreign planet seeking refuge, however it is understood that in order to survive in a new world among its bug-like natives, the Terrans were forced to give up certain liberties. Prior to the understanding between the two peoples Gan recounts that the Tlic initially thought the Terran were "not much more than convenient, big, warm-bloodied animals," (Butler, 1255). In order for Tlic to procreate they need a host to act as an incubator and food source for grubs, and humans turned out to be an upgrade from the other warm-blooded animals on the planet, since Tlic born from Terran bodies are larger and more numerous. This makes humans valuable to Tlic and in return, humans depend on Tlic to feed and protect them. All humans live in the Preserve since living on the outside is dangerous without a Tlic to accompany them. “She oversaw the joining of families, putting an end to the final remnants of the earlier system of breaking up Terran families to suit impatient Tlic…I had seen the desperate eagerness in the way some people looked at me.” (Butler, 1254) This quote is in reference to why Terrans, like Gan and his family, must live on the Preserve and nods to the symbiosis dynamic between Terrans and Tlec. Tlec depend on Terrans to bear their young and continue their bloodlines, while Terrans require Tlecs to protect and in many ways provide for them. Even though Qui despises T’Gatoi and living on the Preservation, he knows there’s nowhere else he can go. T’Gatoi pleads to Gan to host her children since she knows he’s necessary to bring them into the world. Both are codependent as a means of survival.

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After reading the following story “Bloodchild” I had noticed various interpretations that relate to slavery. The story takes place on an alien planet, where humans are referred to the Terrans while the aliens had been the Tlic. In order for the Tlic to reproduce, they made deals with the humans that they would keep them safe in return for a male to use to have eggs. Throughout the book, the main character Gan is taken in to mate with a female and conceive her eggs. Gan is a Terran while the female he was assigned to T’Gatoi was a Tlic. What he does not realize is that his life is really about to change. He is taken from his mother by force, Lien. We can relate this to many slaves out there, who have children or had children of their own that had been taken from them to be with a different master. Gan is basically forced the whole time into this procedure of getting eggs implanted inside of him, and as the story goes on he actually witnesses a Terran giving birth and hatching the eggs inside of him. The horror behind this was that it was torture for the human, and the Tlic had hatched inside off him and started eating him alive from the inside. One quote that had truly given me the reason to choosing this story for metaphorically relating to slavery is when someone is talking to Gan, “You’re not her, you’re just her property” (Butler 1260). This shows just like back then, that slaves were not treated as human beings, but as property and free labor.

Although it states that this is all happening because of an “agreement” between the Terrans and Tlics, when the whole time the Terrans were getting the short end of the stick the whole time. They were forced to give up their male species, and the males were forced to help the Tlic reproduce. People are taken from their families, and in the end Tlics were looked at as superior while Terrans had been practically property.

-Tyler Chita

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After reading Bloodchild by Octavia Butler, there is definitely evidence to support several overarching themes that can/do apply to the fictional story. The most believable to me is the metaphor of slavery. Although Butler stated that it was not about slavery, the main theme of the events and what happens really resonates as slavery to me in the sense of most believable. Octavia is an african american woman born during the civil rights movement time period and can definitely attest to the discrimination and the segregation african americans facenand the degredation that african american women faced at the hands of white men. Butler states, “she parceled us out to the desperate…thus, we were necessities, status symbols, and independent people” (1254). The Terran were treated as african americans were treated throughout history, as people “allowed” to live in a place because they could be used as property or as a way to make the homeowner look better. The Terran were able to inhibit the T’lic land as a result of bearing the T’lic grubs. The T’lic held the sort of power that white men and women held over african americans or in this case the Terran. The main connections that made slavery a believeable theme to me was the fact that the Terran were not allowed to leave, the T’lic were in charge and everyone knew that, there was no questions, just the facts and everyone knew how to interact with one another knowing the hierarchy essentially. I do see how it is not necessarily about slavery itself but the little details and additions to the story make it similar to the time period of the civil rights movement when african americans were used as property, not allowed to leave unless told to, knew who was in charge essentially, and women were taken advantage of in ways men were not. The other over arching ideas for themes like gender roles etc. can definitely be seen and proven with evidence, however the theme of slavery just really stood out to me, specifically in the sense of power rather than racism. The T’lic were the power, they were the top of the hierarchy and everyone else was below them, kind of like a government system, but again interpretations can definitely vary here.

Graciela Ross

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I find Jane Donawerth’s interpretation of the short story to be more in line with my interpretation than the others. However, I disagree with Jane Donawerth that the male narrator/hero was punished by rape. Although, I can understand what led to that conclusion and would have agreed if T’Gatoi and Gan did not genuinely care for each other. Jane Donawerth’s observation about reproductive exploitation by the dominant race is spot on. I don’t think most from the dominant race cares whether the inferior race suffers greatly or even live through the birth of their hatched eggs.  A few things led me to agree with Ms. Donawerth’s interpretation of this short story.

reproductive exploitation is a quite obvious when T’Gatoi lied about wanting to wait to discuss implantation with Xuan Hoa.  T’Gatoi later admitted that she would have implanted her eggs in Xuan Hoa that night (). Although T’Gatoi cared for Gan, having children was too important to her for her to care about who carried her eggs. She knew that she had to lay her eggs that night but did not ask Gan until she was forced to do so.  T’Gatoi exploiting her relationship with Gan and his family to get what she wanted. She did not tell Gan about the dangers of carrying her eggs. She would have led him blindly into the process without a second thought.  Had Gan’s brother not informed him of the possibility that the T’Gatoi hatched worms could eat him as he had witnessed it (1261).  T’Gatoi later admitted that Gan should not have witnessed a Terran giving birth and followed up by saying that “I have never known a Terran to see a birth and take it well (). She went on to say that “Terrans should be protected from seeing” (1265).  This is another instance where T'Gatoi was being manipulative.  She is not trying to protect the Terrans by not allowing them to witness the birth of the Tlic’s offspring, she is trying to prevent the Terrans from seeing the danger that they will be in, how gruesome the birth would be and the possible death that they would face.

Another example of reproductive exploitation is the selection of males to be implanted instead of females. The Tlic people knew the possibility of death during birth was high and that they would need another generation of Terrans to implant their eggs into, so they use men instead of women. The female Terrans are needed to carry the next generation of Terrans that the Tlic would need as host. The ensure a continued reproductive exploitation, the Terrans had to give up one of their children to the Tlic to be host (1255).

I must say that is one of the strangest stories that I have ever read.  Most men cannot handle the flu, can you imagine if they had to repeatedly endure a caesarean birth?

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People think that The story "Bloodchild" is all about slavery. Well, The slavery reading in this story, thus, looks tempting. these humans are caught in the dystopian world of the Tlic Compounds, wherever not even their own functions belong to themselves. There’s a utopian underbelly to what seems like human slavery here. But in actuality, this is about love, and bonds between two completely different living beings. Also, a boy who experienced disturbing things and use them to make a decision that will affect the rest of his life. A teenager Gan is the first narrator of the story. This story shows that species are interdependent, Tlic is powerful but they can’t survive on their own. Species' future depends on the cooperation of the Terrans As the same Terrans want that Tlic survives. The Tlic provides food and shelter to the Terrans because they are on an alien’s planet in an unfamiliar environment.
Gan turns into service for the alien species' eggs, for the reason that Tlic can't reproduce on their personal. At first, Gan does now no longer queries his function as a service. He is happy, content material almost. However, each one changes while he watches as every other man, Lomas, is going into labor. A Tlic instructs him to move slaughter an animal and convey it back. When Gan returns with the animal, he watches in horror because the Tlic gets rid of the growing eggs from Lomas' abdomen and plants life them in the insides of the animal. This scene forces Gan to impeach his personal willingness to serve as a provider. In the end, he concurs to store his family. The men, which adds a wrinkle to the gender analysis they’re just hosts to the alien babies. and people's babies don't seem to be precisely heat and loveable. they're born hungry, and as they're carnivorous, their initial instinct is to consume their host. a part of serving to out with birthing is really obtaining the new babies to eat a placental mammal animal rather than the human. The humans birthing to Tlic babies haven't any genetic affiliation to those babies, therefore this very isn’t something like Earth mammals who might expertise extreme pain in childbearing, then again have their own kid as an award.
Science fiction explores the implications of future scientific and technological advances for people and society as computed from these states of science and society. phantasy represents fantastic material in a realistic manner, treating extremely originative things as hypothetically attainable. Qualities that mark the story as phantasy embody, most clearly, the actual fact that it's set within the future and involves an encounter with an alien race. The story is representative of Butler's output or an assortment of works, so far because it explores the themes of species reciprocality, domination, and gender perversions. Readers of speculative fiction science fiction and utopian branches alike, and Octavia pantryman straddles these those readers like to be unbalanced. phantasy author and critic Darko Suvin have splendidly referred to this psychological feature estrangement. it's an issue pantryman doubles down on in Bloodchild, exploring its most unbalancing aspects. Bloodchild additionally toys with the thought that, sometimes, folks won't wish to survive the changes that they'll be forced to create. Slavery or a coming-of-age story, whichever one we tend to could opt for, one factor is as expected, that for an author with such a powerful utopian sensibility, butler undoubtedly puts her characters through a great deal.

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Octavia Butler’s short story “Bloodchild '' can be interpreted many ways. The critic I found to be the most believable was the interpretation by Jane Donawerth. In her critique, Donawerth begins by stating “the conventional adolescent male narrator is punished by rape, incest, reproductive exploitation by the dominant race…” these claims are heavily supported in the short story. To start, it is clear Gan is a victim of grooming and consensual rape. When we are told Gan began drinking the eggs when he was only days old, which eggs are used as a form of control. We are also told he was caged in T'Gatoi arms at only three minutes old, was promised to T’Gatoi before he was even born, and lived with her. He was raised to be prepared to breed before he was born, supporting that he was groomed. This grooming led to consensual rape in which Gan only said yes to having T’Gatoi’s children so his sister would not have to, and he could “save” her. This hero complex he has regarding his sister shows how he feels the situation is wrong. The idea of the situation being wrong is also shown through Gan’s mother in her statement saying it's better that he was “given” to T’Gatoi rather than a stranger. This insinuates his mother felt like she had no choice. His distaste for the reproduction is highlighted on in which he confronts T’Gatoi by stating she never asked him if he would want to carry children. Additionally, Donawerth’s claim of incest to some may be confusing but is a true statement. The notion of incest is supported by a brief statement in the short story in which it is revealed that T’Gatoi was once a worm in Gan’s father. In a sense, Gan and T’Gatoi are siblings both having Gan’s father as a “parent.”

Tlic are clearly the dominant race in “Bloodchild.” they appear to run the household. Even Gan’s mother gives into T’Gatoi’s demands such as when his mother does not want some sterile egg but gives into T’Gatoi’s demands for her to. The domination is further exemplified through the fact that the humans live on an alien planet where the Tlic help them survive and in return have their population thrive by using the humans as breeders. This supports Donawerth’s claim of reproductive exploitation especially since Gan accentuates on the fact that humans are chosen for the breeding role not asked. Also, Tlic are shown to have a sense of control over humans using the sterile eggs which act as a sedative with drug-like euphoric effects and has the ability to keep them young and healthy. Continuing, Donawerth’s claims the narrator is punished through the anticipation of a painful cesarean birth and is expected to like it just like many women are expected to comply with their oppression. She believes the narrator is treated like black female US slaves who were forced to carry the offspring of an alien race. These claims are easy to agree with. Gan Is being forced and manipulated by the Tlic to continue to breed their offspring. The Tlic Oppress the humans by making them believe they cannot survive without them and that they are an honor to have. It is clear this is untrue because on page one when Gan’s mother said this, he knew it was a lie and it is obvious through Qui’s distaste for the aliens and his need to have that constant euphoric high from the eggs that the species is not well liked. Gan Has been groomed to know his role and believes he likes it. It seems his role gave him a false sense of love for T’Gatoi and ignorance as to what his role actually requires of him. When he sees his future through Lomas, he is scared and shows his unpreparedness, yet on the same night gets pregnant. He was expected to be OK with the birth and it is clear the Tlic try to keep the male humans ignorant to what their future holds by keeping them away from the births or claiming a less painful experience for their N’Tlic. Gan is a victim of rape, incest, reproductive exploitation, and anticipation of a painful C-section. Jane Donawerth’s Claims are heavily supported by details within the short story, clearly highlighting the oppression of humans by the Tlic in both ways of life and reproductively.

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Hello Class and Professor Shaw,

‘Blood child’ by Octavia Butler, emphasize on the alliance form between aliens and humans to coexist and survive. After reading this story and seeing all different perspectives, I was convinced that the theme of this story had to be symbiosis and survival. Although, there were some strong indications that slavery do exist in this story. There were also indications that this story was about survival of the alien’s race. However, the writer left the reader to think twice about the theme of this story. While some people might argue that this story was about slavery, there was enough evidence to conclude that the main theme is symbiosis and survival.

Aliens were known as the Tlic which oversaw the existence of humans. According to butler, “they say women have more body fat to protect the grubs. But they usually take men to leave the women free to bear their own young. To provide the next generation of host animals” (Butler 1261). These aliens were strategic thinkers who had to survive by any means necessary. Clearly, Humans were their farm animal which they fed using sterile eggs to keep them younger and fatter. Furthermore, animals that they once used for host normally killed their eggs after implantation, which mean humans were their last hope of survival. These aliens would only allow humans to live because of their selfish benefits and desires. They would impregnate the males and left the females behind to multiply the family, so they will have more hosts to use for the next generation.

At the beginning of the story, the aliens were seen as the invaders, but after reading the last two pages, the writer explained that the human beings were actually the invaders. Butler states, “Because your people arrived, we are relearning what it means to be a healthy, thriving people. And your ancestors, fleeing from their home world, from their own kind who would have killed or enslaved them serve when they still tried to kill us as worms” (Butler 1263). The humans’ lives were at risk by their own kind, and they had to seek refuge on this alien’s planet. The Aliens helped them to survive but in return they started a fight between the Tlics and lost. The Tlics spared their lives and used them as disposal waste.

This story showed and explained the different coping mechanism of both races. On one hand, the human survived by helping the Tlics with the reproduction of the grubs. On the other hand, the Tlic survived by keeping humans alive to reproduce more Tlics. Even though, these aliens seemed like the villainess of the story, they help the humans at one point to survive. Nevertheless, the Tlics benefited more from the agreement between Tlics and the humans. Tlics were only ensuring the survival of their races, something any one can understand. However, humans happened to be collateral, at the wrong place, at the wrong time.

By- Hugh Ricahrds

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The interpretation I agree with the most is that Octavia Butler used gender reversal and her sci-fi setting to explore themes of female exploitation and the corruption of consent in her short story Bloodchild. Much like female bodies have been used in the past, the male Terrans are exploited for their ability to act as ‘hosts’ for offspring, with nary a thought given to their feelings on the matter. They have no real agency of their own, with only the illusion of choice and consent given to them. They are either they are manipulated into accepting their role in society without question, like Xuan Hoa—who blindly covets the role of a host without full knowledge of what it would entail—or like protagonist Gan, who is forced into it through threats that if he doesn’t, it’ll happen to his sister instead. “’No one ever asks us,’” Gan says to T’Gatoi, the Tlic who had been grooming him as a host since he was born. “’You never asked me” (1262). Both of these characters’ predicaments draw parallels to the issues that women have faced in the real world; whether they want to or not, women are expected to have children no matter what, never mind that pregnancy and birth is often extremely uncomfortable and often painful. Aside from societal pressure, some women aren’t given a choice in whether they conceive in any matter, often being sold into marriage, and expected to thereafter fulfil their ‘wifely duties’. The Terrans are put in a similar situation, being “parceled us out to the desperate and sold…to the rich and powerful for their political support”. As Gan admits, they were merely “necessities, status symbols” (Butler 1254), much like a trophy wife or mail-order bride would be.

Yet still the question remains: if Bloodchild was written in part to comment on traditionally female issues, why are all the classic gender roles reversed? After all, not only are the men the ones being impregnated, but the dominant gender of the Tlic are the females who hold all the societal and political power, with their own males only being used to inseminate the females. I believe this is twofold; firstly, the reversal helps to sell the sci-fi world better as alien and ‘strange’, but it also works to highlight these specific issues by placing it in a new and unique light. The plight of the Terrans draws readers’ attention and leaves them horrified at the conditions they are forced into and may leave an audience thinking how cruel and horrific the Tlic are for enslaving the Terrans in such a way. But the real kicker is that under the veneer of alien strangeness and an exaggerated setting, such situations are all too common for women around the world.

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Readers could take the implications of “Bloodchild” by Octavia Butler and apply a few different themes/interpretations. I believe that slavery makes the most sense based on events that take place in the story. While perhaps some of the vivid and graphic descriptions of some of the relationships and situations that take place in the text could lead to believing this story was about survival/symbiosis in some capacity, other key moments conflict with this idea. The humans and Terrans are dependent on one another, Terrans need  humans to reproduce, humans rely on the terran to survive in almost every way. This is made clear within the opening paragraphs of the text, however the first part that would suggest this story is more or less about slavery is when Butler writes, “I’m told I was first caged within T’Gatoi’s many limbs

only three minutes after my birth. A few days later, I was given my first taste of

egg. I tell Terrans that when they ask whether I was ever afraid of her. And I tell it

to Tlic when T’Gatoi suggests a young Terran child for them and they, anxious

and ignorant, demand an adolescent” (Butler 1255). After this quote, Gan continues to point out other skepticism from family members surrounding this decision. This quote is written in a way that implies there was little room for choice on the human side, and the decision itself feels predatory and forced. Another quote that suggests that the humans are “enslaved” so to speak also comes in the opening pages, “T’Gatoi was hounded on the outside. Her people wanted more of us made available. Only she and her political faction stood between us and the hordes

who did not understand why there was a Preserve—why any Terran could not be

courted, paid, drafted, in some way made available to them” (Butler 254). While Butler did come out and state that this text is not about slavery, I am not exactly sure how much I agree with that. I don’t necessarily disagree with the idea that the entire thing is about slavery, though much of what drives the story forwards I think ties into slavery in some way. I do see how the ideas of gender role reversal and survival/symbiosis are at play as well, which is what is leading to me to agreeing slightly that the whole story is not about slavery.

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After reading "Bloodchild" by Octavia Butler, I can see why there may be several different view points and interpretations may be seen. Personally, I interpreted the text was mainly about the metaphor for slavery. Understanding that Octavia is a African American women who was born during the civil rights era, I can piece together that she definitely experienced so discriminatory actions toward her. In the text the Tlic wanted Gan to be a political symbol for them. Butler stated, "she parceled us out to the desperate... Thus, we were necessities, status symbols, and independent people" (Butler 1254). The Terran were simply "allowed" to inhabit the Tlic land in return the Terran bear the Tlic grubs through implantation. So it is clearly noted that the Tlic hold a higher power and authority over the Terran. Whether Octavia was trying to use this as a metaphor towards slavery or towards the systemic racism that was happening when she was a child. The two species seem to have an understanding of what each other were and how to interact but everyone knew who was in "charge" at the time, whether spoken or not. What really stood out to me and how it compares to slavery is that the Terran are not "allowed to leave the Preserve". This clearly relates to slavery and not being able to live the plantation. The rules the Terran must follow are very very similar to slavery and how they must act/what they must do if they are going to be living on the Tlics land.(White)
There are points in the text that show maybe the Tlic were trying to enlighten the Terran by encasing them in their limbs and provide the Terran with eggs to make them feel comfortable. I believe that it may not be necessarily be about slavery in whole but I do however believe that it is about the overlooking hierarchy of whites that has been in the US since we were founded. By being the shadow over the Terrans I believe that the Tlic can almost be related to the government and/ or the people with power in this country.(Who almost all happen to be white)
So the idea of slavery is not far off either as the Terran are simply just allowed to live there and are given the bare minimum to survive and feel good about themselves. The other interpretations are definitely viable but with the concept of how the Tlic society is run I think that comparing it to slavery/discriminatory views is a fantastic way to look at this from the other side!

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After reading “Bloodchild” narrated by Octavia Spencer I saw a great resemblance of slavery. Throughout the writing from Octavia, it was expressed that there was an underlying issue that was triggered. This issue involved the Tilc’s and Terrans.

The Tilc T’Gatoi was desperate for political support and wanted Gan to be a status symbol. It was discussed that, “she parceled us out to the desperate and sold us to the rich and powerful for their political support. Thus, we were necessities, status symbols, and an independent people” (Butler 1254). The quote heavily resembled slavery. T’ Gatoi used Terrans to benefit for herself. She didn’t consider the well-being of the Terrans.

The Terrans often felt they were forced to do something that they didn’t want to participate in. In particular the scene of Gan’s mother was very eye opening. Gan’s mother did not want to drink the egg but felt forced to do so. She was left with no option. If she decided not to drink the egg she would be punished by being stung. It was noted, “T’Gatoi meant to cage my mother. Once she had, she moved her tail slightly, then spoke. “Not enough egg, lien. You should have taken it when It was passed to you. You need it badly now””(Butler 1254). Gan’s mother was forced and did not have options to deny these actions. She was hurt if she neglected the egg and felt caged.

When the Terrans were given ‘the egg” it essentially was larva that invaded the body. This larva was very harmful and could cause death in some cases. They were often manipulated by the Tilcs. They felt as if they had no option when it came to being implanted with the eggs. It felt as if it was being pushed on them and left Gan feeling enraged and horrified. In the final scene Gan tried to take his life. T’gatoi manipulated Gan into not taking his like. Gan said, ””I don’t want to be a host animal.” I said. “Not even yours”” (Butler 1263). She continues by telling Gan that his ancestors would have been enslaved or killed without the protection from the Tilcs’. She wanted to manipulate Gan into believing that they were protecting them. Meanwhile, they were getting used and mistreated all along from the Tilc’s.

The scenes throughout this text closely represent slavery. Gan was used and manipulated. He was treated poorly and was seen as an accessory to show off. The Tilc’s used him for a status symbol and we're only looking to benefit for themselves.

-Hailey Lassale

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Critics have different opinions about what Octavia Butler’s short story “bloodchild” is truly about. I believe that Butler’s was about slavery even though she said it was not about slavery. The evidence presented strongly suggests the topic of slavery through quotes coming from the characters.

Gan was discussing in the beginning of the story about the Terran’s saying that T’Gatoi had “parceled [them] out to the desperate and sold [them] to the rich and powerful for their political support. Thus, [they] were necessities, status symbols” (Butler 1254). This quote automatically made me think “slavery.” Gan was talking about being sold despite being a human which is a part of slavery. Furthermore, Gan talks abouts being a status symbol, slaves were status symbol in the antebellum south, being only an institution for rich white plantation owners.

Another piece of evidence that suggests this story is about slavery is when T’Gatoi cut open Lomas and the Terran doctor arrives. During a brief conversation someone says to Gan, “You’re not her. You’re just her property” (Butler 1260). This was a common idea slave holders had about their slaves. They did not see them as people but simply as property.

Lastly, I do not have exact proof of this final point as it is a feeling I had during reading and for me, furthered the idea of this story being about slavery. While all the literature that we have read recounts peoples experiences in slavery and illustrates a clear picture of the horrors I believe the feelings gets lost in translation over time. The language is over 150 years old and is not easily relatable as something written 20 years ago. Which is why I found “Bloodchild” to be the best representation of how slaves might have felt so far. Butler uses modern language and a common topic in contemporary literature, dystopian societies.

One instance that carried the horrors of slavery was when T’Gatoi cut open Lamas. It was quick, and senseless despite Lamas’ cries to not be cut. While this scene also shows the complete inhumanity of slavery it also illustrates that the topic of men carrying the children is not roll reversal in this case but rather another metaphor for slavery. Having the larvae eating the insides of the men is a macabre metaphor for the complete strip of dignity, emasculating and dehumanizing life slaves were forced to live. The larvae are forced into your body, they grow and eventually eat you from the inside out and once they are done, you are left to die, similar to the life of a slave.

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In the story “blood child” I could see all perspectives on how some might say that the theme might be gender role reversal or symbiosis and survival. The theme which I look to emphasize and elaborate on is symbiosis and survival. As humans or any living creature basic instinct and last resort goes to survival. In the passage we know that the Tlic were an endangered species who used humans to prolong their race, more so the men to bear their children. The narrator says, “they say women have more body fat to protect the grubs. But they usually take men to leave the women free to bear their own young. To provide the next generation of host animals” (Butler 1261). In this case the gender role is reversed because on earth we have had a naturalized culture of women giving birth and nurturing the children. However, with the tlics running things they saw the need for the men to be better suited to bear the children because the women served a greater purpose. Further evidence is proved that men were the ones giving birth because in the end of the story Gan came to realize that he is the man has been nurtured for the purpose of carrying Tlic children. He was shaken when he was told “I mean you're about the right age for implantation” (Butler 1262). In that moment although he had his doubts he also came to the realization. Although in the beginning humans were treated like animals, through longevity they came to live amongst each other through arrangements and everyone in the preserve knowing that they each must serve their purpose to ensure survival.

One thing that should be understood in the story is that even though in our eyes, the tlic seemed to fit the definition of what we call aliens, but we humans could have been the aliens because the story never said we were on earth. How did the aliens get to be in the same place with us. The story does say however that before our ancestors arrived, the animals which were there previously did not do a good job at ensuring their survival, so the humans could have come to the tlic’s planet and become their property. Humans may have also been trying to ensure their survival with the other organisms by making children with the Tlics because T’Gatoi says that “you use us. We wait long years for you and teach you and join our families to yours” (Butler 1263). Therefore, we can come to an agreement that both humans and Tlics were trying to ensure their survival, but the Tlics had the upper hand because of their genetic makeup to overpower the humans. The protecting of humans from themselves and feeding them eggs not only ensured Tlic’s own survival but also healed the humans.

-written by Dudley Stanislas

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After reading “Bloodchild” by Octavia Spencer, I felt that gender role reversal was a strong theme throughout this graphic, yet emotional science fiction short story. Because Butler denies any connotations to slavery in the story, it seems easier to find all the feminist implications to gender role reversal such as critic Jane Donawerth states regarding “rape, incest, reproductive exploitation by the dominant race”. The reader is constantly reminded throughout the story that young Gan, the Terran (human boy) narrator is being “groomed” by the family’s female T’lic master. We discover at the end that this grooming is part of the process to carry the T’lic’s larvae.

Disguising some of the most horrific forms of oppression and how the human brain copes with them in a science fiction story ironically demonstrates how easy victims can be manipulated, especially when family and survival are involved.  By having young Gan believe that he is more than just a human “host” to his master, Butler shows how the grooming has worked when Gan argues that he would be more than a “host animal” but at the same time internally questioning this belief- “It’s more than that!” I countered. Was it? His brother answers back, “If it were to happen to me, I’d want to believe it was more, too.” Gan replies, “It is more (Butler 1261)!” Sounds like Stockholm syndrome to me!

Gan’s uncontrollable rage released on his older brother when he asks him if he has been “implanted” yet reads like a sign of sexual abuse. Gan’s confusion regarding what he knows will happen to him, comes across as anger and instead of confiding in his older brother, who will be safe from implantation, he strikes out against him. Gan is slowly starting to realize that what is happening to him is not consensual, he boldly asserts to her- “No one ever asks us” …” You never asked me” (1262).

The theme of grooming is explored once again with manipulation at the finale of the story. Gan threatens to take his own life in front of his master, but she smoothly talks him out of it by reminding him that her children’s lives depend on him being alive. By trying to install a false sense of family love she has manipulated him to consent to be implanted with her larvae and be a host. Even though he has witnessed the horror of bearing these aliens he agrees to do it, mostly to keep his family safe.
-Jessica Stoetzle

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The “Bloodchild” is a scientific fiction story where there are humans are captured by the aliens the T’lic in their world. The humans are called the Terran that were possibly named by the T’lic. The reading that is believable is the Symbiosis and Survival. The T’lic or T’Gatoi the alien, had sold the mother’s son for eggs and that’s why she didn’t want to eat. Being on the alien world has created trauma and suffering for even others on the world. T’Gatoi had gave the Terran sterile eggs to eat, rather than vegetables, meat or other foods. “Back when the Tlic saw us as much more than convenient big warm -blooded animals, they would pen several of us together, male and female, and feed us only eggs (Butler 1256). This has described the humans are not fully taken out; but used the Terrans for something more. The first mention of the condition of the sterile egg. “It didn’t matter. There was still enough to leave everyone feeling good” (Butler 1253). This was one of the ways for the Terran to survive. The T’lic had to also survive by using the humans. The few ways that they use the Terrain to survive is putting worms or the grubs that are the offspring of the aliens. This is important because The T’lic can’t not reproduce like humans can. The only way to use human host as they can reproduce more humans to create more the aliens. So, their method is to lay their offspring in the humans just like Bram Lomas where he was broken out of the cage. This process was something out of this world and the grubs would the egg cases for foods and to stay alive in the process. In the process, T’Gatoi in the book has said “She would say something like that. She kenw how to manipulate people, Terran and Tlic (Butler 1263). This has showed in the many years, she has found a way to get what she wants. No matter what the Terran tries to do, to not say that she didn’t do that. Qua and his family had to change without their identity being reveled is if the aliens caught then they would put offspring inside them. There is always fear to not die and to not continue the human race. The aliens had plenty of humans to go along, so they were expandable. Throughout the story, Gan had to love the T’Gatoi since it grew up with the mother and tried to save his father. There was respect among the T’Gatoi where it did the best to save people by the worms and fed the family at points in time. So he had no where to go and to escape and forced to accept what is happening.

-Christian Estefani

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Octavia Butler's science fiction short story “Bloodchild” has been interpreted by critics in various ways. Some of the most popular readings are described below. Which one of these readings do you find most believable, and why? Point to specific textual evidence that supports your choice. Answer in 400 words for full credit.

Metaphor for slavery: The Terrans are confined to a designated tract of land. Each household has a T’lic “master” who is clearly the head of the family and in absolute control. Humans are being manipulated into complacency so that the T’lic may ensure their own successful reproduction, just as slave masters often took advantage of female slaves. *Note: Butler herself stated in an interview that the story is not about slavery, but that doesn’t mean this reading is “wrong.” Just something to keep in mind!

Gender role reversal: Critic Jane Donawerth observes that "[i]n this short story...the conventional adolescent male narrator/hero is punished by rape, incest, reproductive exploitation by the dominant race, and anticipation of a painful caesarean birth—and he is expected to like it, as women in many cultures have been expected to comply with their oppression." Specifically, the narrator takes on the role of black female slaves in the United States, who were "forced to carry the offspring of an alien race."

Symbiosis and Survival: In “Bloodchild,” the most important thing for the humans is survival, and the humans join in a symbiotic relationship with the T’lic because it is the only way for them to survive, though not unchanged. The ability to change without compromising identity is the central issue for the humans of “Bloodchild.” Gan learns to love T’Gatoi in spite of the strange evolution human existence has undergone.