Sci-fi and Fantasy Elements in Octavia Butler's Kindred (Essay Sample)

Name Tutor Course Date Sci-fi and Fantasy Elements in Octavia Butler’s Kindred Publishers and literature scholars have had a difficult time ascertaining the genre of Octavia Butler’s Kindred. In essence, this novel has both science fiction and fantasy elements, which contribute to its uncertainty in classification. Regardless, Butler balances these elements in her book to discuss similar issues raised by other African American writers. In a way, it provides insight into crucial issues considered by other authors such as power, slavery, and racism, which affect contemporary societies. Time travel is an important scientific concept employed by Butler in her novel. Primarily, the author uses this concept to explore the variations between modern times and traditional times. Moreover, she uses this element to highlight the different perceptions of the society in the two periods. For instance, Dana feels much comfortable at the Weylin plantation during the 1800s compared to her present home in the 1970s. Butler uses the forward and backward travels of time to illustrate that with time, people develop different perspectives, which lead to the acceptance of actions that were initially strange. An example is how quickly Dana embraces slavery in the modern-day era. Moreover, Butler uses fantasy to explore the origin of a society that is ruled by a superhuman ra...