"She had lost all she could stand to lose..."
Octavia Estelle Butler: June 22, 1947 - February 24, 2006
This entry is dedicated to a very gifted, ground-breaking African-American science-fiction author. I was introduced to her work through my African-American literature class in grad school. We were given the assignment to read the book Kindred by Ms. Butler. This book is not for everyone, I will agree that it is unusual. But I find it to be brilliant.
That particular work of hers is sci fi/fantasy in that it deals with time travel. The premise of the book is a young black woman in 1976 (who is married to a white man) is pulled back in time to save the son of a plantation owner who will go on to father one of her ancestors. The book poses the question: See how easily a slave is made? It presents the struggles and pain of slaves in ways I have never encountered (not even in a Toni Morrison novel, which is saying a LOT). In essence, this young independent, educated, open-minded woman finds herself starting to slip into the role of a slave. It goes on to show the challenges this encounter later gives her in terms of how she views her world and her relationships. It offers a refreshing insight into the lives and the mindsets of not only the past but also the present.
That said, I'm hoping that her passing will cause some who would otherwise never have read her to find interest in her works. She is a pioneer and I am grateful that I had the opportunity to study her in class.