Kindred by Octavia Butler Octavia Butler's novel Kindred is classified as science fiction due to the existence of time travel. However, the novel is not focused on the patterns of this type of journey. Instead, the novel deals with the relationships forged between a 20th-century Los Angeles woman and 19th-century slaves. Therefore, the time travel mechanism allows the author a kind of freedom in writing this "slavery narrative" away from its counterparts. Butler is able to judge slavery from the perspective of a truly "free" black woman, as opposed to that of a slave describing memories. On a more superficial level, the fact that the novel has been considered "science fiction" opens it up to a wider audience. It's safe to say that most people cannot relate to the problems and scars of the antebellum South, in fact the only living people who can purely relate are the descendants of slaves. And, even then, it is only at a secondary level, carried forward by stories passed down from generation to generation. The novel is seen through the eyes of a woman from the "modern" historical period and focuses on her opposition. This gives the “fish out of water” quality of life. For this, most of us can sympathize. Most found themselves in a situation where things around were unfamiliar, thus forcing an adjustment in behavior. The adaptation made by the main character Dana, however, is very extreme. Clearly time spent in the past has made Dana much tougher than she had been, she says: "If I had my knife, I would have definitely killed someone. As it is, I managed to leave scratches and bruises on Rufus, her father . , and Edwards who was called to help." (Butler, 176) As for how it works in the actual story of the novel, first, and most importantly, it places a strong, independent, black, 20th century black woman in the antebellum South. This provides a stark contrast in living conditions, as well as psychological models, to those of the 19th century. Dana sees and conveys the world of slavery around her with the backdrop of the 20th century, “our world.” This allows the reader to find a real connection with the protagonist, Dana. Dana describes in gory detail the lashes she received: He beat me until I was swinging back and forth by my wrists, half mad with pain, unable to find my foot... in the center of the paper... can't classify the temp agency as a “slave market.” (52)This in turn sheds light on the conclusion that the "scars of slavery" have not disappeared, shown symbolically through Dana. At the novel's conclusion, Dana's arm is stuck in the past, held by Rufus. Rufus becomes the representation of the "long arm of slavery". This comes despite the fact that slavery has long been abolished. Since Dana's scars do not heal when she returns to 1976, the scars of slavery are still present. The consequences of slavery are still prevalent in our society today, with the ongoing fight for civil rights and affirmative action. It seems that, just like Dana, we cannot escape the consequences of slavery without making a huge sacrifice. Ultimately, time travel allows Octavia Butler to convey her views on slavery and its brutality. However, his main point is that despite the progress made over the last century, bigotry is still a serious problem in our society. And, in order for any major progress to be made, each side will suffer losses, as Rufus' life was taken away along with Dana's arm., 1988.