Kevin's Transformation

Throughout Kindred, we see how Kevin's ideas transform as he struggles between the early 18th and late 20th centuries. Even in the 20th century, we see how Kevin innocently still held some watered down ideas of white supremacy and power over Dana. We can see this in the way he rudely asked Dana to type his writing on the typewriter and how he assumes Dana will unpack the boxes when they move to their new house. We also see this play out from the beginning of their relationship, though in a good way, as Kevin buys Dana lunch and generally supports the marriage. None of these cases are life threatening or outrageously terrible, but the relationship has a trace of male white supremacy and female black subordination.
However, Kevin starts to resemble the white man of the antebellum South as he is pulled back in time with Dana. For one, there is a lot of danger in the role he plays acting with Dana as her slave master. He adjusts to his role pretty fast, and even seems like a harsh master to Tom Weylin. He also waters down the oppression of the slaves as he talks to Dana, saying that it isn't as bad as he thought it would be, and that the slave trade games the kids were playing weren't that big of a deal. It seems that Kevin is racist, yet unconsciously as he doesn't realize exactly what he is saying and doing worries Dana and endangers his own beliefs.
But this doesn't mean Kevin supports the institution of slavery. We see that when he is left for five years, he helps slaves escape, participates in the abolitionist movement, sees and acknowledges the oppression of slavery, and all the while stays true to Dana. However, I felt that Kevin didn't exactly change for the better. He did help out as much as he could, but his ideas didn't really change. We can see this in the way he tells Dana that he would "forgive" her if she had gotten raped by Rufus. Forgive her for what? Being oppressed? We also see that Kevin is able to shake himself free, for the most part, from the antebellum South, as he tells Dana she needs to stop worrying so much and should get back out there. He doesn't understand just how much she is affected as the slave. He doesn't care for her and nurture her as much as she needs to be, after going through so much and losing an arm.
What do you guys think?

Comments

  1. UnknownApril 22, 2018 at 7:05 PM

    Good post. I think Kevin is a very interesting character of Kindred, and I think he is reflective of the power dynamic that has been prevalent since the slave era. As you mentioned in the present period Kevin still treats Dana as his inferior telling her to do secretarial work and stuff. Obviously it is not as extreme as how black women were treated as slaves, but it is reflective that they are still put down.

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  2. UnknownApril 23, 2018 at 8:21 AM

    You make a good point that in his own way, he oppresses Dana in the 1970s. But I think we should give Kevin more credit as he was able to stay true to his anti-slavery views and even fight against the institution by helping slaves escape. In regards to how he treats Dana, I just don't think there has been enough conversation between the two of them because it's impossible for Kevin to know what Dana went through as they had two completely different experiences in the South.

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  3. UnknownMay 8, 2018 at 7:24 AM

    It seems like Kevin does all the abolitionist things because that's what a modern person should do if sent to that time. He has a general idea that "slavery bad", but not an understanding of exactly why or true empathy with the slaves. It's like one might volunteer for a food bank, but then at night go home to a full fridge, satisfied that they've "helped".

    -Reed

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