Dana's Arm
Octavia E. Butler's Kindred begins with Dana admitting that she had "lost [her] arm on [her] last trip home. [Her] left arm" (9). Interestingly, the book employs a sort of in media res tactic, immersing the reader in the physical cost of Dana's time travel. In fact, the novel essentially begins and ends with the arm; it's clear that Butler regards it as an important symbol for Kindred's message. On the surface level, Butler asserts at the very beginning of the novel that Kindred isn't a sci-fi adventure story. Instead, it's closer to a horror trope, a story where the journey permanently takes a part of Dana away with her. In a way, Butler directly contrasts it to the classic Hero's Journey, where the protagonist returns with newfound wisdom. The book must be taken seriously, as there's no "reset" button to pretend that the loss of her arm never happened—just like slavery. During the actual moment of the loss, just after she stab...