Surprise Ending
To continue with the idea of surprises in stories, I'm going to focus on Kindred by Octavia Butler. Now, for anyone who hasn't read the book, I will be revealing much about the story (including the ending). This is fair warning to you all, if you don't want the end ruined, click away from this entry. Thank-you.
Kindred is this story of an African American woman, Dana, living in 1976 California with her Caucasian husband. While moving into their new apartment, Dana suddenly finds herself whisked back through time to the Antebellum South and in the presence of her ancestors. She unwillingly travels back in time on 6 separate occasions. During her time on her ancestors plantation, Dana learns firsthand what it was like to be a slave all the while trying to keep her ancestor - Rufus - alive long enough for Hagar (the direct descendant) to be born. Her job is not easy because Rufus tends to get himself into a lot of trouble. Every time his life's in danger, she gets called back from her world and into his, thus she saves him and then must be a slave on his family's plantation.
At the end of the novel, we find out what happens to Dana's arm (which was amputated in the start of the book). Her arm somehow melds into the wall after she kills Rufus when he tries to take advantage of her. I still don't understand how or why she melds with her apartment. Maybe it's her body's way of keeping Dana in the present or maybe it's time's doing. I don't know, but I don't like the ending. I definitely wasn't expecting it. The end was a surprise. But, I didn't like it at all! It was too gruesome and obscure. I actually loved the book until that point. My feelings towards it have cooled a bit.
Well, that's all for now. Until next time!
Kindred is this story of an African American woman, Dana, living in 1976 California with her Caucasian husband. While moving into their new apartment, Dana suddenly finds herself whisked back through time to the Antebellum South and in the presence of her ancestors. She unwillingly travels back in time on 6 separate occasions. During her time on her ancestors plantation, Dana learns firsthand what it was like to be a slave all the while trying to keep her ancestor - Rufus - alive long enough for Hagar (the direct descendant) to be born. Her job is not easy because Rufus tends to get himself into a lot of trouble. Every time his life's in danger, she gets called back from her world and into his, thus she saves him and then must be a slave on his family's plantation.
At the end of the novel, we find out what happens to Dana's arm (which was amputated in the start of the book). Her arm somehow melds into the wall after she kills Rufus when he tries to take advantage of her. I still don't understand how or why she melds with her apartment. Maybe it's her body's way of keeping Dana in the present or maybe it's time's doing. I don't know, but I don't like the ending. I definitely wasn't expecting it. The end was a surprise. But, I didn't like it at all! It was too gruesome and obscure. I actually loved the book until that point. My feelings towards it have cooled a bit.
Well, that's all for now. Until next time!
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