Kevin absolutely struggled with understanding the brutality of slavery even as Dana was explaining to him what she went through working in the field and watching enslaved folks being sold. It really bothered me when Dana was expressing her experience watching Tess being led off in the coffle and Kevin made a statement about Dana being strong enough to survive. It instantly reminded me of the “strong black woman” trope and instead of seeing, hearing, and feeling her in that moment, he was romanticizing her “strength”. Dana was making it clear that survival was a thin line that she and others had to walk and he failed to understand her and that point. Furthermore, Kevin’s perceived “innocence” and naivety was on full display when he came back after 5 years and was throwing a full blown tantrum. Very frustrating watching Dana have to hold space for him while she is literally nursing her own physical and emotional wounds.
Education and Survival:
Butler made it clear throughout the book that education and survival were not always synonymous and were oftentimes at odds. The earliest example of this that I can remember is the resentment Tom and the overseer had for Dana due to her “educated” speech. Yes it helped her save Alice and Rufus but it was not a tool she could really use for her own survival. As a modern society, we’ve been ingrained to believe that education is the pinnacle of human wisdom, and that view enabled Dana and Kevin to believe they were different (and better) than those living through the antebellum south.
The Dulling Effects of Slavery:
The mental and emotional gymnastics were real! Butler drove home how the plantation lulls you into a sense of normalcy through Dana’s experience and her sense of feeling at “home” in a place that mentally, emotionally, and physically brutalizes her. Butler portrayed the plantation as a community that tied the well being of the enslaved to the enslaver and the weight of the cognitive dissonance was heavy enough to break the psyche of both. Dehumanization became the status quo and obedience was rewarded with a glimpse of being treated humanely. I found myself hating but also feeling normalcy and desensitized to daily plantation life which surprised and disturbed me as a reader.
Possessive Intimacy:
Despite Sarah referring to her former master as “my man” she was still sold to the Weylin plantation. The power black women had over white men was limited, at best, and was an act of survival that earned them the distrust and ire of other black folks. Alice barely had a choice as she had to choose between coerced intimacy with Rufus or face his wrath and or possessive anger. What bothered me was watching Rufus claim “helplessness” to his own lust for Alice and force her, and even Dana, to bear the consequences of his unmitigated desire. I cannot fault the fondness for the white enslaver as children were often involved. The forced intimacy prevented black women from being intimate with anyone else due to the white possessiveness of their bodies. Overall, this felt like another way for white men and women to “consume” the bodies of black people.
Alice as Dana's Double:
The loss of Alice really exacerbated Dana as a stand in for Alice as Rufus doubled down on his possessive desire for Dana. I feel this was his (and white enslavers) addiction to the labor of black folks but especially black women. The tension was felt by both women and how they had to relate to one another because of their forced connection to Rufus. Their agency and survival were often at odds with one another which forced them to fit a monolithic black identity in relation to Rufus’ needs. Honestly, Dana had more agency than Alice however towards the end of the book Dana began to realize the cost and had to compromise it for survival.
Plantation as a Central Character:
For good or for bad, the plantation was a community. So much of black identity was tied to who was sold, bought, who did which jobs, and or who had what perceived privileges. Also the distinctions between their plantation and plantations deeper south highlighted the regional differences in how they were maintained and the treatment of enslaved black people. I also hate to draw the connection to our modern day jobs but we also answer the question “What do you do for a living” as if it's part of our own identity.
Slavery as a Production System:
When Dana became aware of the debts left behind by Tom it opened her and the readers eyes to the larger context of how the Weylin plantation fit into a larger system. Dana, and Rufus on some level, had familial and communal ties to most everyone on the plantation, however none of that matters if the plantation cannot produce what is required by the larger system of capitalism. The capital was/is the bodies and labor of black folks and the capital must be returned to the system if production is not met.
Intimacy and Power Dynamics:
Even though the intimacy was forced, I feel that Butler wanted to convey the emotional impact of the relationships from the perspective of black women from that time. We may feel that we would have different emotional responses than them but the unequal power dynamic and the need to survive complicates having a simple hate. Again, the cognitive dissonance was real and humans bond when we repeatedly are intimate with one another.
Home and Homelessness:
Black folks in America have never had full access to the “American value” of a nuclear family. We've had to rely on grandmother's, aunties, cousins, and or god parents for survival and a sense of home. I feel this applies to Dana as she was invested in the birth of Hagar and the lives of Sarah, Alice, Nigel, Tess, etc… They became a sense of family for her despite not being related with the exception of Alice. This, for me, highlights how the Black and African Diaspora has had to find a sense of home and community despite being from different tribes, languages/dialects, and different parts of a continent. Black folks have had to constantly reinvent and remake their sense of home from the literal ashes of American history, and I believe Butler was bringing that to the awareness of the reader through Dana’s perspective of home.
Cracking the Facade of White Racial Innocence: Kevin is not completely innocent. No white person is. Even though Kevin did not have slaves and even helped to free slaves, he is still not completely innocent. He likely tried to free slaves as a result of guilt. Even though he got to see some of slavery with his own eyes, he still doesn’t know the experience of actually being a slave. He will never fully understand the brutality of slavery. His whiteness protects him from the full understanding of slavery.
Education and Survival: there are different types of intelligence. What we learn in school and in books is different than what we learn from experience. Someone who may not be book smart may be street smart due to their circumstances. I think it takes a variety of knowledge in order to overcome oppression.
I tried to be comfortable with Dana's comfort on the plantation. I could never settle into this with her. As a culture we sometimes have not had a choice but to make a home out of less than desirable circumstances. Till the end I feel like I felt more hatred towards Rufus than she did. I am still trying to process this, and I hope the open discussion on Wednesday can help me gain more clarity. I wonder if the state of the country right now is having some determination on how I am processing this book. If home is where I feel safe and loved, then was this ever home to begin with? These are just my initial thoughts.
The TikTok live was phenomenal. The definition of community. I'm still talking about it with my husband. Thank you!
You lead a great discussion — so stoked for the rest of the semester.
Cracking the Facade of White Racial Innocence:
Kevin absolutely struggled with understanding the brutality of slavery even as Dana was explaining to him what she went through working in the field and watching enslaved folks being sold. It really bothered me when Dana was expressing her experience watching Tess being led off in the coffle and Kevin made a statement about Dana being strong enough to survive. It instantly reminded me of the “strong black woman” trope and instead of seeing, hearing, and feeling her in that moment, he was romanticizing her “strength”. Dana was making it clear that survival was a thin line that she and others had to walk and he failed to understand her and that point. Furthermore, Kevin’s perceived “innocence” and naivety was on full display when he came back after 5 years and was throwing a full blown tantrum. Very frustrating watching Dana have to hold space for him while she is literally nursing her own physical and emotional wounds.
Education and Survival:
Butler made it clear throughout the book that education and survival were not always synonymous and were oftentimes at odds. The earliest example of this that I can remember is the resentment Tom and the overseer had for Dana due to her “educated” speech. Yes it helped her save Alice and Rufus but it was not a tool she could really use for her own survival. As a modern society, we’ve been ingrained to believe that education is the pinnacle of human wisdom, and that view enabled Dana and Kevin to believe they were different (and better) than those living through the antebellum south.
The Dulling Effects of Slavery:
The mental and emotional gymnastics were real! Butler drove home how the plantation lulls you into a sense of normalcy through Dana’s experience and her sense of feeling at “home” in a place that mentally, emotionally, and physically brutalizes her. Butler portrayed the plantation as a community that tied the well being of the enslaved to the enslaver and the weight of the cognitive dissonance was heavy enough to break the psyche of both. Dehumanization became the status quo and obedience was rewarded with a glimpse of being treated humanely. I found myself hating but also feeling normalcy and desensitized to daily plantation life which surprised and disturbed me as a reader.
Possessive Intimacy:
Despite Sarah referring to her former master as “my man” she was still sold to the Weylin plantation. The power black women had over white men was limited, at best, and was an act of survival that earned them the distrust and ire of other black folks. Alice barely had a choice as she had to choose between coerced intimacy with Rufus or face his wrath and or possessive anger. What bothered me was watching Rufus claim “helplessness” to his own lust for Alice and force her, and even Dana, to bear the consequences of his unmitigated desire. I cannot fault the fondness for the white enslaver as children were often involved. The forced intimacy prevented black women from being intimate with anyone else due to the white possessiveness of their bodies. Overall, this felt like another way for white men and women to “consume” the bodies of black people.
Alice as Dana's Double:
The loss of Alice really exacerbated Dana as a stand in for Alice as Rufus doubled down on his possessive desire for Dana. I feel this was his (and white enslavers) addiction to the labor of black folks but especially black women. The tension was felt by both women and how they had to relate to one another because of their forced connection to Rufus. Their agency and survival were often at odds with one another which forced them to fit a monolithic black identity in relation to Rufus’ needs. Honestly, Dana had more agency than Alice however towards the end of the book Dana began to realize the cost and had to compromise it for survival.
Plantation as a Central Character:
For good or for bad, the plantation was a community. So much of black identity was tied to who was sold, bought, who did which jobs, and or who had what perceived privileges. Also the distinctions between their plantation and plantations deeper south highlighted the regional differences in how they were maintained and the treatment of enslaved black people. I also hate to draw the connection to our modern day jobs but we also answer the question “What do you do for a living” as if it's part of our own identity.
Slavery as a Production System:
When Dana became aware of the debts left behind by Tom it opened her and the readers eyes to the larger context of how the Weylin plantation fit into a larger system. Dana, and Rufus on some level, had familial and communal ties to most everyone on the plantation, however none of that matters if the plantation cannot produce what is required by the larger system of capitalism. The capital was/is the bodies and labor of black folks and the capital must be returned to the system if production is not met.
Intimacy and Power Dynamics:
Even though the intimacy was forced, I feel that Butler wanted to convey the emotional impact of the relationships from the perspective of black women from that time. We may feel that we would have different emotional responses than them but the unequal power dynamic and the need to survive complicates having a simple hate. Again, the cognitive dissonance was real and humans bond when we repeatedly are intimate with one another.
Home and Homelessness:
Black folks in America have never had full access to the “American value” of a nuclear family. We've had to rely on grandmother's, aunties, cousins, and or god parents for survival and a sense of home. I feel this applies to Dana as she was invested in the birth of Hagar and the lives of Sarah, Alice, Nigel, Tess, etc… They became a sense of family for her despite not being related with the exception of Alice. This, for me, highlights how the Black and African Diaspora has had to find a sense of home and community despite being from different tribes, languages/dialects, and different parts of a continent. Black folks have had to constantly reinvent and remake their sense of home from the literal ashes of American history, and I believe Butler was bringing that to the awareness of the reader through Dana’s perspective of home.
I was sneaking a listen while wrapping up the work day and the discussion was so engaging! Thank you!
Thank you! The live tonight was amazing!
What was the significance of Dana losing her arm other than it was where Rufus last grabbed her?
I’ve been waiting for the discussion to be posted to YouTube! Do we have any timeline for that?
Cracking the Facade of White Racial Innocence: Kevin is not completely innocent. No white person is. Even though Kevin did not have slaves and even helped to free slaves, he is still not completely innocent. He likely tried to free slaves as a result of guilt. Even though he got to see some of slavery with his own eyes, he still doesn’t know the experience of actually being a slave. He will never fully understand the brutality of slavery. His whiteness protects him from the full understanding of slavery.
Education and Survival: there are different types of intelligence. What we learn in school and in books is different than what we learn from experience. Someone who may not be book smart may be street smart due to their circumstances. I think it takes a variety of knowledge in order to overcome oppression.
I tried to be comfortable with Dana's comfort on the plantation. I could never settle into this with her. As a culture we sometimes have not had a choice but to make a home out of less than desirable circumstances. Till the end I feel like I felt more hatred towards Rufus than she did. I am still trying to process this, and I hope the open discussion on Wednesday can help me gain more clarity. I wonder if the state of the country right now is having some determination on how I am processing this book. If home is where I feel safe and loved, then was this ever home to begin with? These are just my initial thoughts.
Great live!
Hello Dr. Bri