SCIFI CLASS 10: Octavia Butler's "Bloodchild" (1995)

Last week we discussed "The Glass Bottle Trick" by Nalo Hopkinson. Some themes we pulled from the text included: the physical body, the metaphysical body, the projected/perceived body, gender issues, race issues, the physics of pressure and volume, and the roles of superstition and magic in interpersonal situations.

Staying with these themes, we will discuss "Bloodchild" by Octavia Butler (1995) for next week's class (Friday at 6pm at Sycamore). This novelette won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards. It has received acclaim from a widespread audience ranging from literary critics, scifi fans, feminists, and writers.

"The things that make “Bloodchild,” not to mention her [Octavia Butler's] other works, important are the unique views, situations, and experiences it creates for the reader. This novelette challenges every reader to reconsider some of the most basic assumptions about human life, from gender, race, and species identity to the value of freedom and the meaning of life. It is this ability to make readers reconsider everything that makes Butler and “Bloodchild” significant." -- M Brauer
 

This quote may guide you in critical reading. I would recommend reading this story slowly, give yourself time let it sink in, think it over, and analyze what you think Butler is trying to communicate. Maybe her message isn't obvious or clear but it's well worth the extra time and attention.

Octavia E. Butler