Kindred Study Guide and Vocabulary

Name ______Grade /

Answer the following questions in complete sentences. When a question asks you to describe something, you need to write more than one or two sentences to receive the full points. Be detailed!

Prologue

  1. What happens to Dana’s arm?
  2. Why can’t Dana see Kevin?
  3. What story does Kevin tell police about Dana’s arm?
  4. What do you think really happened to Dana’s arm?

“The River”

  1. What is the present date and setting?
  2. Where does Dana go when she becomes dizzy?
  3. Who is Rufus?
  4. Describe what Dana sees AND does during the trip.
  1. Estimate the time period.
  2. Describe setting of trip.
  1. Explain three signs that Dana is not in present day:

1.

2.

3.

12. Explain two signs to prove that Dana has traveled to the past: 1. 2.

13. What could the river symbolize?

“The Fire” 14. Give three details about Dana’s second trip back to Rufus:

1.

2.

3.

15. How is Dana connected to Rufus?

16. What is Rufus doing with a stick?

17. How much time elapses in present day since Dana’s first trip?

18. What did Rufus see as he was drowning?

19. How does Rufus describe Dana’s appearance?

20. Why did Rufus’ dad almost kill Dana during her first trip?

21. Name two facts that Dana points out about her time travel.

1.2.

22. Why does Rufus set the fire?

23. Name the city and year Dana travels to.

24. Describe Alice, and how is she connected to the Weylin family?

25. Describe Tom Weylin.

26. Describe what happens between the patrolmen, Dana, Alice, and Alice’s mother.

27. How can Dana travel back home to present day?

28. What could the fire symbolize?

“The Fall”

  1. Give and explain an example of irony found on page 52.
  1. Describe Kevin.
  1. How did Dana and Kevin meet?
  1. How will Kevin and Dana pose in the past?
  1. Give examples of what it is like for a slave on the Weylin plantation in regard to the following list:
  2. Food:
  3. Housing:
  4. Family:
  5. Education:
  1. Who is Sarah, and what happened to her family?
  1. What happened to Alice’s father?
  1. Why does Tom punish the slave?
  1. What is ironic about Margaret telling Dana that the Weylin house is a “Christian household”?
  1. Give one example of how Kevin is changing or accommodating to the past.
  1. What game are the slaves’ children playing?
  1. Why does Tom whip Dana?
  1. What could the fall symbolize?

“The Fight”

  1. How is Kevin acting more like Dana’s master than Dana’s husband?
  1. Explain how Kevin and Dana’s family act when they find out about the marriage.
  1. What does Dana put in her bag?
  1. What is the purpose and significance of each item?
  1. What mess does Rufus get himself into when Dana arrives back in time? BE DETAILED!
  1. Why does Dana have to keep saving Rufus?
  1. Why does Dana refer to the Weylin’s house as home?
  1. What should the Weylin’s house symbolize for Dana?
  1. Where is Kevin?
  1. Why did Rufus’ mom leave?
  1. Is Tom a monster or just the product of the time period? EXPLAIN!!!!
  1. Who is Jack Edwards , and what is his role on the plantation?
  1. Why can’t Rufus read the history book that Dana has brought in her bag?
  1. Give an example of how Rufus is blackmailing Dana.
  1. What happens to Isaac?
  1. What happens to Alice?
  1. Explain why Alice’s presence at the house may be bad for Dana? How could it be good?
  1. What does Rufus think love means?
  1. Explain how Dana has it good in the house.
  1. Explain how Dana has it bad in the house.
  1. Why does it take so long for Kevin to return?
  1. Why did Dana run away?
  1. How was she caught?
  1. What is Liza’s motive for turning Dana in to Tom?
  1. How does Kevin finally know that Dana is back?
  1. Explain the relationship between Dana and Rufus? Alice and Rufus?
  1. How has Kevin changed?
  2. How doe Rufus get Kevin to stay?
  1. Why is Rufus scared to let Dana go?

“The Storm”

  1. Give two examples of how the five years stuck in time has changed Kevin in the present time?
  1. How has Dana changed?
  1. Explain two things that Kevin did in the past five years while stuck in time.
  1. What mess does Rufus need Dana to save him from when she returns?
  1. The slaves on the plantation tell Dana that, “at least you enjoy freedom.” Explain how this statement is true, and how is it false.
  1. What is new with Alice since Dana’s last visit?
  1. What happens to Tom?
  1. Why does Rufus blame Dana for Tom’s death?
  1. Who is Evan Fowler, and what is his role on the plantation?
  1. Explain what it is like to work in the fields as a slave.
  1. Why is Dana sent to the field to work?
  1. How has Margaret changed?
  2. What is a coffle?
  1. Why does Rufus have Dana writing letters?
  1. How are Rufus and Kevin alike?
  1. Explain how Alice and Dana are one woman for Rufus?
  1. What is the importance of Hager’s birth?
  1. Give an example of how Rufus acts like a father to Joe.
  1. Why is Alice always mean to Dana, AND why does Dana allow it?
  1. What unspoken agreement does Rufus break to Dana?
  1. Why does Dana cut her wrists?
  1. What could the storm symbolize?

“The Rope”

  1. What does Kevin imply that he wants Dana to do to Rufus?
  1. Explain why you think she has or does not have the strength to do it.
  1. What happens to Alice?
  1. Why did Rufus sell his babies?
  2. In reality, why does Rufus pretend to sell his children?
  1. What does Rufus do for his two children?
  1. Explain why Rufus is better than his father.
  1. Explain why Rufus is worse than his father.
  1. How does Rufus attack Dana?
  1. How does Dana defend herself?
  1. What really happened to Dana’s arm?
  1. What is symbolic about Dana losing her arm?
  1. Why do Kevin and Dana go to Maryland in present day?
  1. How does the town change from the 1800s to present day when Kevin and Dana go back to visit.

Big Final Questions

  1. Where is Dana’s home. Explain and give at least two examples from the text to support your answers. Make sure to cite in MLA.
  1. Name, support, and explain three themes found in Kindred.
  1. How does Butler leave us, the readers, uneasy at the end of the novel? Support your reasons.
  1. How does Alice (and Alice’s body) represent slavery during this time? Explain.
  1. Characterize the following characters as flat or round, static or dynamic, and stock or unique.
  2. Dana
  3. Rufus
  4. Kevin
  5. Alice
  6. Tom
  7. Sarah
  8. Liza