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Essay On The Character Struggle In Octavia Butler's Fledgling

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Imagine waking up in complete darkness and not knowing who or where you are. That was the problem that Shori, the main character in “Fledgling”, faced at the beginning of the novel. After figuring out she had become an Ina (similar to a vampire) and finding her father, Shori and her symbionts (co-dependent humans) move into a community with other Ina’s. Soon after she moves in, several Ina’s plan to kill Ina because she is genetically modified. Shori has human melanin, making her skin dark and allowing her to move around freely in the daylight. In “Fledgling”, by Octavia Butler, the narration and unique characteristics of the main character bring up prevalent topics – racism, feminism, and sexuality – in today’s society.

Through the first person point of view, Shori is able to show the racism that is present throughout the novel, which still exists in society today. Although Shori’s genetically modified skin gives her an advantage over the Ina’s, the Ina’s think it makes her too close to a human’s genetic make-up. The Ina’s discriminate against Shori because she is “dark-skinned and human” (173). On top of trying to kill her, the Ina’s call her …show more content…

Shori is discriminated against by the Ina’s because of the color of her skin. Her point of view shows us how hurtful this is to her, but also how she overcomes this. Shori is a strong woman and leader, and defies female gender discrimination. The novel gives us a view of her quick thinking and impulsive actions through her narration. Additionally, Shori and her symbionts explore polygamy and homosexuality. The detail expressed by Shori shows how these relationships progressed in the novel. To sum up, these examples show how Shori’s narration allows us to see the racism, feminism, and sexuality that are expressed in the novel and also in our society

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