1 Allison Le Mr. Hupton English 11 15 January 2019 Relationships in Kindred The need for connection and relationships are what makes humans, human. In Octavia E. Butler’s novel, Kindred, she illustrates the psychological complexity of relationships. A notable example of this is Dana’s overall relationship to Rufus. Initially, the sole purpose of their relationship exists because Dana has a moral obligation to save Rufus from death. As the novel progresses, Dana develops different roles to Rufus, ranging from a motherly figure to a counselor. In return, Rufus provides “safety” to Dana. This continuous reliance on each other is what creates complexity in their relationship, which goes beyond Dana saving Rufus when he’s on the brink of death. One of the earliest encounters of Dana’s conflicting perception of Rufus is when she finds out that they are actually related. After traveling back to Antebellum south for the second time,
