Dana is a Rufus-Apologist?
Many times throughout Kindred , we see Rufus commit terrible acts. He demands Alice to come to him at night, orders Dana around at times, and even gets angry with her to the point of violent action. All the while, Dana tries to see the good in Rufus. Even after the continuous difficulties, she still tries to excuse his behaviors. So why does Dana set Rufus apart from the other white people of the past that she encounters? For one, we know that Rufus is Dana's ancestor. It may be that Dana wishes her ancestors did not have the same experiences that many people had in the stories we learn about the antebellum South. She may have subconsciously set this ideal for her ancestors, specifically Rufus. We know that Dana has seen Rufus since when he was young and naive. This young Rufus might have placed false hope in Dana that her white ancestor was not like the rest. Seeing a child who has yet to completely take in society gave Dana a sense of security with Rufus. But, during the p...