Bloodchild Themes

Set on an alien planet inhabited by a species called the Tlic, “Bloodchild” tells the story of Gan, an adolescent human facing a decision about which adult responsibilities he can bear. Humans (called “Terrans” in the story) have long lived among the Tlic, but their relationship is fraught: the Tlic protect the Terrans and permit them to live on the Preserve, a Terran habitat protected from the greater Tlic population…

Through the relationship between Gan and T’Gatoi, Butler uses an unfamiliar environment to critique familiar gender roles and the balance of power within stereotypical relationships. Gan, although male, is a representation of motherhood and traditionally feminine role (in human terms). By effectively gender-swapping these roles, Butler lifts them away from the reader’s preconceptions about men and women so that these roles can be considered in their own right. Butler uses this conceit to highlight…

Lien is defined by suffering, “caged” within the confines of her family’s situation and the knowledge that her own son has been taken from her and belongs to T’Gatoi. Since she is unable to resist through violence without endangering Gan, Lien resists by unnecessarily suffering in the face of T’Gatoi’s efforts to pacify her pain, chiefly through the narcotic sterile eggs. Lien’s struggle against T’Gatoi is also a struggle against the society…