Kindred
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Prologue Chapter 1: The River Chapter 2: The Fire Chapter 3: The Fall Chapter 4: The Fight Chapter 5: The Storm Chapter 6: The Rope Epilogue
Themes
All Themes Family and Home Interracial Relationships History and Trauma Freedom and Privilege Choice and Power
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Dana (Edana) Franklin Kevin Franklin Rufus Weylin Alice Jackson (Greenwood) Sarah Tom Weylin Margaret Weylin Nigel Carrie Alice’s Mother
Symbols
All Symbols Dana’s Lost Left Arm The Whip
Literary Devices
All Literary Devices Allusions Foil Genre Imagery Irony Logos Metaphors Mood Motifs Paradox Pathos Setting Similes Situational Irony Style Tone
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Kindred

by

Octavia E. Butler

Upgrade to A+
Introduction Intro
Plot Summary Plot
Summary & Analysis
  • Prologue
  • Chapter 1: The River
  • Chapter 2: The Fire
  • Chapter 3: The Fall
  • Chapter 4: The Fight
  • Chapter 5: The Storm
  • Chapter 6: The Rope
  • Epilogue
Themes
  • All Themes
  • Family and Home Theme Icon
    Family and Home
  • Interracial Relationships Theme Icon
    Interracial Relationships
  • History and Trauma Theme Icon
    History and Trauma
  • Freedom and Privilege Theme Icon
    Freedom and Privilege
  • Choice and Power Theme Icon
    Choice and Power
Quotes
Characters
  • All Characters
  • Dana (Edana) Franklin
  • Kevin Franklin
  • Rufus Weylin
  • Alice Jackson (Greenwood)
  • Sarah
  • Tom Weylin
  • Margaret Weylin
  • Nigel
  • Carrie
  • Alice’s Mother
Symbols
  • All Symbols
  • Dana’s Lost Left Arm Symbol Icon
    Dana’s Lost Left Arm
  • The Whip Symbol Icon
    The Whip
Lit Devices
  • All Literary Devices
  • Allusions
  • Foil
  • Genre
  • Imagery
  • Irony
  • Logos
  • Metaphors
  • Mood
  • Motifs
  • Paradox
  • Pathos
  • Setting
  • Similes
  • Situational Irony
  • Style
  • Tone
Theme Wheel Theme Viz
Download this Chart (PDF)
Download the Teacher Edition
Download this Chart (PDF)

Kindred Study Guide

It's easy to cite LitCharts for use in academic papers and reports.


MLA

Mueller, Bethany. "Kindred." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 25 May 2017. Web. 16 Dec 2025.


Chicago

Mueller, Bethany. "Kindred." LitCharts LLC, May 25, 2017. Retrieved December 16, 2025. https://www.litcharts.com/lit/kindred.

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