Kindred: Character+R/S Analysis (Quotes) Flashcards
Dana
Quick witted
The Fire, meeting Rufus
Quick-witted
- Quick assessment and action (fast observations and reactions)
- Easily adapts to situation (realises she was not going back; pulls herself together ;despite fear)
1. Quick assessment and action
- “He held a stick of wood in one hand and the end of the stick was charred and smoking. Its fire had apparently been transferred to the draperies at the window.” (Instantly after arriving, immediately analyses situation)
- “For a moment, I watched too. Then I woke up, pushed the boy aside, caught the unburned upper part of the draperies and pulled them down.” (Quick decision making)
2. Easily adapts to situation
- “I waited to go home.”
- “But still, I was in no immediate danger. And wherever I was, there was a child with me—and a child might answer my questions more readily than an adult.” (Even after unexpected outcome, she quickly pulls herself together and makes use of the situation to help herself)
- “What would happen to me if I didn’t go
back automatically this time? What if I was stranded here—wherever
here was?” (Repeated questions reflect fear, yet she fought it and focused on the present)
Dana
The Fire, meeting Rufus
Logical
- Analytical method of deduction on situation (from Rufus’ accent; link to time difference on location; level-headed to not leave house; limited knowledge to form conclusions; does this continously and accepts based on hard observations)
1. Analytical method of deduction on situation
- ‘“You lay a hand on me, and I’ll tell my daddy!” His accent was unmistakably southern, and before I could shut out the thought, I began wondering whether I
might be somewhere in the South. Somewhere two or three thousand
miles from home.’ (Uses what little details she has to work an idea out)
- “If I was in the South, the two or three-hour time difference would explain the darkness outside” (Linking back facts)
- “As dangerous as it could be for me to stay where I was, in the house of a man who might shoot me, it seemed even more dangerous for me to go wandering into the night totally ignorant.” (stay level-headed)
- “Fact then: Somehow, my travels crossed time as well as distance. Another fact: The boy was the focus of my travels—perhaps the cause of them.” (Uses limited conversation to form conclusions based on knowledge)
- ““Eighteen fifteen.” I sat still, breathed deeply, calming myself, believing him. I did believe him. I wasn’t even as surprised as I should have been. I had already accepted the fact that I had moved through time.” (Continously making links and hypotheses, and accepting facts as they are, based on evidence of that time; whipping)
Dana
Highly composed, cool under pressure (The River, saving Rufus)
- Despite unfamiliar surroundings, focussed on the important matters (abrupt change–>put thoughts aside to help first)
- Despite pressure from having to save Rufus and from Margaret, remained calm (Appropriate steps to help Rufus; Margaret’s beating–> stopped her–>focussed back on Rufus, contrast with Margaret)
i. Despite unfamiliar surroundings, focussed on important matters
- “The house, the books, everything vanished. Suddenly, I was outdoors kneeling on the ground beneath trees.” (Abrupt change)
- “I reacted to the child in trouble. Later I could ask questions, try to find out where I was, what had happened.” (Still put those thoughts aside and helped Rufus first)
ii. Despite pressure from having to save Rufus and from Margaret, remained calm
- “I turned him over, got a good hold on him so that his head was above water, and towed him in.” (Clear-headed on what to do)
* “I saw his chest move as I breathed into him. Then, suddenly, the woman began beating me.” (Margaret is panicked)
- “I turned and managed to catch her pounding fists. “Stop it!” I shouted, putting all the authority I could into my voice. “He’s alive!”’ (Confronting the problem)
- “I pushed her away, glad she was a little smaller than I was, and turned my attention back to her son. Between breaths, I saw her staring at me blankly. Then she dropped to her knees beside me, crying.” (Yet again contrast with Margaret)
Dana
Decisive, brave (The River, saving Rufus)
- Quick actions without hesitations (reacting quickly, contrast with Margaret
- Willing to try whatever she could (barely knew much but did everything she could, quickly decisive)
i. Quick actions without hesitation
- “Drowning! I reacted to the child in trouble. Later I could ask questions, try to find out where I was, what had happened. Now I went to help the child.”
- “Or rather, she was running back and forth crying on the shore.” (Contrast with Dana’s confidence)
ii. Willing to try whatever she could
- “Artificial respiration. I had seen it done, been told about it, but I had never done it. Now was the time to try” (Quick to make a decision, even if it was new to her)
Kevin
Empathetic
The River, after Dana comes back
- Listens to her account seriously despite it being quite unbelievable (listening impartially and actively)
- Tries his best to understand and comfort her despite not comprehending what had happened himself (Accepting the facts that she gives and he saw, as well as calming her down)
i. Listens to her account seriously despite it being quite unbelievable
- “I looked at Kevin, saw that he held his expression carefully neutral. He waited.”
- “Kevin listened without interrupting” (Understands the gravity of what had happened and the impacts on Dana and lets her tell her own side of the story)
ii. Tries his best to understand and comfort her despite not comprehending what had happened himself
- “When I was finished, he took the edge of the towel and wiped a little of the mud from my leg. “This stuff had to come from somewhere,” he said.”
- “He shrugged. “It happened. I saw it. You vanished and you reappeared. Facts.”’
- ““Take it easy,” he said. “Whatever happens, it’s not going to do you any good to panic yourself again.”’
- “He made his voice very gentle. “If it happens again, and if it’s real, the boy’s father will know he owes you thanks. He won’t hurt you.””
Kevin
Logical and rational
The River, after Dana comes back
- Reasons out the situation with facts (based on the mud, visual facts, time she was away, and advice)
i. Reasons out the situation with facts
- “This stuff had to come from somewhere,” he said.”
- “He stared at the mud for a moment, then faced me. “You know how long you were gone?”
- ““A few seconds. There were no more than ten or fifteen seconds
between the time you went and the time you called my name.” (Even his reasons for not believing are completely based on facts)
- “It happened. I saw it. You vanished and you reappeared. Facts.”
- ““Let yourself pull away from it.” He got up and took the muddy towel from me. “That sounds like the best thing you can do, whether it was real or not. Let go of it.”” (Even through the confusing situation, he still thinks of the best thing to do in the circumstances)
Kevin
Caring
The Fire, after Dana comes back
- Extremely concerned about her well being
i. Extremely concerned about her well-being
- “. I could see where I had scratched his face —so near the eye. “Kevin, I’m sorry!” “Are you all right now?” (Even after Dana accidentally hurt Kevin, his main concern was still whether she was fine)
- ““You were gone two or three minutes this time. I didn’t know what to think. You don’t know how good it is to have you back again.” (Seemingly blowing up the situation to be more exaggerated)
- “I’m going to take you to the hospital,” said Kevin. “I don’t know how I’m going to explain you, but you need help.”
“No.”
He got up. I felt him lift me.
“No, Kevin, please.”
“Listen, don’t be afraid. I’ll be with you.”
(Persistant to ensure she was alright)
Kevin
Intelligent
The Fire, after Dana comes back
- Prepares a bag for Dana (prepares ahead; notices small details)
- Able to figure out the reason for Dana’s travels (with logical reasoning, found the reason)
i. Prepares a bag for Dana
- “On one side of me was a canvas tote bag containing a pair of pants, a blouse, underclothing, a sweater, shoes, and the biggest switchblade knife I had ever seen. “ (Prepares ahead in the event that Dana travels again, more ready)
- “The tote bag was tied to my waist with a length of cord.” (Noticed even the small details)
ii. Able to figure out the reason for Dana’s travels
- ““Here. You may have more control over your returning than you think.”
- ““I don’t think it did this time either—at least not in any normal way. I think you were right. You did almost come home. Your fear
almost sent you home.””
- “Then . . . Rufus’s fear of death calls me to him, and my own fear of death sends me home.” (Through Kevin’s logical reasoning, they were able to form a understanding of how Dana travels)
Rufus
Entitled
The Fire, first meeting Dana
- Uses Father’s authority (threatens Dana)
- Believes he can get anything he wants (Horse stable)
i. Uses father’s authority
- “The boy stumbled back from me, alarmed. “You lay a hand on me, and I’ll tell my daddy!””
ii. Believes he can get anything he wants
- “The boy stared into the fireplace. “I burned the stable once,” he said. “I wanted Daddy to give me Nero—a horse I liked. But he sold him to Reverend Wyndham just because Reverend Wyndham offered a lot of money. Daddy already has a lot of money. Anyway, I got mad and burned down the stable.””
Rufus
Innocent (relatively)
The Fire, meeting Dana
- While environment heavily discriminates against blacks, Rufus is still impartial (does not seem to understand racism as a concept; simply listening to parents, no self thoughts of discrimination; befriending blacks; not seeing the true treatment of the blacks)
i. While the environment heavily discriminates against blacks, Rufus is still impartial
- “Your mother always call black people niggers, Rufe?” “Sure, except when she has company. Why not?” His air of innocent questioning confused me.”
- “But Mama said it was cruel and disgraceful
for him to hit me like that no matter what I did.” (Tone of acceptance and not showing of his own discriminations)
- ““Sure. Alice is my friend.”” (sees no problem is befriending blacks)
- “Then you could come out and ask
Daddy if you could work here. He hires free niggers sometimes.”
“Does he? If you were free and black, do you think you’d want to work for him?” He looked away from me, shook his head. “I guess not. He’s pretty mean sometimes.””
Dana & Kevin R/S
Loving and supportive
The Fire, after returning
- “I could see where I had scratched his face —so near the eye. “Kevin, I’m sorry!” “Are you all right now?” (Even after Dana accidentally hurt Kevin, his main concern was still whether she was fine)
- “On the other side of me lay Kevin, still asleep. But he woke up when I kissed him”
- ““You’re still here,” he said with obvious relief, and he hugged me, reminding me painfully of a few bruises. Then he remembered, let me go, and switched on the light. “How do you feel?””
- ““Good. You’re rested, you’re healing, now you can tell me what the hell happened to you. And what’s a patroller? All I could think of was the Highway Patrol.”” (Shows genuine concern for her)
- “He gave me a long thoughtful look. “Just keep coming home,” he said finally. “I need you here too.””
Dana and Kevin R/S
Highly functional and cooperative
Work well together
The Fire, after returning
- “There were ten books. We checked indexes and even leafed through some of the books page by page to be sure”
- ““A pass . . . that was just written permission for a slave to be somewhere other than at home at a certain time.”
“Sounds like just a note.”
“It is,” I said. “You’ve got it!”” - "”Your danger then—or assumed danger—might have sent you
home before you ever met the patroller.”
“Then . . . Rufus’s fear of death calls me to him, and my own fear of death sends me home.” (effective discussions–> they are close and work well together)
