I’m usually very picky when it comes to reading fiction for pleasure. Normally, I would never even think about picking up something in the sci-fi section at Barnes and Nobles because like a lot of others expressed in class, it doesn’t really hold my attention. To be honest, the only thing in that genre that mildly holds my interest is attractive male vampires, and oddly enough I have no idea why. Anyways, needless to say I cringed a lot while reading Octavia Butler’s “Bloodchild.” Imagining large worm-like insects that use humans as a host to implant their eggs severely disturbs me. If this were made into a movie, I would do my best to avoid watching it. The scene when T’Gatoi is removing the worms from the human and placing them in the carcass of a dead animal was mildly awkward compared to “implanting” scene. I’m almost positive I was holding my breath while reading that except. The thing that makes it so awkward is the fact that not only is it a worm and a human, but the female is injecting something into the male. Something about that made me feel awkward in my own skin. For some reason it crossed my mind that Butler was taking the fear, anticipation and pain of a woman giving birth and placing it on the mans conscience, only taking it to a whole other level of reality. Maybe it was, in a way, to bring attention to what women go through physically to bring life into the world and the toll it takes on our bodies. Regardless of whether I liked this short story or not, I have to say it kept my attention.
I found this story equally as disturbing as you did. The implantation scene was the hardest and most horrific scene I’ve had to read in this class by far. When we talked about it in class we focused more on the role reversal between the man and the woman in the child bearing process but I found the fact that T’Gatoi would have implanted Gan’s sister if he refused equally as intriguing. It made the species that Butler created seem more powerful because they are able to place their children into whichever host they choose, whether it’s male or female. This ties into the question of whether humans are more like slaves in this story or whether all is well and everyone is equal. Everything seems to be okay but the deeper you look into the story the more slave-like characteristics you will find.
ReplyDeleteI found this story equally as disturbing as you did. The implantation scene was the hardest and most horrific scene I’ve had to read in this class by far. When we talked about it in class we focused more on the role reversal between the man and the woman in the child bearing process but I found the fact that T’Gatoi would have implanted Gan’s sister if he refused equally as intriguing. It made the species that Butler created seem more powerful because they are able to place their children into whichever host they choose, whether it’s male or female. This ties into the question of whether humans are more like slaves in this story or whether all is well and everyone is equal. Everything seems to be okay but the deeper you look into the story the more slave-like characteristics you will find.
ReplyDeleteI had a very hard time reading 'Bloodchild' and I think that much of that had to do with me being pregnant! I do not read very much scifi, so I have not had much exposure to the genre, but overall I think that the story was very well written and interesting.
ReplyDeleteI was confused at the beginning, not knowing what was going on with T'Gatoi and her "wrapping" the people up in her arms. I also did not understand the eggs that they were eating. All of these things became more clear when she was revealed as a worm like bug creature. (blah!!!)
I thought that the whole compound dynamic was very interesting and though that Gan's older brother's comment about running in captivity was very interesting. I also thought that T'Gatoi's ability to choose which sex she implanted made the story more exciting.
It was a gross story :) but also made me think about life and what crazy imaginations people have!!