Push and Kindred: Analysis of Characters Precious and Dana
The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the novels "Push" by Sapphire and "Kindred" by Octavia E. Butler. Specifically it will analyze the characters of Precious in "Push" and Dana in "Kindred" as they are portrayed in each novel. Both of these characters are black women, but their experiences are extremely different. One goes back in time to experience the horrors of slavery and prejudice first hand, while the other lives in the modern world in her own version of Hell. They do have similarities, however, and they both represent modern black women in their own way.Precious and Dana seem like they are very different, and in many ways they are. Dana is educated, sophisticated, married to a good man, and generally is very happy and content, until she begins to go back in time. Precious, on the other hand, is abused, illiterate, a two-time mother, and pretty much on her own and cast adrift at a very young age. At first glance, they could not be more different, and their voices are different two. Dana writes with style and purpose
It is not just that she cannot spell or write well; it is her use of street language and swear words that is difficult to keep reading again and again. You get a real feeling of who these two women are and what they believe from the first person narration, and that makes them more sympathetic, so in the end, the narration helps the reader really understand and respond to both these characters. Precious shows that, and shows how often the educational system fails them, leaving them without any skills or ways to really take care of themselves or their families. Therefore, they are both victims of other people in the novels, and that is another tie that binds them together. Because Precious really has never had anyone who truly cared for her, she reacts with violence, anger, and resentment when situations arise, and she is distrustful of everyone. Their backgrounds are certainly different, and that would lead to their reactions, but they are two very different people, and so, they react to the things around them very differently, too. One of the biggest differences between Dana and Precious is their education. Dana is a college graduate and a professional, while Precious is functionally illiterate at the beginning of the book. Another commonality is that they both suffer at the hands of people in their lives. Another difference is in how they react to their situations. She does get help, and she does learn to read and write, and even starts writing poetry, but she is not as educated or as sophisticated as Dana, and that shows in her voice in the novel. , while Precious writes with passion and ignorance, so much so that it is sometimes difficult to read her words. Precious suffers at the hands of both her mother and father, who sexually abuse her and allow that abuse to continue, and she suffers physically because she has two children by her father. However, they both live through very harrowing experiences that leave them emotionally and physically scarred, and that is one of the things that tie these two women together. Dan's first person is not so difficult, because she uses a formal voice, and that really represents who she is, too.
Common topics in this essay:
Dana Precious,
Dana Dana,
Push Precious',
Dana Kindred,
,
Butler Specifically,
black women,
person narration,
educated sophisticated,
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