Bloodchild
What is your reaction to the text you just read?
Bloodchild was a very interesting read. Octavia Butler did well with normalizing the grotesque and obscene. I was fascinated and involved enough with the story to keep reading through and to want to know more about the characters and the Tilc, even though the back of my mind stayed horrified and revolted by what was happening. I liked the subtle revealing of the world--how it starts without introduction, but after reading through it information is given in a way that is relevant to what's happening in the story.
What connections did you make with the story that you read? Discuss the elements of the work with which you were able to connect
I didn't feel connected to any of the characters per say, but I was able to understand them. Outside of this text, it's hard to imagine ever living peacefully with parasitic reptilian(or insectile?) aliens, but Bloodchild explores what it might be like if you grew up in a world like that, not ever knowing any alternative. The main character seems content with his fate at first; he's accepted it, and even though a part of him is afraid he doesn't act on his fears at first. Throughout the story he's influenced by the conflicting feelings of his family members. His sister loves the Tilc and would be happy to take his place. His brother hates them, and has tried running away several times only to find there's no escape. The mother seems to be somewhere in-between the two--she doesn't seem to love the world she grew up in, but she is not actively fighting against it. After the narrator witnesses first hand what is going to happen to him, and he talks to his brother about it, he feels differently. He threatens to kill himself instead of going through with the implantation.
What changes would you make to adapt this story into another medium? What medium would you use, and what changes would you make?
I don't really want this story to be translated into another medium, because the only mediums I would know how to are visual, and this would be too hard to see. If I had to illustrate this, I would try to come up with an approach to not literally show it--maybe through the use of shadows and low angles. I think the text should be left to do most of the storytelling, while the illustrations would provide extra context maybe?
Bloodchild was a very interesting read. Octavia Butler did well with normalizing the grotesque and obscene. I was fascinated and involved enough with the story to keep reading through and to want to know more about the characters and the Tilc, even though the back of my mind stayed horrified and revolted by what was happening. I liked the subtle revealing of the world--how it starts without introduction, but after reading through it information is given in a way that is relevant to what's happening in the story.
What connections did you make with the story that you read? Discuss the elements of the work with which you were able to connect
I didn't feel connected to any of the characters per say, but I was able to understand them. Outside of this text, it's hard to imagine ever living peacefully with parasitic reptilian(or insectile?) aliens, but Bloodchild explores what it might be like if you grew up in a world like that, not ever knowing any alternative. The main character seems content with his fate at first; he's accepted it, and even though a part of him is afraid he doesn't act on his fears at first. Throughout the story he's influenced by the conflicting feelings of his family members. His sister loves the Tilc and would be happy to take his place. His brother hates them, and has tried running away several times only to find there's no escape. The mother seems to be somewhere in-between the two--she doesn't seem to love the world she grew up in, but she is not actively fighting against it. After the narrator witnesses first hand what is going to happen to him, and he talks to his brother about it, he feels differently. He threatens to kill himself instead of going through with the implantation.
What changes would you make to adapt this story into another medium? What medium would you use, and what changes would you make?
I don't really want this story to be translated into another medium, because the only mediums I would know how to are visual, and this would be too hard to see. If I had to illustrate this, I would try to come up with an approach to not literally show it--maybe through the use of shadows and low angles. I think the text should be left to do most of the storytelling, while the illustrations would provide extra context maybe?
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