Leverage and the Power Dynamics between Dana and Rufus
There is tension between Dana and Rufus throughout Kindred , at the beginning mostly because of their racial and gender differences, but only getting worse as they become more attached to each other and the other characters. They understand their mutual connection to varying extents -- they both know they're bonded for some reason, neither fully understand the time travel (who does?) besides that Dana shows up to save Rufus's life, and only Dana knows that she is Rufus's great-great-whatever-granddaughter. But because of their relationship -- especially the familial aspect -- they are linked and depend on each other to survive. As a result, they both have leverage over the other, which combines nastily with the societal power dynamics between a white man and black woman in the 1800s. With those two, it frequently feels like a frustrating back-and-forth between who can out-threaten the other into doing what they want, and often with significant, harmful stakes, causing the r...