Bloodchild: My Perception
After reading Octavia Butler's Bloodchild, I felt uncomfortable over what I just read, but after letting it digest, I begin to see the intention of themes that Butler wanted to play at.
In this society where immigrant humans are coming to live on the Tlic planet, she adapts the concept of "rent" in this science fiction world, where the humans must offer something of value to the Tlics to be able to stay amongst their world. Where Butler takes the story next fascinates me.
The value that these humans have for the Tlics is that their bodies (preferably the males), have the perfect conditions for the Tlics to store their eggs in, and so it is agreed amicably that the humans will lend their bodies to the Tlics as a service, as many humans view it as a great honor.
I find it interesting how the concept of pregnancy was flipped around on the gender spectrum, and how males must cope with the physical and emotional changes that their bodies undergo during this period, as well as risking ones life so another life can pass, its a very personal bond that's created between the humans and the Tlic broods, and Butler shows this to make two separate species come together.
Telling the story from a male character POV through a female author's mind was no doubt a factor in these thematic elements. In many ways, the males are treated as many people view how females in society are treated today. The male humans are oppressed with rape, forced pregnancy, and in most cases they expect the birthing process to be unpleasant, but they are given no choice, as they are inferior to the dominant alien race of the planet. In many ways this piece of science fiction writing is more relevant than ever with current events of modern day.
If I could adapt this story, I would turn it into a film. I'd make the story center around someone looking for a loved one of theirs who went to this Tlic planet, but they never heard back from them. Once on this world the character would see how the Tlic functioned amongst humans, and that even he would be used as a surrogate for Tlic broods. At first the character rejects this idea after watching a cesaerean gone wrong, and they escape the compound. Through escaping, the character would encounter their loved one as a loving parent to a Tlic child. And learn that this was never something done out of oppression, but done as a way to bond two species and live symbiotically.
In this society where immigrant humans are coming to live on the Tlic planet, she adapts the concept of "rent" in this science fiction world, where the humans must offer something of value to the Tlics to be able to stay amongst their world. Where Butler takes the story next fascinates me.
The value that these humans have for the Tlics is that their bodies (preferably the males), have the perfect conditions for the Tlics to store their eggs in, and so it is agreed amicably that the humans will lend their bodies to the Tlics as a service, as many humans view it as a great honor.
I find it interesting how the concept of pregnancy was flipped around on the gender spectrum, and how males must cope with the physical and emotional changes that their bodies undergo during this period, as well as risking ones life so another life can pass, its a very personal bond that's created between the humans and the Tlic broods, and Butler shows this to make two separate species come together.
Telling the story from a male character POV through a female author's mind was no doubt a factor in these thematic elements. In many ways, the males are treated as many people view how females in society are treated today. The male humans are oppressed with rape, forced pregnancy, and in most cases they expect the birthing process to be unpleasant, but they are given no choice, as they are inferior to the dominant alien race of the planet. In many ways this piece of science fiction writing is more relevant than ever with current events of modern day.
If I could adapt this story, I would turn it into a film. I'd make the story center around someone looking for a loved one of theirs who went to this Tlic planet, but they never heard back from them. Once on this world the character would see how the Tlic functioned amongst humans, and that even he would be used as a surrogate for Tlic broods. At first the character rejects this idea after watching a cesaerean gone wrong, and they escape the compound. Through escaping, the character would encounter their loved one as a loving parent to a Tlic child. And learn that this was never something done out of oppression, but done as a way to bond two species and live symbiotically.
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