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Home Slave Links Kindred 2 Student Short Stories inspired by Kindred
Kindred
byOctavia Butler


 

 

Short Story Project
Family Tree Assignment
Reading Assignments
Slavery Links Page

I. Short Story Project - Write your own story to be published on the school web site: fklane.org/. 

1. Characters- a.) The main character should be similar to the character Dana, from Kindred, a modern person who travels back in time and to the South from 1800 to 1860.

b.) The other characters must be from the South from 1800 to 1860.

2. Conflict- The main character has to have a conflict.

3. Historical details- The story must show your research on slavery in the USA. See slavery links for several good Internet sites. Your story should also be based on your reading of Kindred, by Octavia Butler. As you read Kindred take notes on ideas you could use in your own story. Take notes on the dangers the main character and the slaves faced and on other issues such as inter-racial  and family relationships. 
(Historical details from pages 189-264- This is a partial list.
living and working conditions of slaves- pages 37,48,-9, 67, 73, 83, 85, 92, 96, 98-9, 100, 121, 133, 138, 170, 188, 191-3, 202, 210, 211-213, 219, 221-2, 226-7, 230-1, 236-8, 243, 249, 254, 260 
medical treatment- pages 66, 78, 138, 146-7, 191, 202-4, 206, 210, 216, 225
clashes of 2 centuries-pages 207, 229, 244
similarities between two centuries- pages 162, 252
preparation of food- pages 75, 134
famous people- pages 140-1, 143, 177)

4. Setting- a specific place in the South, a specific time period between 1800 to 1860 and include historically accurate details.  Also the main character comes from the present.

5. Plot and 6. Theme - See the chart below to help you develop your plot and theme.

7. Dialogue- Include dialogue by the characters in your story.
Chart to help you write your short story ( Also see rubric for grading criteria.)
Describe your main character What conflict does the main character have? Circle historic details of the antebellum South you will use:  Settings Plot - Include these on a separate sheet of paper Theme is the point of the story which could be similar to Kindred .
CHARACTER NAME:
AGE:

GENDER:

OCCUPATION:

RESIDENCE: (Where do they live and with whom?)

RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER CHARACTERS:
 

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: (What do they look like. Note any unusual characteristics,
e.g. scars, limp, nervous tic, identical twin...)
 
 
 
 

PERSONALITY TYPE: 
 
 
 

WHAT DO THEY WANT? (What motivates them to act as they do?)

 

 Circle one and then write what the character wants and what is preventing them from getting what they want?

Internal conflict

External conflict with one person
 

External conflict with many people

 1. The dangers slaves faced by
a) showing intelligence

b) becoming literate

c) sexual refusal

d) rebellion and resistance

e) engaging in interracial relationships

2. Inhumane practices 

a) breaking up families

b) physical and mental cruelty

c) segregation

d) poor living conditions

3. Historic contributions to abolishing slavery or helping slaves escape

a) Harriet Tubman and the efforts to help slaves escape( the underground railroad)

b) the abolitionists' efforts

c) legal challenges to slavery

 1.Setting in the present -2001

2. Setting in the Antebellum South:
Year 18__ 
(no later than 1860)

Circle one place -

Plantation

Rural place

city

town

Give specific descriptive details:
 

 1. Title

2. Point of View: (Who is telling the story: 1st or 3rd person.) 

3. Characters: Names of major and minor characters. Also give brief identifying
information. This will help reveal everyone's motives. 

4. Conflict: What do the other characters want and what is preventing them from getting what they want? 

 5. Plot: (Tell the most important events of the plot here.)

6. Foreshadowing: (List the clues - objects, information, statements, symbols used by the
author, hints about characters.)

7. Climax: (The turning point.)

 You could chose one of these or make up your own theme:
 

1. The main character takes risks to help others. 
 
 

2. Characters adapt to their unfair and harsh existence by -

a. running away.- (Alice, Isaac, for example)

b. trying to forget-
(Sarah, for example)

c. wearing a mask or acting as if they accept their harsh life but then doing what they want-
(Dana, Luke, for example)

d. Suicide- (Alice, for example)

3. The difficulties in family relationships

4. How inter-racial relationships are viewed by others
 
 

II.Family Tree Assignment How are inter-racial families part of the history of the USA? 
Directions: After reading the article “Founder Father and His Family Ties,” and doing a double-entry notebook, fill in the names of the members of the family tree of Julia Jefferson Westerinen.  Then using the members of your own family make a family tree. 

III.Reading assignments-
Hand in on February 12, Tuesday
 # Draw what you know to be your family tree.
 #1 Read Kindred, pages 9 to 33.  Write what you were thinking about while reading.  This is journal writing.  It should be about one page minimum.
 Hand in February 13, Tuesday 
 #2 Read Kindred, pages 33-43. Write 1 journal entry or letter about what  happened on these pages as if you were a character in the book.  Tell what happened in  these pages.
 Hand in February 25, Monday 
 #3 Read Kindred, pages 45-57. Write what you think of Dana's and Keven's relationship.( 13 pages)
Hand in February 25, Monday.
 #4 #5, #6 Read Kindred, pages 58-107. Write 3 journal entries or letters about what  happened on these pages as if you were a character in the book.  Tell what happened in  these pages. (50 pages)
 Hand in March 4, Monday
 #7, #8, #9, #10 Read Kindred, pages 108 to 188. Write 4 journal entries or letters about what  happened on these pages as if you were a character in the book.  Tell what happened in these pages. (81 pages)
 Hand in March 11, Monday 
 #11, #12, #13, #14 Read Kindred, pages 189 to 264. Write 4 journal entries or letters about what happened on these pages as if you were a character in the book.  Tell what happened in these pages. (86 pages)

IV. Creating a links page on slavery in the USA  Make up your own page with you favorite links on the topic of slavery.  Links page on slavery in the USA due March 1, Friday 

  • Step 1- Go to nicenet.org and find the link on slavery in the USA or click here.
  • Step 2- Click on each link on this page and look for information of interest to you on the topic of slavery in the USA. 
  • Step 3- When you find pages you want to read more about you may print one copy to read further at another time. 
  • Step 4- Creating a favorite links page.

  • a) Type or write out the link. 
    b) Give a summary of what the link is about. 
    c) Write if it is a primary or secondary source.  (Primary means it is a letter, journal, transcript of someone's spoken words, or writing from someone with direct experience.  Secondary is the writings of someone  who has read primary sources and is interpreting them.)
    d) Write why you recommend this link for someone who wants to know more about slavery in the USA.
V. Rubric For  Short Story
  Beginning Developing Accomplished Exemplary
Plot incomplete complete interesting fascinating
characters not clear who they are clear who they are stand out  seem realistic
historical details and accuracy very few details of antebellum South accurate details of antebellum South good use of details of antebellum South excellent use of details of antebellum South
theme not apparent vague clear very clear
dialogue none used but inadequate used well  used very well
conflict not clear clear very clear well done
point of view not used consistently   mostly consistent consistent well done
setting not apparent vague clear very clear

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