The Fire By Octavia Butler Chapter 2 Summary

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BRIEF SUMMARY “The Fire,” chapter two of the novel “Kindred” by Octavia E. Butler is about how Dana survives in the past after she is conscious of where and when she is. The story starts with Dana frightened of being transported again, which she did. After saving the boy, Rufus, from burning his house, she discovered that she has gone to the past, 1815, and that Rufus was her ancestor. Since it was the age where slavery was present, she escaped Rufus’ house in fear of being slaved to search for Alice, another one of her ancestor, hoping to get shelter. She found it at the time Alice’s family was raided by the whites, and Alice’s father was captured. She helped Alice’s family, but soon after she was discovered by a white man. Dana knocked him unconscious, then returned home. Afterwards, Kevin and her prepared Dana in an event where she get transported again. MY RESPONSE I think that the first few pages of this chapter was boring, as it was about Dana discovering her situation as she talked …show more content…

Draperies EXPLANATION : This word appeared several times in the chapter, but this is the first time I have heard of this word. The text suggests that this is some kind of cloth, highly flammable, long and is present at the living room. At first I imagined that it is similar to curtains, and it means long curtains. 2. Smothered EXPLANATION : I think this word plays a significant role in the chapter as it describes what Dana did to put out the fire. From the text, I assume this word means to burn itself or to burn up, but it turns out this word means to deprive a flame from oxygen. 3. Peering EXPLANATION : Peer has a lot of meaning, but each one is very different from the other ones. This was the expression used when Rufus was observing Dana. From the text, it appears to mean to pay close attention at something. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. What is the correlation of time between Dana’s present and the past? 2. How did Dana feel when Alice’s mother rejected

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