"Bloodchild" Journal Entry

"Bloodchild" by Octavia E. Butler is one of the most outrageous stories I have ever read. It is a science fiction story that takes place in an outside universe. There are two species of creatures that lived there: Tarans and Tlics. The Tarans are humans while the Tlics are the insect, alien-like creatures that dominate the society. The Tlics way of reproducing is by implanting their eggs into a male Taran. The Tlics can not reproduce their own children because their bodies will poison the offspring. They have discovered a new way of having children, (a new "technology" per say) and have adopted it into their society. It became a social norm for a Tlic to adopt a Taran family and build strong relationships with them so one day a male can carry her eggs. This reminded me of the new phenomenon called "designer babies" where doctors are almost able manipulate an unborn child's genes due to the research the Human Genome Project has made. They will use this new technology instead of reproducing naturally. The Tlics way of reproducing symbolizes this idea of altering nature for ones benefit. It is not natural to manipulate the way reproduction was intended to be and in both real life and in "Bloodchild" this is done. The reproduction process in the short story "Bloodchild" is terrorizing and painful. In order to get the eggs out the Tlic must cut open the Taran's body through a bloody procedure. Gan, the main Taran character, witnesses the another Taran having "birth" and is forever scarred by this event. He was previously unaware that the process was so disgusting because his entire life he was taught that bearing Tlics' children was the beautiful way of life. Similarly, "designer babies" seem like a fantastic invention. To be able to pick your child's genes and determine what they will look like so they can live successful, healthy, and easy lives seems like a miracle to some people. However, analyzing the idea it becomes obvious that this phenomenon is completely unethical. To change the way a child looks in order to make it look better is a superficial and selfish act. This selfishness that many are discovering is parallel to the horror and pain Gan encounters when he finds out more about the reproduction process in his world. Although science can be a beautiful thing, it is important to keep in mind that humans were put here for a reason. We need to make sure that any new technology benefits the common good and not just individuals looking for an easy way out.

Butler, Octavia E. "Bloodchild." The Years Best Science Fiction. Ed. Gardner Dozois. New York, 1985. 64-81. Print.