An Analysis of Rufus

     If there is a good word to describe Rufus it is disappointing. Throughout the novel, he constantly argues with his father, disagreeing with him on many topics, but as the story progresses, it becomes evident to the reader how alike the two become. He constantly tries to be a good person, but succumbs to his impulses, doing what is easy and not what is right. This leads to his absolutely horrendous behavior, raping his love interest and breaking up families. It is almost like he recognizes how terrible he is, and yet does not have the willpower to stop himself, leading to his final moments in which he tries to rape Dana before being stabbed. This blog will attempt to unpack Rufus as a character, following him until his final moments before death.
    He is first introduced to Dana when drowning, but never gets a chance to speak to her, so instead I will be jumping ahead to The Fire. In this scene, Dana is brought back to 1815, and is finally properly introduced to a young Rufus. At this age, he seems quite malleable, upset with his father, and a polar opposite to the person he would one day become. While not knowing better, he calls Dana a slur, but when she asks him to call her by name or "a black woman... that's it" (Butler 22), instead, he agrees without a complaint. While he is used to being called Master by other black people, he does not mind when she does not. It is clear that he respects Dana, but that also he is just a product of his environment. He is not old enough to think too critically of the environment around him and the morality of the things he and his family do. After reading this scene, one might even be forgiven for thinking he would grow up to be different than his father. Even the third time she returns during The Fall, he shares these characteristics of being somewhat changeable or even likable, but this soon changes. 
    On Dana's fourth trip back to the past five years later, Rufus is not the innocent young boy he once was. He has become much meaner, much more intent on his new fixation: Alice. He does still respect Dana, exemplified by his continuous asking of permission to use her medicines rather than just taking them from her. However, this does not mean he is all good, as he has developed more greedy and manipulative tendencies shown by his refusal to actually mail Dana's letters, instead choosing to keep the letters and Dana to himself, treating her and Alice like toys that he alone is entitled to having or 'owning'. This culminates in the emotionally charged and unbelievably horrible scene in which he asks for Dana's help in raping Alice. He could just do what he likes with Alice against her will, but instead he exercises his power over both Dana and Alice, manipulating both of them, and proving that while they both might have some small increased privileges above the other slaves, they are still his property and he is still their owner. No quote does a better job of showing how he handles the situation than Rufus saying point-blank to Dana, "Go to her. Send her to me. I'll have her whether you help or not. All I want you to do is fix it so I don't have to beat her. You're no friend of hers if you won't do that much" (Butler 177).
    Later in The Fight, Dana attempts to run away as Rufus has still not sent her letters to Kevin, but she is caught and whipped as Rufus’ real personality begins to show. Even when Kevin finally does arrive, Rufus attempts to stop them from leaving, going as far to pull out a gun on them. Throughout the novel, he recognizes his wrongs, but does not fix them. He consistently argues that he loves Alice, but if he truly loved her, he would not continue to rape her and cause her pain. However, looking back on the novel, it is clear that he was always this way. While it is true that his environment shaped how he grew up, even at a young age he needed things to go his way or else he would get mad. This is shown by him burning his fathers curtains and now as an adult he continues to act this way. In reality, he never mentally matures, and until his final moments truly believes that he deserves everything he wants and will somehow get it, either through charisma or force.