While the main theme of a science-fiction story Bloodchild by Octavia Butler is frequently interpreted as slavery, the author insists that the main theme of this story is the obligation to pay the rent. However, the interpretations of slavery and obligation to pay the rent are not mutually exclusive, because the obligation to pay the rent forces humans to become slaves and have to provide their bodies for incubating the Tlics’ eggs.
Though the events depicted in this dystopian story unfold on an alien planet inhabited by insect hosts, the reality depicted by Butler has a partial resemblance to modern life. Aside from the sci-fi elements of the plot, including the male humans incubating the eggs, huge insects with numerous limbs ruling the planet, and others, the relationships between the characters, their daily problems, values, and lifestyles are similar to those of modern people. In that regard, the pattern of narration chosen by the author can be defined as a symbolic representation of present-day society. For example, a mother sacrifices her portion of eggs (which are used as drugs and medicine) so that her children could have more.
The mother asks the main protagonist to treat the governmental official honorably which is common in the real world. One more important symbol is the representation of political life on the dystopian planet. Political parties are attempting to violate or protect the rights of humans. At the same time, even the most powerful insects have to take into consideration the positions of people because Tlics depend upon humans depend upon the human race in terms of survival of their species.
The same goes for real-life politicians who depend upon their potential voters and can use citizens’ interests for planning their manipulations. Despite this mutual dependence, humans have to pay the rent for living on the alien planet. Surely, the obligation to give one of the children for incubating the eggs is an extreme form of payment, but it symbolically represents the state of affairs inside the housing sector. Those citizens, who pay the rent monthly, can be compared to slaves because they are afraid of changing anything in their lives.
The author’s interpretation of the main theme of Bloodchild as an obligation to pay the rent can be explained with the specifics of social realities in the modern world. Whereas slavery was abolished at the end of the nineteenth century, humanity invented a variety of modern alternatives that bear different names but have similar outcomes. Notably, Tlics choose male humans for incubating their eggs because they want females to give birth to human babies.
However, this decision has nothing in common with caring for the human race because Tlics care only for the future of their species and view humans as instruments for achieving their own goals. Thus, the modern illusion of freedom and the situation depicted in the story under analysis are explained with the need to pay the rent but have much in common with the traditional understanding of the concept of slavery.
Octavia Butler who interprets the main theme of her science-fiction story Bloodchild as the need to pay the rent does not contradict the interpretations of the main theme of her work as slavery. As can be seen from the parallels between the realities depicted in this dystopian story and observed in modern life, the obligation to pay the rent can be represented as the modern alternative to slavery.