Fledgling

Fledgling is primarily an allegory meant to illustrate the deadly power of white supremacy in our society. Octavia E. Butler uses the Ina, a vampiric species closely related to humans, to show how racism is so systemic that it can even transcend species. The Silk family, Katharine Dahlman, and their sympathizers believe that Shori Matthews’s (Black) human DNA goes against the very fabric of the “superior” Ina species. They consider humans—even symbionts who are needed for Ina survival—to be beneath Ina and no better than animals. Although Shori’s dark skin allows her to stay awake during the day and withstand the sun longer than pale Ina, the Silks denounce the genetic experiments that made her possible. In a racist twist on the “slippery slope” fallacy, the Silks also believe that Shori’s Blackness will somehow lead to harmful genetic modifications of their species. This alludes to the historical fear of miscegenation, which led to the criminalization of interracial marriage. Although America’s anti-miscegenation laws were struck down in 1967, widespread fear of interracial relationships and the “tainting” of the white race still exist today. The Silks fear the genetic “marriage” of human and Ina DNA, which is the basis of Shori’s existence. However, Daniel Gordon proves this fear wrong: “[Shori] not only survived twice, but [she] [...] led the fight to destroy most of the assassins and to question the survivors. They thought mixing human genes with [Ina] would weaken [them]. [Shori] proved them very wrong” (225).

When Wright first suggests that the murders of Shori’s family were fueled by racist Ina against Shori’s existence, the Gordons adamantly reject the idea. According to them, “human racism meant nothing to the Ina because human races meant nothing to them. They looked for congenial human symbionts wherever they happened to be, without regard for anything but personal appeal” (154). Still, Wright argues that “[Ina seem] to be as much made up of individuals as [humans]. Some people are ethical, some aren’t” (148). Like those who deny that racism exists because they themselves are not racist and/or have not experienced racism, the Gordons have formed a general belief of their species based on individual behavior. The Pervasiveness of Racism and White Supremacy does not mean everyone is secretly racist. However, societal institutions are historically founded on racism and white supremacy, resulting in them being deeply embedded in modern systems (and people) of power. While the Silks’ crimes are framed as a rare, singular case of Ina racism, their effects will be felt for generations to come. Shori’s Biological Family is still dead, and her old memories are gone. Far from framing white supremacy as an isolated incident, the novel presents it as devastating and enduring.