Bloodchild Essay

In “Bloodchild” Gan’s own reflective process of learning and analyzing teaches college students of the risks and rewards of academic partnership based upon SUNY Geneseo Mission, Vision, and Values. According to “Bloodchild” Gan’s role is to be the host for T’Gatoi for her parasitic eggs once she’s ready to have her own children as part of the contract that maintains their peace within the preserve. T’Gatoi has given up everything to serve and be a part of Gan’s family. In this case, I can see why Gan relates so well with our SUNY Geneseo Mission, Vision, and Values. Geneseo’s Mission claims that as a public liberal arts college, staff and members work together to make sure that they are building this school to advance knowledge and inspire many students on campus to be responsible and be aware to be prepared for an enriched life and full of success. As a college student, you are exploring and seeking out your options when it comes to colleges and whether you feel like staying and committing to a certain college is going to help you grow individually.

College students are expected to act like adults and make decisions for themselves. When college students commit to a school they are required to go by the rules and do as they are told in order to be successful. Many college students devote their time and money to a school they believe would benefit them. According to Citadel’s Mission statement, they devote their time to educating students as South Carolina Corps of Cadets in preparing them for post-graduate programs of a military-based environment. Citadel is very specific and clear unlike SUNY Geneseo’s Mission statement on what they are looking for in regards to their school. Citadel states that “the Cadet lifestyle provides a structured environment that supports growth and development, and consists of the four pillars of intellect, discipline, physical fitness, and character values. This relates very well to Gan’s family situation because they have dedicated and given up everything to be on the Tlic planet and follow by the rules and be willing to learn from the other Tlics, such as T’gatoi. As stated in “Bloodchild” T’Gatoi was the Tlic government official in charge of the preserve, and the most important of her kind to deal with Terrans, so Gan and his other siblings have been taught to behave and be respectful with T’Gatoi and always be obedient. 

College students behave the same way and take risks in order to reach their ultimate goal, which is having the ability to become somebody in the future. Although in “Bloodchild” Gan’s only goal is to protect his family and himself from having to ever birth eggs again, his goal is to escape from the Tlics after he found out from Qui, his oldest brother, that a man was being eaten by the Tlic larva he was carrying after they hatched and had nowhere else to go. His first instinct right away was that the Terrans were being used by the Tlics as like cattle, and being lied to by T’Gatoi. This was when his only intention was the thought of escaping, although almost making it impossible for him because it will only lead him to his own death and possibly his family’s, as well as Qui, has mentioned. This same concept goes for most college students who commit to a specific major and once they have experienced the courses within their major, and cannot connect or keep up with the courses, their only option, therefore is to completely change their major or transfer. It requires a lot for a college student to change their major, as they have to be completely honest with themselves if it’s something that they really want to stick to before making a decision. The same thing falls for Gan in the situation where if he chooses to want to escape and look towards his own death or rather continue to serve for T’Gatoi. Gan then chooses to think about whether he will let T’Gatoi take his other siblings in favor of being manipulated as the host or rather accept his role rather than give anyone else. This right here shows a level of responsibility and personal growth as an adult, just as Gan had stated “If we’re not your animals if these are adult things, accept the risk. There is a risk, Gatoi, in dealing with a partner” (Butler, 24). At this very moment is when T’Gatoi starts to finally notice Gan making choices for himself, allowing her to agree with him and make the decision of implanting Gan. Connecting “Bloodchild” to the many colleges in the world holds pretty much the same idea on how we are mostly expected to act like adults, and how were expected to expand and grow our mindset in order to further go out and explore the world some day. 

Also, the story of “Bloodchild” relates so well to how many students in society are pressured into the idea of how the only way you’ll really be successful is if you go to college. We are usually pressured by our families to go to college because it is the only way we’ll ever become educated and professional adults. Our whole life we have been told constantly by our parents how our life is centered around the idea of going to college. In reality, it is up to that individual to make it up to themselves to choose whether or not it is for them. Honestly, anybody can be successful in whether or not you end up going to college, it depends on what you dedicate yourself to. Going back to “Bloodchild” and Gan’s choice in whether he believes it or not in himself that this is a practice that he chooses to participate in his own desire. Because Gan does not want to give up his family, he makes it in his power to participate in this practice and sacrifice himself for them. He makes this an opportunity for him to learn how to lose his fear and become somebody else in the situation.

 To the many students that experience this and go through the same situation and feel forced into doing something that they desire not to do. It should be in their own power to speak up for themselves and make the right decision just as Gan did in “Bloodchild” in whether or not it is something they feel like they should do rather than just doing it because someone else had told you to. Nobody in society should be forced into doing something they do not wish to accomplish doing. This story has given me the opportunity to follow Gan’s steps, in becoming a true inspiration, a leader, and having the ability to make my own decisions. This story has taught me what it really means to know when and how to allow yourself to take risks throughout critical situations in life. But, also allow yourself to grow personally through these situations and also look at it from an opposing viewpoint. 

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