Critical Writers

Some people come from families where they are forced to mature at a very young age. Some obvious examples are not normally practiced in the United States, such as arranged marriages, but there are areas in America that force children to grow up too young, such as families that may not have a responsible parental figure in the house, or families that need more money to survive. Many times, in instances like these, the children of the family are forced to step up and act in adult ways in order to keep themselves alive, especially if there are siblings in the house usually the responsibility falls on the oldest sibling. Octavia Butler’s Bloodchild contends that the pace in which others are forced to travel towards maturity may seem unfair, but giving acceptance towards such inevitable situations, rather than dwelling on it, is what enables others to grow more- and at their own pace. Butler shows this through the main character, Gan, who is forced to grow up too fast within his society.

In Bloodchild, on a planet that is Earth-like but is not Earth, there’s a preservation where humans, called Terrans, live among an alien-like species, the Tlic. The Tlic cannot reproduce on their own, which is why they live together with the Terrans in a partnership. Within this partnership, the Tlic of the household provides protection and sterile eggs, while the Terrans of the house must give up one their own children to be the host for the Tlic eggs. Bloodchild specifically tells the story of the main character, Gan, and his family. Gan was selected before he was even born to be the child that would one day be a host, having his stomach cut open and eggs extracted from his body. Gan was shown diagrams depicting what would happen to him, so he knew what was expected of him. Despite this, Gan still did not fully understand the procedure he was going to go through. Gan soon realized the horrors of the procedure he was going to go through when he decided to help T’Gatoi, a Tlic he became close with, perform the same procedure on someone else. There, he saw firsthand the painfulness of it all. Aiding T’Gatoi in this process that he was soon about to endure himself made him more mature and think in adult ways before he even would have had to. After seeing T’Gatoi take the eggs out of the Terran, Gan took out a contraband rifle, and was going to end his own life to avoid this process being done on himself. When T’Gatoi found him with the gun, she wanted to get rid of the rifle, in fear that Gan would kill her. This is when Gan stated, “…if these are adult things, accept the risk. There is risk, Gatoi, in dealing with a partner”. This quote shows that Gan has thought through the procedure he is about to have done on himself, and has decided that he will follow through with it as long as T’Gatoi accepts the risk of having the rifle stay in the house, just as Gan is accepting the risk of pain while hosting T’Gatoi’s eggs. Even though Gan seeing the procedure on someone else was not supposed to happen, he learned from it and came out more mature in the end as he  was able to evaluate the risks of his partnership.

The process of learning and then maturing is one that many college students can relate to. The day that students apply to SUNY Geneso, they must start abiding by the code of conduct-specifically the portion relating to student conduct. The student conduct documents lay out a list of rules these incoming students must adhere to and come along with consequences if they do not. For some students, they have just turned 18, and this is the first time they are being treated as an adult. The student code of conduct therefore gives them a model for how they should be behaving. Though they may not be considered growing up too young, since they are now technically adults, being on their own and having these guidelines forces them to truly grow into the adults they are already classified as. While most of the rules in the code of conduct includes laws that people generally know they should not break, there are other ones that are more college-based and aim to shape the students into adults such as the category of “disruption of regular college activities”, various forms of “dishonesty”, “theft or abuse of computer resources”, and “incitement of others to commit any of the acts prohibited.” Most of these are not exactly illegal to go against at the state level, but they do aim to shape the students at SUNY Geneseo into adults that are capable of good judgement, which is a positive outcome of student’s awareness of it.

I myself can relate to Gan as I was entering college and having to make big adult decisions when I had just turned 18, and from the standpoint of being a child that had to grow up way too young. Though not every family experiences instances where the children have to act as adults, and most children can live out their childhood at a somewhat normal pace, lots of children in America are forced to give up some aspects of their childhood and teenage years in order to keep the family going. My own case of having to grow up at an early age was not that of an irresponsible parent or a family that was not making enough money. Instead, what forced me to grow up too fast was my mother’s health. Starting when I was only in fourth grade, I was cooking simple meals for my siblings and helping them with homework because my mom had (and continues to have) many health issues, and therefore was frequently in the hospital for months on end. It initially started with just cooking, cleaning, and helping occasionally with homework, but as I got older, during the short periods that my mother was out of the hospital, I then added changing her bandages and preparing her IV bags for her PIC line when she couldn’t eat to the list. Though I didn’t mind helping out- because I knew if my mom could be home she would- and I know my siblings appreciated me stepping up, I was still forced into growing up way too young and forced to do things that other children my age would likely not even know about. Every year, until about tenth grade, I found myself cooking, cleaning, and tutoring more than hanging out with friends or playing games. In a way, I feel like these experiences I had helped me become more mature than people my age even today, which I am thankful for. These experiences also helped me relate Bloodchild back to my own life and college as well. Similar to Gan, I was told about and shown the things I had to do to help my mom out with her bandages, but I didn’t realize how hard it would be to do it all on my own, which is similar to how Gan reflected on his situation after seeing what was going to happen to him.

Though college students are technically already adults, the code of conduct makes sure the students mature into the adults they are labeled as, just as children can mature faster than others due to their circumstances at home, and just as how I was affected regarding my mother’s health. The same process is shown as Gan watches T’Gatoi harvest eggs out of a different Terran. A reoccurring idea that is proved throughout all these examples and is shown through Octavia Butler’s Bloodchild is that some situations in life are inevitable, but your outlook on such situations can determine whether you will continue to linger over your hardships, or learn and grow from them instead.

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 go by the rules and are very 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. Gan and the rest have learned to have a mutual relationship with T’Gatoi.

This same concept goes for most college students if their goal is to become someone successful. College students in order to achieve their goal they have to make choices in their life and commit to a specific major and they have to experience the courses within their major. They have to seek their options. It requires a lot for a college student to change their major, as they have to completely be honest with themselves if it’s something that they really want to stick to before making a decision.

 This same situation falls for Gan in where he has to choose to want to escape or rather look towards his own death. Gan 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 it to anyone else. This right here shows a level of responsibility Gan is willing to take upon and grow as an adult. 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). There T’Gatoi suddenly starts to finally notice that Gan is making his own choices. She allows herself to agree with him and make the decision of implanting Gan because at that point she realizes that this is something Gan really wants and is risking everything for. Gan has been chosen to be the host for T’Gatoi. Having this opportunity T’Gatoi has focused on taking care of after Gan and his family. Gan has realized that even though he’s been through all of T’Gatoi’s ordering, her duty, her pride, and pain. Gan notices that as harsh and bossy she can be he realizes he loves her. 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. We have to seek our options but at the end of the day, we have to choose what we best love. 

The story of “Bloodchild” relates 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 force anyone into doing something you don’t want to. But you have to ask yourself if this can lead you to something you really want to accomplish. Can this opportunity benefit you in any way? 

This story has given me the opportunity to follow Gan’s steps into becoming a true leader, making wise decisions as an adult and having the ability to incorporate personal growth. According to GLOBE Gan incorporates the learning outcomes shown on this website because Gan utilizes the idea of what it means to own leadership and global awareness and engagement within the Tlic planet. He was driven to changing his view of his world, as said and stated by Gan “This was a good and necessary thing Tlic and Terran did together– a kind of birth”. “Bloodchild” has taught me what it really means to know when and how to allow yourself to take risks in critical situations of your life. But, also allow yourself to grow personally throughout these situations and look at it from an opposing viewpoint. 

Some people come from families where they are forced to grow at a very young age. Some obvious examples are not normally practiced in the United States, such as arranged marriages, but there are areas in America that force children to grow up too young, such as families that may not have a responsible parental figure in the house, or families that need more money to survive. Many times, in instances like these, the children of the family are forced to step up and act in adult ways in order to keep themselves alive, especially if there are siblings in the house usually the responsibility falls on the oldest sibling. In Octavia Butler’s Bloodchild, the main character, Gan, is also forced to grow up too young and act in adult ways, even when he is very unsure of the outcome. I myself can relate to Gan as I was entering college and having to make big adult decisions when I had just turned 18, and from the standpoint of being a child that had to grow up way too young.

In Bloodchild, on a planet that is Earth-like but is not Earth, there’s a preservation where humans, called terrens, live among an alien like species, the tilc. The tilc cannot reproduce on their own, which is why they live together with the terrens in a partnership. Within this partnership, the tilc of the household provides protection and sterile eggs, and the terrens of the house must give one child up to be the host for the tilc eggs. Bloodchild specifically tells the story of the main character, Gan, and his family. Gan was selected before he was even born to be the child that would one day be the host and grew very close to the tilc, T’Gatoi. Gan knew what was expected of him because he was told about it and shown diagrams depicting what would happen to him. Despite this, Gan still did not fully understand the procedure he was going to go through. Gan soon realized the horrors of what he was going to go through when Gan decided to stay and help T’Gatoi perform a procedure and saw firsthand the painfulness of it all. Aiding T’Gatoi in this process that he was soon about to endure himself made him grow up and think in adult ways before he even would have had to. After seeing T’Gatoi take the eggs out of the terren, Gan took out their contraband rifle and was going to end his life to avoid this process being done on himself. When T’Gatoi found him, she wanted to get rid of the rifle which is when Gan stated “…if these are adult things, accept the risk. There is risk, Gatoi, in dealing with a partner”. This  quote shows that Gan has thought through this process he is about to have done, and has decided that he will follow through with it as long as T’Gatoi accepts the risk of having the rifle stay in the house, just as Gan is accepting the risk of pain while hosting T’Gatoi’s eggs. Even though Gan seeing the procedure on someone else was not supposed to happen, he learned from it and came out more mature.

Though not every family experiences instances where the children have to act as adults, and most children can live out their childhood at a somewhat normal pace, lots of children in America are forced to give up some aspects of their childhood and teenage years in order to keep the family going. My own case of having to grow up at an early age was not that of an irresponsible parent or a family that was not making enough money. Instead, what forced me to grow up too fast was my mother’s health. Starting when I was only in fourth grade, I was cooking simple meals for my siblings and helping them with homework because my mom had (and continues to have) many health issues, and therefore was frequently in the hospital for months on end. It initially started with just cooking, cleaning, and helping occasionally with homework, but as I got older, during the short periods that my mother was out of the hospital, I then added changing her bandages and preparing her IV bags for her PIC line when she couldn’t eat to the list. Though I didn’t mind helping out- because I knew if my mom could be home she would- and I know my siblings appreciated me stepping up, I was still forced into growing up way too young and forced to things that other children my age would likely not even know about. Every year, until about tenth grade, I found myself cooking, cleaning, and tutoring more than hanging out with friends or playing games. In a way, I feel like these experiences I had helped me be more mature than people my age even today, which I am thankful for. These experiences also help me relate bloodchild back to my own life and college as well. Similar to Gan, I was told about and shown the things I had to do to help my mom out with her bandages, but I didn’t realize how hard it would be to do it all on my own, which is similar to how Gan reflected on his situation after seeing what was going to happen to him.

The process of learning and then maturing is one that many college students can relate to. The day that students apply to SUNY Geneso, they must start abiding by the code of conduct-specifically the portion relating to student conduct. The student conduct documents lay out a list of rules these incoming students must adhere to and come along with consequences if they do not. For some students, they have just turned 18 and this is the first time they are being treated as an adult. The student code of conduct therefore gives them a model for how they should be behaving. Though they may not be considered growing up too young since they are now technically adults, being on their own and having these guidelines forces them to truly grow into the adults they are already classified as. While most of the rules in the code of conduct includes laws that people generally know they should not break, there are other ones that are more college-based and aim to shape the students into adults such as the category of “disruption of regular college activities”, various forms of “dishonesty”, “theft or abuse or computer resources”, and “incitement of others to commit any of the acts prohibited.” Most of these are not exactly illegal to go against at the state level, but they do aim to shape the students at SUNY Geneseo into adults that capable of good judgement, which is a positive outcome of student’s awareness of it.

Though college students are technically already adults, the code of conduct makes sure the students mature into the adults they are labeled as, just as children can mature faster than others due to their circumstances at home, and just as how I was affected regarding my mother’s health. The same process is shown as Gan watches T’Gatoi harvest eggs out of a different terren. A reoccurring idea that is proved throughout all these examples are that some situations in life are inevitable. Although the pace in which others like Gan are forced to travel towards maturity may seem unfair, giving acceptance towards such inevitable situations, rather than dwelling on it, is what enables others to grow more- and at their own pace.

Mackenzie Jefferson

March 26, 2020

Plagiarism Policy and Bloodchild 

Introduction

Bloodchild by Octavia Butler is a short story that is about the relationship between a boy named Gan and a creature named T’Gatoi. In this world, the Terrans are ruled over by Tlic. T’Gatoi and Gan’s relationship on paper looks like a happy love story. However, the relationship is abusive and domineering. T’Gatoi and Gan have a power dynamic where T’Gatoi holds all the power. This strange power dynamic can be seen at SUNY Geneseo. Most notably in the Plagiarism Modules. Plagiarism is a problem plaguing college campuses. Some students will do whatever it takes in order to maintain a perfect GPA. The school has laid out rules in order to prevent this from happening. Instead of fostering an environment where grades do not necessarily reflect intelligence or create more achievable GPA goals. The university uses scary repercussions if someone is thought to have plagiarized. Even if someone plagiarized themselves. This unfair dynamic does not need to be in a relationship like in Blood Child; or in academic partnership.

Body Paragraph 1: 

The relationship between T’Gatoi and Gan was unequal. T’Gatoi and Gan should have had an equal relationship but T’Gatoi had all the power. For example, T’Gatoi strips down Lomas and tells Gan to go out and slaughter a large animal and bring it back. Gan has never done this before and hesitates and then she hits him with her tail: hard. Gan quickly got up and looked for a weapon to kill an animal. This shows the inequality between the two. In an urgent situation, T’Gatoi hits Gan. This was extremely abusive behavior and Gan still responds to this. He listens to her. This highlights their inequality. The relationship with the school is the same way. The student and the administration should be on the same playing field. However, this is not the case when it comes to plagiarism. Academic dishonesty for the school it writes. “If the student denies responsibility and the faculty member is convinced that the student is not responsible, the matter is dropped.” However, in the same article, it lays an article out a plan to directly punish a student if not believed to be true. This highlights the abusive nature of the school to make sure students follow the rules.

Body Paragraph 2: 

T’Gatoi has a lot of power. T’Gatoi instituted a policy united the Tilc and Terrans families. T’Gatoi was what stood between the Terrans and the desperate Tilc. The who; family knows they owe everything to T’Gatoi. T’Gatoi is shown asserting abusive and unnecessary power on to the family. But because of her political power, the family knows that they owe T’Gatoi everything.

Body Paragraph 3:

 T’Gatoi had an indifference to Lomas pain. Gan is thinking only of Lomas’ pain

T’Gatoi was also been seen to be insensitive to emotional turmoil her iron fist control over Gan and his family. For example, T’Gatoi cut up Lomas with her claw. Lomas screamed in agony but paid little attention and licked the blood way. Gan feels he will have to vomit soon. T’Gatoi shows noticeable indifference to Lomas pain and reinforces the divide between Terrans and the Tilc. T’Gatoi thinking only of the babies. Gan seeing Lomas’s pain. 

Body Paragraph 4: 

Qui has already witnessed a similar traumatic experience to what Gan will soon witness. He doesn’t have this foundation of trust; he was not raised by Tilc rather than face the problem Qui runs away. Gan doesn’t have fear or hate towards the Tilc as Qui does. Qui still makes sure he gets his egg. Instead of being unafraid like Gan. Qui often runs away from reality. I think this is similar to the story recommended to the student to read in the plagiarism module The Story is called the peak and it’s a scary story where college students were suspended for plagiarism. A scary tale to read to convince students to stay far away from plagiarism. However, the story wants us to fear the administration and want them to feel bad for what they have done. For example, it says It must be extremely frustrating for those honest students

to see a small number of fellow students taking an unfair academic

advantage

Conclusion:

Geneseo’s policy on Plagiarism is messed up. It needs to be revised. Blood Child explained the abusive relationship between. 

In the course of our everyday lives, we as humans utilize the art of bartering. This daily exchange can range from the purchase of our breakfast to a prospective negotiation for a job promotion. As humans, it is common to makeexchanges for purposes of convenience. Convenience is defined as something conductive to comfort or ease. Some may argue that not all exchanges are an attempt to lessen a burden perhaps, if the exchange is completed out of necessity. Despite that fact, I encourage you to consider one of the leading industries in the United States, the fast-food industry. The U.S. Department of Agriculture tells us that much of their revenue is from people who wanted easy and quick access to food, people who sought after convenience. While we could discuss the ins-and-outs of the agriculture industry, that example revealed how often people seek out convenience. A subset of people who are frequent to act out of convenience are students, for common cases such as plagiarism. Colleges are aware of student’s habits and to counteract inappropriate behavior, they create a rulebook to which students are bound and may face consequences for violations of these rules. SUNY Geneseo was no exception when they created the Geneseo Student Code of Conduct, specifically Article 4: Proscribed Conduct which outlines that if students violate the rules, they may face consequences up to suspension determined by the Conduct Board. So, this begs the question, “What are students willing to exchange for convenience?” Some may see the conduct board as a sort of punishment, but in Article 4 it is noted that, “a college conduct proceeding is not a trial; any attempt to make it similar would seriously impair its educational function.” Having a student take “The dangers of alcohol” course could reduce the risk of an excessive drinking habit or stop them completely. Thus, distinguishing it as a learning process for the student.

The learning process for the student is comparable to that of Gan’s in “Bloodchild” by Octavia Butler because like Gan, as students we must peel back the surface layers to gain a deeper understanding of the situation to eventually learn from it. Before we seek to understand the learning process of Gan, we must first understand the world in which Gan lived. Gan and his family were identified as the Terrans, or humans. Although there was a presence of humans, the planet that the Terrans inhabited was not Earth. In fact, this planet inhabited an alien-like species known as the Tlic. The Terrans were desperate for a place to live and the Tlic were no longer able to reproduce their own species. Considering the situation, the Tlic government and Terrans entered an agreement. This exchange provided the Terrans with a home and protection among Tlic families. In return, the Terran families would give a child to act as a host for the Tlic children so they could continue their reproduction.

In this scenario, Gan was responsible for hosting a child and was partnered with a Tlic government official by the name of T’Gatoi. Initially Gan was excited to be a part of T’Gatoi’s life, and even saw it as an honor. While this may have been true, Gan had a different interpretation of this situation compared to his other family members. On page 6 it says, “T’Gatoi’s limbs closed around her… I had always found it comfortable to lie that way, but except for my older sister no one else in my family liked it. They said it made them feel caged.” With this Gan reveals to the audience that he didn’t feel trapped with T’Gatoi, in fact he was accepting of his relationship with her and in turn was ready to become the host for T’Gatoi.

Gan’s belief that he was ready to be become “pregnant” with T’Gatoi’s children was short lived, as he bore witness to his first Tlic birth. Gan and T’Gatoi had to aid the birth for Bram Lomas as his Tlic was not available. It was during this process that Gan became aware of its gruesome and painful nature, as noted on page 15, “His body convulsed with the first cut… I had never heard such sounds come from anything human” This process frightened and scarred Gan, “I knew childbirth was painful… but this was something else, something worse… closing my eyes didn’t help.” At this point nothing could reconcile Gan’s feeling about the childbirth. In fact, directly following the birth, he entered an argument with his brother Qui. An argument that allowed anger concerning T’Gatoi and childbirth to arise in Gan. An anger that followed him into a conversation with T’Gatoi.

Allowing anger to enter the conversation obscured and clouded its original purpose.

The anger that Gan felt clouded his true emotions in his argument wit T’Gatoi. In the argument Gan struggles with the possibility of childbirth and considers allowing his sister to fill his place. Although Gan ultimately decided to have T’Gatoi’s children, he carries some of his reservations into the impregnation process. During this process, he made an inadvertent movement that harmed T’Gatoi, “I expected to be caged… When I wasn’t, I held on to her again, feeling oddly ashamed.” (Butler 27) This reveals that even with no prior experiences of feeling caged by T’Gatoi, he was holding on to his perceived notions that ultimately left him feeling ashamed of himself.

Have you allowed your preconceived notions to corrupt life experiences?

After this process, T’Gatoi and Gan have a conversation that reveals Gan’s true feelings. “It wasn’t hate. I know what it was. I was afraid.” (Butler 28) Upon further reflection and allowing himself to think about his feelings, Gan was able to peel back beyond the surface to reveal his true feelings. It is also important to consider that Gan’s realization about his true feelings emerged from a conversation he was having with T’Gatoi. This process is strikingly similar to a student’s typical learning habits as we frequently engage in discussions with both students and our professors.

It is important to never understate the power of a conversation in which both parties are listening and are willing to delve deeper.

Through Bloodchild, we were able to bear witness to Gan’s learning process which included the convenient measures Gan was willing to take. Regardless of its subconscious or conscious nature, by not initially unpacking his feelings and settling for what was at the surface, Gan embarked on the easy path. Some of you may be asking yourself, “Is Gan responsible for his subconscious behavior?” The answer is yes, because when you plan to engage in an agreement, you owe it to yourself and your partner to reflect on every decision you make and every emotion you feel. In this case, Gan, out of convenience, avoided his true feelings inadvertently hurting T’Gatoi with his actions which were derived from his preconceived notions. Ultimately, as the consequence Gan was forced to have the conversation that he attempted to avoid earlier.

The Geneseo Code of Conduct outlines the same process that Gan and T’Gatoi embarked on. The Conduct Board represents the best situation for learning as noted in Article 4, “The conduct proceeding requires an open discussion rather than an adversarial debate.” The conduct board reveals that Geneseo creates an environment where the students and the board can have an open discussion. Even if the student’s actions do result in a consequence, the conversation was had that will promote deeper thinking and deeper reflection on behalf of the student. To the naysayers that still see this as a burdening process, I implore you to consider the statement, “The College is committed to providing due process to all students involved in the College conduct proceedings.” Due process is defined as the right to be heard. If the college truly wanted to punish its students, it would not create a space of open discussion where the student is encouraged to paint their side of the story. The lesson here is that you must be willing to take the less convenient route in life if you want to develop a deeper understanding of your feelings and the world around you. After all, we aren’t here to do what is easy, we are here to do what is right.

For most students, going to college is an experience unlike any other they have had in their lives so far. Students are faced with a myriad of new choices and decisions that they can make, usually on their own, for the first time. For many this freedom is exhilarating, and there is no shortage of clichés citing college as the “best four years of your life,” or as the place where students can grow up and transition from adolescence to emerging adulthood. As these students are learning and developing, it can occur that these higher education institutions act as students’ parents in order to facilitate their moral growth in ways that the institutions approve. This doctrine is called in loco parentis. While its prevalence in colleges has significantly decreased in recent decades, some of its principles still appear in contemporary pieces of legislation and literature within higher education. For example, analyzing SUNY Geneseo’s Student Code of Conduct (S.C.C.) shows that the college is not completely divested of this ideology. At the same time, recent actions of other institutions wherein they use students’ cell phones to track them (Harwell) demonstrates more willingness to continue the legacy of in loco parentis. These events can be points of contention between college students and their institutions’ administration. In turn, this strife can cause tension in the academic partnership that both students and admin are engaged in. In seeking a solution, or at the very least guidance, students can turn to the protagonist of Octavia Butler’s “Bloodchild,” Gan. While the title’s circumstances are very varied from those that college students encounter, many face similar struggles with regard to their relationship with authority. For Gan, it is his—and his race’s—relationship with the Tlic alien race. For college students, their institution’s administration is the authority. In attempts to reconcile with the troubling authority perceived by college students through the SCC, cell phone tracking, and in loco parentis in general, Gan’s experiences throughout “Bloodchild” can be a useful guide due to the similarities he experiences and the conclusions he realizes.  

            The first piece of legislation that poses perhaps the most concern is the SCC, particularly because we are all students at Geneseo. It has clear displays of in loco parentis, with the earliest examples in Article I. There, it explains that the SCC is based on “behavioral standards and expectations,” (para. 3) in line with the college’s mission and values. Later on, in Article IV Section B, it enumerates behaviors deemed “antithetical” to Geneseo (para. 1). While many of these prohibited behaviors are also local, state, or federal crimes, the language here—as well as in earlier cited sections—implies that the college wishes to mold its students into adults with certain ethical values of which the college approves. This can trouble many students and is not dissimilar to the manner that the Tlic treat the Terrans on the Preserve. On page 8, Gan explains his relationship with T’Gatoi and how it could extend to all Tlic-Terran relations. Gan was promised to Gatoi before birth, admitting that she wanted to be involved in all his “phases of development” (p 8). In other words, she wished to have an active role molding Gan. Later in that paragraph, Gan extols the benefits of Tlic adopting young Terrans. Thus, in the beginning of the story, Gan seems appreciative of being ushered into adulthood with an overarching guiding hand, in the same way that higher education institutions enforce in loco parentis.

            However, Gan’s views and opinions change in the wake of Lomas’ near death. This shift, especially when applied to other acts of in loco parentis perpetuated by colleges and universities, can be particularly useful to college students. One example was the subject of Drew Harwell’s article in The Washington Post; therein he detailed the increasingly widespread use of apps like SpotterEDU and Degree Analytics on college campuses to track students’ locations (Harwell, 2019). This information is used for attendance, and sometimes to calculate if a student’s mental health is declining (Harwell, 2019). Students in the article explain that this tracking is obliged, lest they want to face repercussions (Harwell, 2019). This harks back to “Bloodchild” quite literally because Gan and Lomas are both forced to carry armbands with their names and those of the Tlic they belong to (p 11). What’s more, it is brought up throughout the narrative that Terrans are restricted to the Preserve unless they are brought outside by a Tlic. Both limitations on free movement are similar to the what students at colleges that employ tools like SpotterEDU and Degree Analytics must face. In all cases, there is a higher authority dictating where people can and cannot go in a manner that goes beyond solely law.

            Both the SCC and Harwell’s article describe how higher education institutions are attempting to enact the principles of in loco parentis, and the similarities between Gan’s experiences and those of college students have been enumerated. This begs the question of how Gan’s narrative can help college students. The answer to this question lies within Gan’s existential crisis in the story’s last few pages. He questions whether he wants to bear Gatoi’s children after all, and even contemplates suicide with a banned firearm. First, it is important to recognize that, on some level the institutions, and their regulations, were ones that college students chose. Gatoi explains that the Terrans fled from a situation where they would have been killed or enslaved by others (p 25), that they chose to settle with the Tlic. Butler herself propagates this in her afterword when she calls this “a story about paying the rent” (p 31). These excerpts mean that when entering a partnership, there are some rights that you must give up. Just as public school students have fewer privacy rights in school, colleges expect students to give somethings up. This is the risk of an academic partnership. That being said, some schools, like the ones Harwell writes about, ask students to give up more than SUNY Geneseo. At those institutions, there are some students who are willing and undisturbed by the actions of SpotterEDU, while others are deeply uncomfortable (Harwell, 2019). What’s more, some institutions allow students to opt-out of the programs (Harwell, 2019). These choices and behaviors are reflected throughout “Bloodchild,” mostly between Qui and Gan’s opinions and life choices. In the end, Gan consents to Gatoi and the role that was set out for him before he was born.

            However, Gan’s ultimate acceptance of his fate does not mean that for college students they should simply take all of their institutions’ policy and act on it happily. When Gan is still holding the illegal gun, he tells Gatoi that it should remain in the household to “save my life someday” (p 26). At the same time, when Gatoi advocates that Terrans should be prevented from seeing births, Gan dissents, arguing that everyone should be exposed to it. These examples demonstrate perhaps the most important lesson to be learned from Gan: the importance of fighting for your rights and beliefs. When students are faced with legislation and rules that are too restrictive, that seem too much like colleges’ taking a direct hand in their moral growth, they should contest and make strides towards a better situation. This is seen in both examples: Gatoi lets Gan keep the gun, and he plants the idea in her mind of more public examples of Tlic births. These are the rewards that Gan incurs for the risk he’s taken.            

Gan’s experiences throughout “Bloodchild” can be analyzed by college students to help them understand more about the risk and rewards of an academic partnership, particularly in dealing with in loco parentis. In the face of authority on college campuses, it is important to first acknowledge that there are certain rights that students have given up by choosing to attend particular institutions. These are often enumerated in codes of conduct and are frequently more restrictive than what one would find outside of a campus. The severity also varies based on college, as Drew Harwell’s article explains in his investigation of tracking applications. Second, Gan’s story demonstrates that even if you do consent to the situation, it remains important to advocate for what you believe in.

“Colleges are Turning Students’ Phones into Surveillance Machines, Tracking the Locations of Hundreds of Thousands”, an article written by Drew Harwell was published to describe the injustices associated with institutions allowing the tracking of students through the use of their personal cell phones. While the institutions defend this by noting that monitoring increases attendance and allows for the detection of students who might have mental health issues, the overall concept of tracking students is unfair. This demonstrates the lack of trust the institution has with their students, and is a step backwards when allowing college students to behave like adults. Gan, the protagonist in the short story “Bloodchild”, by Octavia Butler, faces similar injustices to the college students. The relationships  and different levels of trust between the characters in the story and between the administrators and students in the article directly contribute to the risks and rewards associated with academic partnership.

Harwells’s article, “Colleges are Turning Students’ Phones into Surveillance Machines, Tracking the Locations of Hundreds of Thousands”, describes the injustices of forcing students to use the “SpotterEDU” app, which tracks students locations and automatically takes attendance in the student’s classes. The article explains that the app has multiple purposes, but is required for the student’s attendance which directly influences their grade. It notifies professors when a student misses class or comes in late. Most students believe this is an invasion of trust and privacy, and that the only side benefiting from the app is the school. The app is convenient for professors and administrators, but offers no gain for the students. This is happening on a college campus, where adults are tracking other adults. These actions could also potentially affect the student’s independence and freedom in the real world. If they feel they are being watched, less students will want to venture out and pursue their own interests. The relationship between the students and administration shows a lack of trust in the students. If they trusted them, they would allow them to attend classes on their own time. Tami Chievous, an athletic director at the university of Missouri, explains, “Students today have so many distractions…We have to make sure they’re doing the right thing” (Harwell). The administration is not treating them like adults and is enforcing their power onto the students. The lack of trust shown in the article can help in the discussion of the risks and rewards of academic partnership. This is also shown by the administrators not showing the full truth. Harwell states that students do not know what the bluetooth beacons that transmit signals from the app look like. They would not provide a photograph for the article so they could keep them hidden. This is another demonstration of the University’s lack of trust for their students.

Octavia Butler, author of “Bloodchild”, also indirectly discusses risks and rewards of academic partnership. Like Harwell’s article, the characters in “Bloodchild” also demonstrate fluctuating levels of trust. Gan is the youngest child, born with the purpose to serve T’Gatoi as a N’Tlic. T’Gatoi is an important and respected political figure who was always a family friend to Gan’s family. Gan grew up knowing and trusting T’Gatoi, and knew that one day he would have to carry her offspring. This all changed when he finally understood what this would entail. He witnessed a gruesome hatching of eggs and later was told a story about a birth gone even worse. These events drastically change how Gan looks at his future. He realizes he will be forced to go through an excruciating amount of pain and danger and there is nothing he can do about it. He was born into this life and he is now forced to give up his body for the Tlic’s benefit. The relationship he has with T’Gatoi was evaluated and he saw the lack of trust between them. Gan had originally put all of his trust in T’Gatoi but later realizes the power T’Gatoi has. He was not exposed to the realities of the birthing process and it was kept hidden from him. In addition, he realizes the unequal relationship between the Terran and the Tlic and eventually advocates for a change. He realized the injustices between the Terran and Tlic relationship, and had ultimatums for T’Gatoi. They were demands to make the relationship fair and equal. These demands were very reasonable and necessary.

Gan’s reflective process of learning described prior can easily be compared to that of college students. A lack of trust between students and administration in universities is sometimes relevant. Like Gan, students might feel that they are not given the full truth about their academics. For example, I have a class where it is unclear what percent of our grade our essays and exams account for. Scenarios like this can be a risk for students as they prepare for their classes and strive to achieve good grades. There  can also be a lack of trust issue when professors have strict attendance policies in place. It is understandable to enforce attendance, however occasionally it is impossible to attend class. Often, students will go to class when they are sick or are in a bad mental state because of attendance policies. Attending class while contagious puts a huge risk on the professors and other students, especially in an environment that we are currently in with the coronavirus. And while most Geneseo professors are lenient about attendance, there are still the occasional professors that will not allow missed classes or labs. Harwell’s article stands by the same theory, just to a higher level of extent. These inequalities should be fixed as Gan corrected them, by advocating for fair and equal relationships. This would benefit the administrators because students are more willing to listen to them if they are being treated fairly. It would also benefit students because they would not feel power over them, and might be more likely to address their issues.

Gan’s learning process is very similar to college students and they both are forced to develop certain levels of trust. The students Harwell’s article describes unhealthy trust levels between students and administration. These unhealthy relationships are ultimately negative for the students, but students can gain from Gan’s reflective processes. Realizing situations and relationships are unfair and advocating for a change is beneficial for both parties.

As college students, showing adversity in times of hardship has become fairly repetitious in our lives. It seems as if the survival of each battle precedes a new, even more difficult, challenge. To stay on top, we must be prepared to weigh out our every option; no matter what life throws our way. This particular ability is especially evident in a character from “Bloodchild” by Octavia Butler. The character Gan is faced with a challenge that truly tests him as a person. As a teenager, he is put in a position to make a very adultlike decision, on a matter of which he doesn’t fully understand. There are many pressures from others that influence his decision-making, which is why Gan must decide who it is he can trust. To do this, there are a number of tactics he employs, such as: consulting others, doing research, and thinking in the long term. This may be a fictitious world, yet I feel there are many lessons to be learned from Gan’s character. As a college student, I must also make choices of similar severity; fortunately, with less alien probing involved. It seems as if it was only yesterday I was a senior in highschool. Now I’m forming my life, one semester at a time and the decisions I make will follow me for the rest of life. In order to make sure I am making the right decisions, I employ a similar methods to Gan as stated earlier. From the articles and other literature reviewed in the INTD 105 course, I have utilized a number of them to become informed on decisions that affect my life. For example, the Geneseo Student Handbook, which is a book that enlists all of the rules and regulations that the College Board deems necessary. This book has a huge impact on a student’s day-to-day life, yet it still seems most students nowadays are ill informed, even with all of the information within their reach. It is impossible to make the best decision on these problems faced by students without knowing all of the information available. In this way, as a population, we are being led down a path similar to the one in “Bloodchild”, one where our decisions are not our own. This being said, the relationship between Gan and T’Gatoi, with a little imagination, is similar to the one between a student and their college. 

Throughout Olivia Butler’s story, we are slowly made aware of the situation Gan finds himself in. In short, T’Gatoi’s species (Tlic) relies on that of Gan’s (Terran) to reproduce. In return, the Terran are allowed to live under the protection of the Tlic. As a teenager, Gan is kept in the dark about what really happens when a Tlic impregnates a Terran in order to spare him. This is not his fault, it is society’s fault.  Gan soon realizes that he had little choice in the matter as people long before him had come to an agreement that led to this relationship between the species. Something us students deal with regularly. We must follow rules put into place by our college officials. Be that as it may, sometimes it’s good to question the authority. Gan realized this and began to educate himself on the matter to be able to think from both perspectives. Unfortunately, certain information was withheld in order to protect him until he was of age. Who decided that this was a good idea? T’Gatoi, and she had her reasons, even if Gan couldn’t yet understand. Gan had to trust that T’Gatoi was doing what was best for him. Similar to how students must trust their college to make the right decisions in regards to the student’s wellbeing. With the lack of information however, Gan had failed to see this. T’Gatoi was put into a position that many colleges are put into on a regular basis. She must make decisions to benefit the population as a whole. Even when it will be at the expense of some. Which means some people will have to make sacrifices. In this case, the Tlic “wanted more of us (Terran) made available” to house their eggs. It would seem to the Tlic that this would make things easier. However,  it simply was unethical to do to the Terran. The Tlic and the Terran had a mutualistic relationship meaning they had to please everyone within reason. T’Gatoi, as an elder to Gan, decided it was for his best that he be spared the details. As a student, I understand that sometimes what I don’t know won’t kill me. Teenagers are constantly spared the full detail in order to protect them. While I’m sure the people hiding it have their reasons, I feel as one being protected, that I don’t want to be protected from the real problems. It is actually doing us a disservice as we can’t form educated opinions. It is impossible to act in a meaningful way when you are not given all of the information. Especially on a decision that can affect one’s life forever. The omission of a fact still constitutes lying. After a lie is told and discovered, it is impossible for there to be a regular degree of trust between the two parties. The Geneseo’s student code of conduct states as following, “The College is committed to a goal of student maturity and self-direction.” Yet, it has been made evident that we are not being told everything. The college is constantly making decisions that affect us without our knowledge. This does not make me feel very mature. Wouldn’t it make sense to include the students in the decision making since it’s affecting our lives? What would we even do with the information? The latter question was asked by Gan to himself. Maybe the information is too much for us to bear. In his case, the information was too much to bear after he watched what really happens during birth. But what happened after proved my point. Gan started to see his problem from the other side. In the end, he was able to come to his own realization that there was no other way. This is an extremely important ability to have in the real world. Without it, you are missing out on potentially half of the information. As students, we have a responsibility to see from the point of view from others and form an educated evaluation.

Both Gan and students alike, everyone should stay informed. The choices we make at this point in our lives have a lasting effect, so they better be damn good decisions. It’s impossible to make good decisions when you can’t see a problem from someone else’s shoes. I believe it is just as important to understand your own perspective as it is another’s. Maybe they know something you don’t.  The solution to a problem may make perfect sense to one and make absolutely no sense to another. There will always be another perspective to a problem and it’s our jobs to open our minds to the possibility that we might not always be right. Nonetheless, nobody’s perfect. The best thing we can do for ourselves is stay educated, listen to others opinions, and think in the long term in addition to the short term.

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.