The Beauty of Death
Rufus’ death is a blessing. Through his death, Rufus frees Dana from guilt and losing control of her life. Dana also ends Rufus’ manipulation, which she hardly resists in the past. Moreover, since Dana, a slave kills a white master, it is a sign of victory for the blacks in the Weylin plantation. Dana should not only be forgiven for killing her ancestor but hailed for liberating herself and her people. Dana is justified for killing Rufus to be rid of his manipulation, regain control of her life, and amend injustices committed by Rufus.
To begin with, killing Rufus is the only way Dana would regain control of her life. To illustrate, whenever Rufus is in trouble, Dana would be transported back in his time to rescue him. The first incidence happens when she rescues him from a river. Then she reappears to save him when he burns his curtains (Butler 20). More importantly, Dana could free herself from guilt caused by her closeness with Rufus. She complains of feeling like a traitor for being more white than black (224). She is also guilty for saving his life because he is ruthless. Equally, she blames herself for not hating Rufus as she should. Dana even proclaims that ‘She should have been more like Alice” so that she could withstand Rufus’ influence (180). Rufus makes Dana go against her better judgment because she loves him very much. Rufus had consumed dana, and her life revolved around him to the point where Kevin starts feeling uneasy. Henceforth, the only way Dana could take control of her life is if Rufus is absent.
Again, Rufus is a master manipulator who would have trapped Dana in the past for eternity. Rufus has always been manipulative with Dana since he was a child and used his vulnerability to keep Dana close to him. Rufus’ manipulation is evident when he tells Dana that the fates of Joe and Hagar are in her hands. When Dana threatens to leave, he reminds her that it is up to her if Rufus is going to guarantee the freedom of the children (259). If she dares to leave, he will not protect his own children. Rufus also knows how to make Dana forgive and tolerate him by playing the victim and spoiling her with gifts (258). At one point, Rufus asks Dana how he would survive without her. He even places his head on her shoulder and apologizes for hurting her (256). Given how manipulative Rufus can be, he would never have allowed Dana to leave him. He would have used Alice’s children or inflict harm on himself to keep her there. Worse still, since Rufus never takes responsibility for his actions, such as when he raped Alice, he would have absolved himself of any blame if anything bad ever happened to Dana.
Moreover, Rufus’ death at the hands of Dana is poetic justice. It was a befitting end for Rufus, who was very cruel to Dana and Alice. Although Dana did not intend to kill him, she avenges herself and Alice as victims. By killing Rufus, Dana atones for the threats and cruel acts that Rufus meted on her. Comparatively, she honors the memory of Alice, who was not only raped but killed by Rufus. Sarah tells Dana, “He finally killed her… even if he didn’t put the rope on her, he drove her to it” (249). Rufus does not mind tormenting Alice or her children to get what he wants. Since he betrays Alice and drives her to death, it is only fair that Dana also betrays him and kills him. Other than Alice, Dana also avenges the slaves who have suffered under Rufus. Sam, for example, was sold for merely talking to Dana. Rufus’ justification was, “He wanted you” (256). Rufus frightens the slaves and is as mean as his father. In the end, Dana gives justice to all the slaves who endure the cruelty of the Weylins but are too afraid to fight back.
It may be argued that Dana is wrong to kill Rufus. Dana admits that Rufus’ death jeopardized the wellbeing of Nigel’s children, Joe, Hagar, Sarah, and all the other slaves (264). These people have lost a master, and their lives would be adversely affected through resettlement, sale, and separation of family members. Joe and Hagar are not free because Rufus had not left any will (264). Dana should have thought of all those people before killing Rufus. Again, she could have avoided death by not being very tolerant and forgiving of Rufus. Dana could not even bring herself to hate Rufus after she learns he raped Alice. Dana grooms Rufus to be spoilt and is responsible for how cruel, dependent, and manipulative he becomes.
Nonetheless, Dana kills to do to save herself. She has to kill Rufus to stop herself from being a forced lover to the desperate man. Moreover, Rufus is not an honorable man, and there is no guarantee that he would not have continued to hurt Dana or his children to teach her a lesson. Dana even tells Rufus that he would refrain from hurting her until someone angered, frustrated, or made him jealous (256). He would hurt Dana when someone hurt him. As such, she and others would have continued to suffer if Rufus was alive.
Conclusion
Dana is justified in killing Rufus to free herself and the slaves from a manipulative man. Dana kills Rufus so that she could recover her life as Rufus controlled her emotions and presence. Additionally, Rufus is very manipulative and would never have allowed Dana to leave. Killing Rufus is appropriate as vengeance for what he did to Alice and the slaves. Even though Dana disorganizes the lives of those left in the plantation, she saves everyone from a cruel master.