Bloodchild Qs

1) Monsters are created through the imagination of humans, and reflect our fears about the world around us. For example, one of the things that inspired Butler when writing Bloodchild was the botfly, an insect that lays its eggs inside a human host body. However, her monsters (the Tlics) can also represent certain aspects of the human body that we are afraid of. What are those elements? 

2) What particular categories or type of real world human relationships in particular might Butler be exploring in this story? What is the essential tension in those relationships? Make sure to list at least three.

3) Why do you think Butler focuses on male pregnancy in particular for her story? What does this reversal tell us about the cultural conditions and challenges for pregnant women in our world, historically and presently?

4) Who are the aliens in the story, and why?