Slaves were commonly referred to with the n-word as if that was their definition of who they were, when Rufus talks to Dana as a child after she saves his life says “WORDS” (PAGE NUMBER). It is a category and word that means inferior to whites and strictly defends the idea that the races were not only separate, but that they can all be defined as a single inferior entity. Additionally, Dana is referred to by the other slaves as a “white nigger” (PAGE NUMBER) during her stay due to her upbringing and ability to respond to Rufus as if she were his equal. When (NAMES) call it that, (PAGE NUMBERS) they mean it in a derogatory way and therefore they were reinforcing ideas of oppression, that only white people were intelligent and could read or write and that to be black is to be inferior. They don't see Dana as someone to look up to, but as someone to despise for her abilities and who has helped reinforce oppression. The insults and ideas had become an integral part of the slaves themselves and even Dana at the end of Kindred continues these ideas when she tries to convince Alice that things are not that bad for her without any meaning (PAGE