Tlic Eggs In Octavia Butler's Bloodchild

The narrator in Octavia Butler’s Bloodchild is a male adolescent named Gan, who lives in an alien planet that his ancestors settled in due to persecution. Prior to their arrival on this planet, the alien residents called the Tlic were on the brink of extinction, because of their inability to find a suitable host animal for their young. Therefore, the Tlic needed to use these newly arrived humans who they call Terrans. This is beneficial for the Tlic, because “Tlic from Terran bodies were always larger as well as numerous.” (Butler 18) However, this system is detrimental for the humans, since they are treated like animals who have to be constantly sedated with sterile Tlic eggs. These eggs also preserve youth, which is why Gan’s father had four
children at a very old age. One of the eggs he birthed was T’Gatoi, a Tlic that is part of the political party that wants to save humans, while still ensuring access to their bodies for impregnation. Thus, all humans are mandated to stay in a preserve, and only the hand-picked males are allowed to live on the “outside” with their female Tlic. Gan is one of these few N’Tlic, and he is chosen by T’Gatoi three minutes after his birth. He is content with this choice until he sees the horrific birth of the incubated eggs placed in N’Tlic Bram Lomas. Overwhelmed, and disgusted with the imagery of bloodsucking worms crawling around in Lomas, his delusions of safety and happiness are broken. However, though given a choice by T’Gatoi to not be an incubator, he realizes that he cannot bear the idea of anyone else taking his place with her. Thus, he sheepishly whispers, “I’m sorry,” (Butler 28) and allowed her eggs to be placed inside of him.