‘‘Bloodchild’’ begins with the line, ‘‘My last night of childhood began with a visit home.’’ This clearly indicates that the story is about coming of age, focusing on the protagonist's transition from innocence to taking on an adult role filled with knowledge and responsibility. In Butler's imaginative science-fiction world, Gan's journey into adulthood involves witnessing grubs devour a man's abdomen and then consenting to have eggs implanted by a powerful, insect-like alien. Despite the strange nature of these events, the plot includes many elements typical of coming-of-age narratives.

Initially, Gan is naive, not comprehending the animosity his mother and Qui feel toward T’Gatoi. By the story's conclusion, he gains knowledge, deciding to be implanted with T’Gatoi’s eggs even though he now understands the terrifying risks. Gan undergoes a transformation that is not only physical but also emotional and social. The implantation with T’Gatoi’s eggs can be seen as a metaphor for losing virginity. He agrees to the implantation for complex reasons that reflect his newfound maturity. While T’Gatoi initially has a somewhat maternal role in relation to Gan, this dynamic shifts when he confronts her with a gun, asserting himself as her equal. By choosing to accept T’Gatoi’s eggs despite his fear and revulsion, he not only shields his innocent sister from a horrifying experience but also takes on the responsibility of upholding the fragile social balance between the human and Tlic species.

In her afterword to "Bloodchild," Butler poses the question, "Who knows what we humans have that others might be willing to take in trade for a livable space on a world not our own?" In this story, she delves into a particular scenario where a human society agrees to form familial bonds with an alien species and permits some of its members to carry alien eggs. This situation raises intriguing moral questions, such as whether it is justifiable for one species to rely on another for survival and if such a relationship is inherently exploitative. Could interdependence between two entirely different species be mutually advantageous? Qui views the relationship as exploitative, claiming that humans serve merely as hosts for the Tlic, while Gan grapples with this viewpoint.

However, the story concludes with an unusual love scene where T’Gatoi demonstrates her deep affection for Gan. Butler implies that the power dynamics between humans and Tlic are intricate, involving both fear and love.

Butler is recognized as a feminist author, with many of her novels and stories featuring strong female protagonists who defy conventional gender roles. In "Bloodchild," T'Gatoi stands out as a strong and influential female character, yet the story’s unique examination of gender roles goes even deeper. Instead of simply portraying female characters in roles traditionally occupied by men, Butler creates tension by placing a male protagonist in a situation typically seen as a distinctly female predicament. Gan faces a sacrifice and responsibility generally associated with women: pregnancy. The narrative doesn't merely swap masculine and feminine roles, though. T'Gatoi is powerful, yet she is also nurturing and reliant. Meanwhile, Gan's journey demands traditionally masculine qualities like bravery and assertiveness, alongside feminine attributes such as selflessness and empathy. In the world of "Bloodchild," embracing impregnation is, in a way, akin to becoming a man.

The term "alien" encompasses not only fantastical extraterrestrials but also anything profoundly strange, foreign, or different from oneself. In "Bloodchild," Butler creatively envisions a society where two distinctly alien species coexist closely and rely on each other for survival. At the story's start, Gan perceives T’Gatoi as part of his family. He finds it...