Gem of the Ocean Themes

In Gem of the Ocean, the meaning of “freedom” is in dispute. While none of the play’s characters are legally enslaved, they struggle to understand whether they’re actually free. In the most literal sense, this means economic freedom. Citizen Barlow shows this best; the local mill intentionally saddles him with debt so that he has to work to make up for it, effectively forcing him to provide free labor. Structurally, this isn’t all that…

The many financial hardships that the play’s Black characters face make it nearly impossible for them to prosper. For example, the local mill in Pittsburgh’s Hill District takes advantage of its Black employees by offering room and board and then overcharging for rent. What’s more, the mill pays its workers less than it originally promised, ensuring that they’ll get behind on rent and go into debt. In this way, the mill traps Black workers in…

The history of slavery in the United States is painfully alive in Gem of The Ocean. After all, characters like Solly and Aunt Ester were enslaved themselves, and the memory of that terrible experience is still fresh in their minds. Solly also worked on the Underground Railroad and vividly remembers what it was like to smuggle escapees to freedom. What’s more, the play’s title itself refers to a boat that forcefully took thousands of…

Gem of the Ocean shows that, in the right circumstances, a strong sense of belief has the power to transform a person’s life. As the community’s “spiritual adviser,” Aunt Ester takes it upon herself to “wash souls,” which is to say that she spiritually cleanses people. However, it’s unclear in the play whether or not the impact she has on people is actually related to her supernatural talents. She says that she’s 285 years old…