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Part 1, Chapter 15
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in James, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Speech, Performance, and Willful Ignorance
Identity, Narrative, and Agency
Racism, Dehumanization, and Hypocrisy
Innocence vs. Disillusionment
Family, Alliance, and Loyalty
Summary
Analysis
Jim begins to write his life story, calling himself James. With his pencil, he writes himself into being, reclaiming some of his stolen autonomy. The other men visit his hideout occasionally, sharing food and discussing what Jim ought to do next. Josiah is considering running away again, but he does not want others beaten on his behalf. Jim knows he will not be able to purchase Sadie and Lizzie as a runaway, and he plans to move on from his hiding place. Departing at night, Jim moves through the woods and comes upon a gathering of slaves and overseers. Young George is being whipped for stealing the master’s pencil. He makes eye contact with Jim, hidden in the trees, and tells him to run. Jim does.
Jim’s act of renaming himself with his pencil is critical. The idea of writing himself “into being” suggests he views his prior existence as incomplete, but he has now been fully realized through the act of writing. Josiah’s concern for the others who might be punished on his behalf highlights how enslavers take advantage of their victims’ sense of community to keep them subjugated. Seeing Young George whipped for stealing the pencil adds nuance to this symbol’s meaning, as the agency it represents now comes with a clear cost.
Themes
