Previous
Part 1, Chapter 2
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
After a surprise snow, Jim chops wood for Miss Watson, hiding some logs to help the older slaves keep warm. He runs into Huck again, who says he has sold all his worldly possessions to Judge Thatcher for a dollar. The boy observes that Jim’s complexion is not much darker than his, but Jim explains that his mother was enslaved, so he is, too. Huck has seen some of his father’s boot prints in the snow. Jim assures him that he will be all right, but to stay away from the river. Old Luke tells Jim he shouldn’t worry about Huck since he’s a white boy. Jim laments that he cannot help Huck, even if he wants to.
The fact that Jim has to steal logs for his fellow enslaved people is proof that Miss Watson—and other white enslavers—does not see Black people as human beings with the same physical needs as her. Huck’s decision to sell his possessions hints at his future plans. Jim’s remarks suggest that familial lineage plays a greater role in determining one’s identity than the shade of one’s skin. As a white boy, Huck is not enslaved, but his identity is complicated by his relationship with his violent father. Jim’s sympathy cannot do much for Huck, illustrating his relative powerlessness in society.
Themes
