Previous
Part 2, Chapter 3
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
When they are alone, Luke asks Jim if Norman beat him, and assures him that Henderson will. Nevertheless, Luke considers Henderson a good master. Based on this and Luke’s numerous wounds, Jim senses the other man has been beaten into submission. Out in the yard, Jim is put to work on the pit saw, where he works with another man named Sammy. The saw is dull and therefore more dangerous. Later, Henderson summons Jim for his lashes, and calls him a backtalker for questioning him. He ties Jim to a post and whips him until he passes out.
Even though Luke is also enslaved, Jim does not trust him because he has accepted Henderson’s violent treatment as fair and good. Here, the novel highlights how constant dehumanization can wear a person down until they accept a terrible situation. Henderson’s refusal to maintain his tools signifies a disregard for the health of his slaves. He doles out Jim’s unearned punishment as if it is part of an established routine, one designed to make him more willing to submit without complaint.
Themes
Jim wakes to find Sammy watching over him. Jim tries to orient himself, preparing to run without crossing Luke, whom he does not trust. Jim realizes Sammy is a young girl when she lifts her shirt to show her scars, and he thinks of Lizzie. Unable to bear the thought of what Henderson is doing to Sammy, Jim offers to take her with him. They run immediately, sneaking past the sleeping Luke. Sammy leads them toward town, and they make it to the clearing where Norman should be waiting. Not seeing his friend, Jim leaves Sammy behind and gets closer to town. Worried Norman has betrayed him, Jim is heading back to the clearing when he hears Sammy screaming.
Jim’s risky decision to take Sammy with him is due to her resemblance to his own daughter, Lizzie, and his intense love for his family. Still, he gives her a choice, which is likely the most agency she has ever possessed. That Jim does not need to ask to know that Henderson is assaulting Sammy indicates that this horrible experience is, sadly, common for enslaved women. Luke’s sleeping position in the center of the camp suggests Jim’s instincts were right, and he acts as Henderson’s loyal guard.
Themes
