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Part 2, Chapter 6
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 and Norman move into the brush for warmth and sleep. Jim wakes to find Emmett’s notebook on his chest, soaked but safe. Jim cannot stop thinking about Sammy. He tells Norman they will steal a boat and travel north. They walk through the woods until they spot a skiff near a trotline. Stealing some fish for their dinner, Jim and Norman wait until the boat’s owners—a man and a boy—come to check their line before dark. Then, they fashion some sticks into paddles and untie the skiff, floating off into the river.
That Norman kept Jim’s notebook safe indicates a mutual understanding of the importance of narrative in their struggle to regain agency. Jim’s haunting thoughts of Sammy overlap with his continued concern for his family’s wellbeing.
Themes
Norman is very nervous on the boat. Jim tries to steer them toward the opposite shore. Spotting a riverboat, he instructs Norman to paddle close to the larger vessel, hoping they can climb aboard. Spinning out of control in the boat’s wake, Jim sees the vessel’s paddle is mounted on the side, threatening to chop them to bits. He manages to grab hold of a rope and haul himself and Norman up onto a deck. Up above, they can hear passengers reacting to their skiff being crushed by the paddle. Jim leads Norman through a hatch to the engine room, where they hide.
Though brief, this scene shows Jim treating Norman like a child, intentionally keeping him unaware of the boat’s danger so as not to frighten him. Here, Jim’s disenchantment with the world is beneficial, as it helps him face great danger without shock or hesitation.
Themes
