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Part 2, Chapter 1
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 has removed his shirt, showing off the scars Judge Thatcher gave him for saying hello to a white woman who greeted him first. He and Norman run into the town’s constable, who also sells eggs and serves as a teacher and postmaster. Norman does his best to entice the constable to buy Jim to help with all his jobs, but the man turns him down, thinking that having a slave will be like keeping a pet. He recommends seeking out Old Man Henderson, who keeps slaves and runs a sawmill. Afterwards, Jim remarks that Norman is very good at pretending to be white, which unsettles him.
Jim’s single previous beating is unquestionably unjust, and explains his terror when Polly tried to speak to him as a minstrel. Despite Norman’s nerves, he gives a convincing performance to the constable. It is possible this unsettles Jim because it implies that Norman could easily betray him and commit fully to the pretense of whiteness. The authenticity of Norman’s act also vaguely reflects the idea that power—even that which is feigned—always corrupts those who emulate it.
Themes
