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Part 1, Chapter 8
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
Huck reports to Jim what he observed while in town. One woman told him that everyone was looking for “Huck’s murderer,” having first assumed it was Pap before he ran out of town once again. Some people think Jim is to blame. Both men have a bounty on their heads. Huck suspects the woman saw through his disguise. He only saw Sadie and Lizzie from a distance, and he tells Jim they both looked sad. Jim promises himself that he will come back for his family.
That townsfolk assume Pap murdered Huck underscores how little familial affection the boy has experienced. Though it is not surprising to hear that Jim is also suspected, confirmation of this detail emphasizes how his identity as a Black man is a liability when it comes to how white people perceive him. Jim’s care for his family is juxtaposed with Huck’s desire to escape the influence of his own, calling attention to their differences.
Themes
Jim and Huck reach shore and hide in the woods during the day. They plan to travel along the river at night, fashioning a raft with a cover and lashing it to Huck’s canoe. Huck asks Jim again why Pap hates him and why he seems to have a special hate for Jim himself. Jim only nods. In the evening, they set out on their raft, keeping an eye out for larger riverboats. One such vessel sneaks up on them, nearly pulling them under, and its wake damages their raft. They bale water from their craft, and though neither of them prays, they make it through without capsizing.
Despite Jim and Huck’s wildly different circumstances, they are united by their common need to escape notice. Huck’s questions about Pap suggest there is some animosity between him and Jim, though no details are disclosed at this point.
Themes
