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Part 3, Chapter 4
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 Huck arrive back in Missouri. Huck accompanies Jim to his house, where two other enslaved people—Katie and Cotton—are now living. Doris tells Jim that Sadie and Lizzie were sold together. Jim breaks down, overcome by grief, and begs Huck for help. Huck insists he is only a boy, but Jim tells him he is a man after all he’s gone through. He asks Huck to find Judge Thatcher and Miss Watson and find out who bought Sadie and Lizzie. Huck agrees to this new adventure, like the young boy he is. Katie and Cotton let Jim stay and rest in their house, even though he is a wanted man.
In the moment Jim is overcome by the loss of Sadie and Lizzie, Huck seems to fully see and accept Jim’s humanity. He also appears to grasp the world’s harshness and is overcome by feelings of helplessness. Nevertheless, Jim encourages his son to use his resources—his whiteness and his intelligence—to help him find his family. By placing his trust in Huck and affirming the boy’s identity, Jim assures Huck that he values him as a loyal son.
Themes
