The Desire to be Free
At the center of the narrative is the theme of what it means to be free. The slave children working on the southern plantation in the novel have never known freedom but they know what it means to be free. They can fantasize about what it would be like to be free from the absolute control of white society and from the fear of severe punishment for violating the slightest rule. The book explores the manner in which this desire for freedom can make people overcome even fear of the unknown and be willing to face other fears which they deem worth the reward of finally knowing what it is to be free.
Importance of Community in Black Culture
The bond of community outside familial ties is a running theme throughout the history of the movement of Blacks in America from slavery times to the present day. The two young children at the center of the story can only make their way to freedom by leaving behind their mother. Once they make it to the swamp, they are taken under the wing of a father-figure named Suleman. The swamp is a microcosm of Black society in that it reveals that history by demonstrating how the rules of white society has sought to break apart the foundation of community support, the family. A history of having families subjected to being torn apart by the racist remnants of slavery into and throughout the 20th century is retold in the story of the two children trying to escape bondage in its totality in the South.
The Role of Anti-Slavery Movement within White Society
Although centering on the characters trying to escape the bondage of slavery, one character essential to their successful escape is white. The young daughter of the plantation owner launches a secret campaign of subversion against the whole system of slavery by choosing to assist in the loss of her father’s “property” without equitable financial return. This character serves as the embodiment to those working in the abolitionist movement in both the north and south who faces dangerous consequences themselves for taking various steps to assist in both the escape of existing slaves to freedom as well as bringing down the entire system.
