Crime
Crime is another important theme in the novel, which explores how various characters are drawn into New York's underworld. Ray is drawn into crime as a result of the difficulties of making an entirely "honest" living while his cousin Freddie enjoys the lifestyle itself, often bragging about his exploits. At the same time, it also reveals how upper-class characters, like Wilfred Duke and the Van Wycks, use crime to intimidate their enemies and make money. Whitehead chooses not to frame illegal actions as inherently wrong, but rather examines the different reasons characters pursue it as a means. In doing so, he shows the extent to which the entire city is embroiled in criminal activity, as almost all of its players are somehow connected to various schemes, shakedowns, and robberies.
Racial Tensions
Racial tensions are a central theme of the novel. The novel touches on different moments in the civil rights movements and culminates with the race riots of 1964. It also details various instances of police brutality, including the shooting of various unarmed Black citizens. Ray faces a great deal of discrimination in his business dealings, as white furniture makers won't take meetings with him and are often openly rude to him. While the novel primarily focuses on Black characters, Ray has a number of hostile brief encounters with white people. This issue comes to a head when Freddie steals from a prominent white family, at the suggestion of his white friend, Linus, and feels the brutal force of their retribution fall upon him.
Family
Family is another major theme in the book. Ray is extremely protective of his family. He seeks to build a better life for his wife and children, doing what he can to give them a nicer home and better upbringing. At the same time, he also tries to shield his cousin Freddie when two of his robberies go awry. Having grown up without a stable home, Ray prioritizes family above all else, even when it goes against his best interest. Towards the end of the novel, he tries to protect Freddie even as Pepper is telling him that a smarter man would just give him up to the Van Wycks. Whitehead shows Ray's personal values are prioritized over his self-interest, even when they run counter to his every instinct.
City Life
City life is also a prominent theme in the novel. The narrator frequently remarks on the complexity of life in New York, describing how each block is like a world unto itself and how different neighborhoods have their own characters and rules. At one point, while walking down the street, Ray looks up at some apartment buildings and wonders about the lives and stories contained in each of them. His moment of reflection shows something important about the book itself, as it is concerned with depicting the interwoven lives of New Yorkers. It draws attention to surprising connections, like the one between Ray and his electronics repair person, to reveal how New York functions by virtue of so many personal relationships.
Power
Power is another important theme in the story. Ray frequently attempts to avoid the ire of powerful individuals like Chink Montague and Ambrose Van Wyck. He recognizes the influence that they wield within the city and how far-reaching their power is. They dispatch their hired muscle to frighten their opponents and collect under-the-table money. Ray is careful in his dealings with other members of the crime world to avoid becoming too well-known. Whitehead explores the ways in which men like Van Wyck and Montague shape the city overall, in terms of the neighborhoods that they control and the businesses that they hold under their thumbs.
Secrets
Secrets are also a prominent theme throughout the story. Ray understands that New York is a city that functions on secrets. Various storefronts double as underground operations for different criminals. Characters like Ray own respectable businesses while doing criminal work on the side. Whitehead draws attention to the way in which characters and places lead double lives, operating in different parts of the city and putting on different guises as they move between worlds.
Social Mobility
Social mobility is one of the novel's central themes. Ray spends a great deal of the novel trying to make a good life for himself and his family. He seeks to escape the legacy of his father and become known for living a "straight" life. This desire is driven in large part by his wife's family's low opinion of his economic status and family situation. Whitehead reveals the frictions within the novel's Black community about money, class, and status. Ray seeks to make money in an entirely honest manner, but quickly finds himself limited by racial discrimination and exclusive clubs. Ray's story reveals how his hard work does not lead straightforwardly to the upward mobility he wants.