The irony of education
John is a learned professor, but he is not happy because he struggles with his emotions and originality. Paradoxically, education is not a solution to a happy life. However, John uses his historical studies to uncover his origins, and at last, he is at rest with his emotions.
The satire of life and death
When John decides to dig deeper to learn about his history and lineage, he discovers the paradox of life. John realizes that his grandfather led a rebellion against slave owners, and when they were cornered, they decided to commit suicide instead of being captured. The reader finds it satirical that human beings prefer to end their lives rather than suffer under the white man.
The irony of John’s father
The reader finds it sardonic that John's father decided to take his own life, leaving his child and family to other people's care. John was brought up by Old Jack, his father's friend. However, the reader expects the parents to take parental responsibility and avoid suicidal thoughts.
The Satire of Judith
Judith knows the problem his husband is going through, but she is not making an effort to encourage him to open up and deal with it. Therefore, the marital problems that the couple is going through are attributed to Judith's silence. However, towards the end of the story, Judith joins her husband in research that leads to his emotional satisfaction.
