As the narrator's witness unfolds, the reader comes into touch with the absolute inhumanity of human enslavement, especially the Atlantic slave trade of the previous millennium. The unfortunate truth that such events reveal about human hatred and tribal divisiveness are only redeemed by symbolism that defends the unalienable worth of each human being. Perhaps the most striking manifestation of a theme statement could be found in the story of Atiba, an acquaintance of the narrator.
Atiba belongs to a motif or an archetype. Namely, he is a trickster or prankster. Although such a person is constantly dazzling the community with personality performances, sometimes being funny or entertaining, making people like him, they secretly harbor deep-rooted convictions about justice. They are the archetype of truth, because they are paradoxically demonstration lies and jokes and pranks. The juxtaposition of humor with the intense sorrow and humiliation of slavery is thematic.
Consider this connection from the point of view of Atiba's white owners. Atiba literally charms a sweet, innocent couple into buying him, because he has a "prank" of sorts that he intends to play. What is the truth behind this horrific "prank"? It is a violent depiction of injustice; by attacking and murdering his new owners in the night, he reveals an important secret which they have forgotten. He is not a stupid animal as the slavery rhetoric made them think; he is a full-blown human whose life is worth more than slavery.
