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Chapter 8
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Downstairs Girl, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Racism
Women and Social Progress
Debt and Economic Oppression
Marriage, Family, and Choice
Summary
Analysis
Jo hints to Caroline that she saw her with Quackenbach. In exchange for secrecy, Caroline promises to treat Jo better. When Jo goes back to the stables to see Old Gin, Billy Riggs, a local man who knows the secrets of everyone in town, is threatening Old Gin with a knife. Jo remains out of sight until Billy Riggs leaves. She decides to ask Old Gin about it later.
While Jo manages to use her knowledge over Caroline for a good cause, Billy Riggs, who seems to be a blackmailer, represents a darker version of this. It’s unclear what business Old Gin has with Billy Riggs, but it’s nevertheless clear that it's not good—Old Gin might be in danger.
Active
Themes
Later, Old Gin explains that Billy Riggs believes a Chinese person (who left town before Jo was even born) still owes him money. Old Gin says if things get bad, he and Jo could move to Augusta, 150 miles away, and Jo might even find a husband. Jo doesn’t want this. From listening to the Bells later that day, Jo learns that many years ago, there was a Chinese man who was accused of rape and was then called “the Rabid-Eyes Rapist.” He escaped town, but another man was executed for the crime, only to be proven innocent after his death.
Active
Themes
