Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Washington Black, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Freedom vs. Captivity
Racism, Humanity, and Cruelty
Journeying and the Past
Family, Love, and Pain
Art, Science, and Curiosity
Summary
Analysis
One day, Titch announces that he and Wash will be climbing Corvus Peak, a mountain on the edge of the estate. It is a fearsome watchtower, where overseers can observe the slaves’ every move. Titch explains that they will survey the terrain to find a spot to launch his Cloud-cutter. Together, they trudge out to the fields in the scorching sun for hours, while Titch collects dirt and measures the temperature on the ground.
The book continues to juxtapose freedom and captivity in passages like this. To Titch, Corvus Peak represents a launching point for mobility and freedom in the Cloud-cutter. But for Wash, who often saw overseers watching from there, the Peak represents oppressive monitoring, again highlighting the stark differences between Titch and Wash in how they experience the world.
Themes
The mountain quickly becomes steep, and the dirt crumbles beneath them. Wash slips several times, and suddenly he falls five feet, colliding with rocks. He assures Titch that he didn’t break any of their equipment, but Titch is more concerned about Wash’s bones. He also notices through Wash’s torn shirt the F branded into his chest. Titch asks if Wash wants to go back, but Wash assures him that they can keep going.
Titch continues to show concern about Wash’s well-being in a way that no other white person ever has, showing how Titch tries to view Wash as someone worth caring for. Additionally, the book introduces another scar here—Wash’s brand. This implies that Wash’s past as an enslaved person, even if he eventually finds freedom, has left an indelible mark on him.
Themes
Titch tells Wash about a time when he fell climbing in the Andes, above 14,000 feet. At a certain point, they couldn’t handle the altitude, and Titch fell and broke his collarbone. He hopes that Corvus will prove less daunting. As they start to move on, Wash suggests that he put palm leaves in his hat to help with the heat.
As much as Titch tries to uncover the world’s natural mysteries, his incident in the Andes also illustrates that certain things may remain a mystery—though this should not discourage curiosity. Additionally, Wash’s suggestion shows that he has knowledge to offer Titch, as well. Titch is not the only one who can educate; Wash can be equally helpful, and Titch values that wisdom.
Themes
Wash and Titch reach the top of Corvus Peak in late afternoon. Wash is amazed to see the world from that height: the expanse of the ocean, the network of roads, and the beauty of Faith Plantation. Titch asks Wash to draw what he sees. Titch examines the terrain, pleased at finding a space to launch his Cloud-cutter from, but Wash is troubled by the place. He hears a ghostly sound in the wind—a baby’s cry. He remembers that women often give birth there, and afterwards they are turned back to the fields immediately, setting down their newborns to wail in the sun.
This passage again contrasts freedom and captivity. From the top of the mountain, Wash is able to understand a different side of Faith Plantation—a privileged perspective that he has never been allowed before, but which enables him to see its beauty. But while he has greater mobility, he knows that so many people on the plantation do not share that relative freedom. The book gives another example of how the enslaved people’s freedom is curtailed to the point of inhumanity, when mothers have to set down newborn babies as they head back to the fields.
Themes
Get the entire Washington Black LitChart as a printable PDF.
