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
The next weeks pass painfully as the revelations about Big Kit weigh on Wash. Tanna tries to comfort him, but she only ends up annoying him by never leaving him alone. Meanwhile, after a day’s work at Ocean House, Wash writes a long letter to Peter Haas. When he doesn’t receive a response after several weeks, he writes again, followed by a third time, but nothing comes. Wash doesn’t feel that he can confide in Tanna, knowing that she would likely criticize him for expending energy on someone who isn’t worthy of his effort.
Tanna and Wash’s growing conflict illustrates another way in which families can both foster deep love and cause pain. Tanna knows Wash well and usually supports him, which is why her criticism of his decision to try and find Titch at any cost hurts Wash so acutely.
Themes
But gradually, things ease between Tanna and Wash, and they rekindle their love as they go daily into the city to inspect new equipment. Finally, when they are traveling to view the completed tanks for Ocean House, he tells her of his failure to reach Haas. Instead of disapproval, Tanna admits that her father has a colleague in Amsterdam named Mr. Visser, who has a two-headed crab with one brain that he can contribute to Ocean House if someone would travel to get it. She suggests that they could take a trip.
Tanna and Wash have their moments of conflict as her criticism stings him. But the book also illustrates that even though family members can cause each other pain, they can nevertheless retain the capacity for immense love, forgiveness, and support, as Tanna shows when she suggests that they go to Amsterdam together.
Themes
Wash and Tanna arrive at Wolcott and Sons to see the completed tanks, and Tanna admires the work. She and Wash plan to pick the tanks up a week from Wednesday. The builders at Wolcott remark that this timing is good, because they can avoid the “business” (implying hangings) by the nearby prison, which will attract many people. Tanna asks what the men’s crimes were, and the builder hands Wash a newspaper so he doesn’t have to say the crimes aloud. As they leave, Wash scans the paper and stops short at seeing one of the names.
While the book doesn’t yet reveal details of the hanging, Wash’s startled reaction at the newspaper suggests that it is a recognizable name from his past. This is another example of how Wash is unable to avoid his past, despite traveling across the ocean and away from everyone and everything he knew.
Themes
