Freedom
Because George is born as a slave, the idea of freedom is important to him. Big Kit was previously free and tells George about her life before slavery, which inspires George to seek his own freedom. By age 18, George is already a free man and deals with the responsibility and guilt of having freedom at this time in history.
Slavery
In this novel, the author depicts the horrors of slavery through the characters. Erasmus Wilde is Black's brutal and cruel slavemaster, and the slaves on the plantation are all terrified him. The author shows not only the horrors of slavery but also shows the psychological damage it creates even after the characters have obtained their freedom. Feelings of guilt, responsibility, and burden follow Black as he seeks his new life of freedom.
