Book review - James by Percival Everett

What's in a name? Is it "Jim" or "James?"

James by Percival Everett is a retelling of the story of Huckleberry Finn and his adventures with Jim, the runaway slave. Jim in Percival’s retelling can read and write and speak the King’s English when he chooses.

Everett’s retelling of the story from Jim’s perspective illuminates the overt and hidden social dynamics of slavery. Those social dynamics are pernicious to all parties involved in the slavery system.

James is an adult and Huck is a child. Huck, as a white person even though a child, has much more privilege than James, a black person, and so can protect James from the harmful dynamics of slavery as they travel through a highly racist America. James as an adult and Huck as a child calls for James to often act in a protective and paternal manner towards Huck. The roles of protector and protected oscillate throughout this narrative.

James hides his literacy from Huck and for most of the story plays the role of the illiterate, inferior, albeit kindly slave. This juxtaposition of role performance between an illiterate inferior role to an equal and at times superior role highlights the social forces that contribute to self censorship to hide and marginalize one’s strengths, talents, and abilities under a slave system.

In the end, resentment and anger fuel an extraordinary effort to act to pursue freedom from the constraints and abuses of the slave system to achieve opportunity for growth and development as human beings for James, his wife and his daughter.

This novel can be read on multiple levels. The writing is easy to read and entertaining. As the story develops, the hidden aspects of the slave system and its ramifications become apparent. This book could be the basis of a good discussion of racism at its multiple levels of prejudice, discrimination, and systemic.

The title alone hints at the nuance being suggested about human dignity in the main character’s name not being “Jim”, but “James.”

Does reading fiction makes us more empathic? Do we come to better understand ourselves, and others, and the world through experiencing the world through the eyes of others? Does fiction provide us an opportunity to be voyeurs of worlds we would never personally experience? Does reading fiction help one become a more well rounded person who experiences more joy, understanding, and peace in one’s life? Has reading James contributed to my being a better person and fellow citizen? Yes.