While both themes are strongly present in James Baldwin’s book, deciding which one predominates largely depends on the reader’s view of the protagonist(s): Is this primarily the story of two separate people, Fonny and Tish? Or is it primarily about their committed status as a couple? Because Fonny is the person who progresses, ultimately alone, through the criminal justice system, his experiences are very different from those of Tish, their family, and their friends. Fonny did not anticipate that he himself would be caught up in an unfair system, although he was fully aware that such injustices are inflicted on black men every day. The identity of rapist and criminal is forced upon him by the accuser and the police officer; although he is neither of those things, he must function as a criminal and an incarcerated man. Fonny’s family has not played a completely positive role, in part because of the parents’ conflicts over religion. His father’s help with the defense encourages Fonny to not give up hope and to endure his ordeal. His strength of character becomes evident when he emerges from prison and takes up a life as a father and creative artist. Tish’s background is important because it contributes to her capacity to love Fonny initially and to remain devoted to him through his sufferings. The reader gains a fuller understanding of her family’s values by the proactive stance that her mother and sister take in pursuing justice for Fonny.

I would argue that the most important theme of this work is actually that of love and how the love that exists within a family can be so important and vital in the development of character. I do think that both of the themes you ask about are perfectly valid themes that could be analysed, but the theme of love is the most prevalent.

If you think about it, there are lots of different kinds of love represented in this work. There is the power of parental love expressed through the parents of Tish. Sharon Rivers, for example, shows an abiding concern not just for her daughter but also for her unborn grandchild when she discovers that Tish is pregnant. Tish's father is likewise very supportive of his daughter, even though she is not married. Baldwin seems to suggest in this novel that human love is what makes the world literally go round. What sustains the family through its various trials and joys is love, and love keeps them functioning and cooperating together. Love is also shown to be the necessary force that is needed to build a world that will help the children grow up safe and secure. This work also shows us through other characters the impact of growing up without love and the kind of lives that this results in.

Therefore, I think that the two themes you suggest are very strongly represented in the text, and in a sense, identity formation is a corollary of the theme of love, but I would argue that love is the central theme of this work.