Themes: Memory and Ancestry
The power of Isabel’s memory is a recurring theme throughout Chains. In the beginning of the narrative, she’s praised for it by others—her memory is remarkable enough that even Jenny, the woman who recognizes Isabel from her childhood and hasn’t seen her since then, mentions it when they meet at the inn where the sisters are sold to the Locktons.
When Isabel suffers a serious multipart trauma—the loss of her sister, Ruth, which leads to Isabel’s flight, beating, and subsequent public branding—her memory is notably affected. To handle what’s happened to her, she disconnects entirely and, essentially, forgets to think about her pain.
This disconnection doesn’t just have logistical consequences; it threatens Isabel’s very identity. By virtue of her constant uprooting, Isabel has lost the tangible artifacts of her life multiple times over: once prior to the events of the book, when her family is first separated, and then again when she is sold to the Locktons in chapter 3—“We couldn't take Momma's shells, nor Ruth's baby doll made of flannel bits and calico, nor the wooden bowl Poppa made for me. Nothing belonged to us.” She suffers the same sense of loss yet again when she loses Ruth’s doll in the fire at Lady Seymour’s house, and one final time when she abandons her basket while rescuing Curzon.
Both practically and spiritually, Isabel also calls on her memory to save her in times of hardship. When Madam has her locked in the potato crate, it’s only by calming herself down and making herself remember her prior experience that Isabel is able to locate and exploit the crate’s weak spot. Similarly, it’s by calling on her ancestral ghosts—who “help” her pull the boat along—that she finds the strength to row herself and Curzon across the river to the banks of New Jersey in the book’s final scene.
Expert Q&A
What is the theme of the book Chains?
The theme of Chains revolves around the struggle for freedom and the importance of perseverance and courage. Isabel's determination to achieve freedom despite numerous obstacles highlights the necessity of having goals and standing against oppression. Her journey mirrors the larger political conflict of the Patriots against the Loyalists. Additionally, the themes of family and friendship are significant, as Isabel's actions are driven by her desire to protect and reunite with her sister, Ruth, and help her friend Curzon.
Isabel's sense of being "chained between two nations" in Chains
In Chains, Isabel feels "chained between two nations" as she is caught between the American colonists and the British, both of whom exploit her for their own purposes. Her struggle for personal freedom is complicated by the broader conflict of the Revolutionary War, leaving her torn between conflicting loyalties and desires for liberty.
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