The main theme is racism that exists in the world around
us.Different characters have different reactions to racism.
Cassie doesn’t yet understand that society in general is biased
against black people because of their skin color. As a result, she
doesn’t see the logic behind Big Ma’s placement of their wagon, and
she doesn’t immediately see that everyone at the front of the
marketplace is white. Racism is still new to her.
Although society in general is unjust, there are still people
who follow their own rules about human dignity. Mr. Jamison, a
white lawyer, is one of them. He recognizes that things aren’t fair
the way they are, and he’s sympathetic and respectful to the
Logans.
Cassie’s entire morning has been spent learning about the ways
in which she’s discriminated against. In this case, she sees that
black customers are treated as second-class citizens, and it’s
still new enough to her that she gets very angry.
Stacey and Cassie are learning about racism. Cassie does not
fully understand the situation in Spokane, Mississippi--she does
not understand why Blacks have to back down. Stacey, on the other
hand, understands that this is necessary in the short-term in order
to survive.