James Part One, Chapters 13–16 Summary & Analysis

Summary: Part One, Chapters 13–16

Part One, Chapter 13

One day Jim wakes up from a nap on the raft to discover that Huck has thrown a tarp over him. He quietly listens and hears two men questioning Huck about a runaway slave, and he tells them that he has not seen anyone. When asked about what is under the tarp, Huck explains that he is covering up his uncle who is sick with smallpox. This response unnerves the two men, and to avoid getting sick, they give Huck ten dollars and leave. Jim is relieved that he remained undiscovered, but he tells Huck that they can no longer travel the river during the day. That night, they discover that their canoe has disappeared. Jim and Huck set sail on the raft, but with all the traffic on the river, a steamboat strikes them and the raft breaks apart. Jim panics as he watches Huck disappear.

Part One, Chapter 14

Jim makes his way to the riverbank, and in his exhaustion, he falls asleep in broad daylight. When he wakes up, he sees four Black men sitting nearby, watching him. They introduce themselves as Pierre, Josiah, Old George, and Young George, and they reveal that Jim has made it to Illinois, although white people do not always acknowledge that they are in a free state. Jim tells the story of his journey, and the men are impressed that he has managed to travel so far without getting caught. They explain that while few people live in the area, the Grangerford and Shepherdson families, both white, are always feuding. To avoid causing any trouble, Jim prepares to leave, asking the men for nothing except help procuring a pencil, to which the men agree.

Part One, Chapter 15

Jim spends two days hiding in the brush, foraging for food and reading books while he waits for Young George to return. While he appreciates the opportunity to read, he really yearns to write. Each book becomes boring, and he cannot stand the thought of reading the Bible because of how white men have used it to justify his enslavement. Young George finally returns with a small pencil stub, stolen from his master. He asks Jim what he is going to write before suggesting that he write his story, and to use his ears to help him do so. Despite not fully understanding what this means, Jim deeply values the advice. That night, he hears hunting dogs in the distance but acknowledges he has nowhere to run.

Part One, Chapter 16

This chapter begins with an excerpt from Jim’s writings that describes how little he truly knows about his ancestors. All he knows, he writes, is that he loves his family and wants to take control of the story of his life. Having found so much comfort in this self-expression, Jim stays in his hideaway longer than intended. The group of slaves who initially found him visit from time to time, bringing food and offering guidance. Jim eventually realizes that he must keep moving in order to avoid capture, so he begins traversing the landscape under the cover of night. He soon comes upon a clearing where a crowd is gathered around a fire, and to his horror, he sees a white man lashing Young George for having stolen his pencil. When Young George catches Jim’s eye among the brush, he mouths, “Run.”

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