Chains Theme of Identity

Thirteen-year-old girls have enough to worry about when it comes to identity issues, but when you're a slave in 18th-century New York fighting for your very existence, well, we'd say things get a bit more complicated. Throughout Chains, Isabel wrestles with some pretty serious questions. Who is she? Which side is she on? Who does she belong to and who has shaped her as a person? Isabel's story is largely about how she comes to an understanding of her own individuality and independence, even in the face of slavery's obstacles.

Questions About Identity

  1. How does being taken from the Finch home disrupt Isabel's perception of herself?
  2. How does Madam Lockton attempt to break Isabel's spirit? Is she successful?
  3. What ultimately drives Isabel to seek her freedom?
  4. What does Isabel's scar mean when Madam Lockton orders her branded? What does it eventually come to mean, and how does Isabel reach this understanding?

Chew on This

Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.

Just as Poppa's mark from the African ritual symbolizes his manhood and maturity, Isabel's scar from the branding ultimately symbolizes her inner strength and survival.

Although Madam seeks to dehumanize her through slavery, Isabel must go through this period of suffering in order to repair her damaged self-image.