Everett’s novel “James” reimagines Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” through the voice of the character Jim, now known as James, giving him agency and wit that Twain denied him. The novel uses parody and pastiche to draw from Twain’s original work, layering over the original story a sophisticated satirical register. James leads unconventional elocution lessons for Black children, teaching them to signify, a form of semantic indirection suited to satire.
The novel explores the tradition of Black American satire, dating back to enslaved individuals who used humor to lampoon their masters. It discusses how signifying, a form of linguistic play, exposes differences between literal and figurative meanings. The book delves into the history of Black humor, from the cakewalks of the 19th century to blackface minstrelsy, which cruelly mocked Black linguistic fluency.
Black satirists like David Walker used humor to highlight the hypocrisy of slavery, while Black performers like Bert Williams and George Walker brought sophistication to the minstrel stage. The evolution of Black satire into the 20th century is explored through examples like Everett’s novel, which uncovers the rich tradition of humor as vengeance among Black Americans.
Overall, “James” delves into the history of Black satire, highlighting the importance of humor as a tool for exposing injustice and reclaiming agency. It explores the ways in which Black Americans have used humor and satire to subvert oppressive systems and challenge stereotypes throughout history.
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