How Did "James" by Percival Everett End? All the Spoilers and Twists!

 

How did "James" by Percival Everett end? Have you finished reading "James" and you desperately need to discuss? Or maybe you read it, but can you not remember how "James" ends, or you want to just skip to finding out all of the spoilers? Getting refreshed on "James" before heading off to book club tonight? Keep reading to discuss this historical fiction novel and all of the twists and turns at the end!

 

 

Spoilers ahead!

 

 

How Did "James" by Percival Everett End?

 

What Are the Twists and Spoilers?

Huck's Father is James James, and his friend, Norman, end up on a riverboat that explodes. When the boat explodes, James awakens in the water and finds that both Norman and Huck are begging for his help. He has to decide who to save and he decides on Huck. After being rescued, the boy asks James why he picked Huck over his friend. James answers him honestly stating that he rescued him because he is his father.

James's wife and daughter have been sold James and Huck go back to their home to return Huck to safety. While there, James finds out that after he left, his wife and daughter, Sadie and Lizzie, were sold off together. James is beside himself. He asks Huck to tell Mrs. Watson that James is dead and get any information Huck can about Sadie and Lizzie. James decides to hide on a nearby island. It is the safest place for him to stay while he waits for more information so that he knows where to find his family. 

James kills Overseer Hopkins Shortly after James returns to the island, Hopkins is left there by his friends. Hopkins is drunk and James approaches him, taking his gun. James strangles Hopkins while confronting him about his rape of another slave named Katie. After killing him, he drags Hopkin's body to his canoe, smashes a hole in the boat, and places Hopkins inside so that the boat and Hopkins sink to the bottom.

Huck sneaks out of church to find James He tells James that he didn't tell his family that he saw James die, but he did tell them that he doesn't know where he is. James asks if Huck has heard about Sadie and Lizzie, his wife and daughter. Huck answers that he didn't get much information, but did hear something about a Graham farm. 

James sneaks into Judge Thatcher's house He is looking for the bill of sale for his wife and daughter so that he can find the Graham farm. Thatcher finds him in the library. James points the gun he took from Hopkins at Thatcher, asking him where his wife and daughter are. Thatcher confirms that they are at the Graham farm and shows James where it is on a map. James then has Thatcher walk with him to the river, and get into a boat with James while Thatcher rows. James comments that now Thatcher is James's slave. Thatcher looks at the gun and recognizes it as belonging to Hopkins. Thatcher asks James if he killed Hopkins and James says yes. They get off the boat and James ties Thatcher to a tree. 

The book ends when James finds his family, and they all escape to a free state James sets out for the Graham farm, and on the way, he finds another slave who confirms he is headed the right way. This slave also tells James that the owner of the Graham farm breeds slaves. James reaches the farm and finds several male slaves chained up, James sets them free and one of them explains to James how to use his gun. They agree to team up with James to help set all of the women free.  James lights the cornfield near the women's quarters on fire. James finds his wife and daughter. Then, the overseer points a gun at James, and James points and fires his gun at the overseer, killing him. James, Sadie, and Lizzie make it from Missouri to Iowa, a free state and a member of the Union during the Civil War. The book ends with them arriving in a town, James is asked if his name is Jim, and he says that his name is James. 

And that's a wrap on "James" by Percival Everett! Did I miss any twists or major ending plot points? Wanna discuss? Comment below!