Identity

Identity seems to be the focal point of this novel.
Joe Christmas is attempting to outrun his nature as a half-black man. He’s not even sure what this really means. The only thing he is able to offer to Joanna as explanation of where he comes from is that one of his parents was at least part black. Christmas is worried about how the other perceive him rather than how he feels about himself. He is unable to keep his emotions under control because he feels lost. He is adopted by the McEachems but even at the beginning he thinks to himself “I’m Joe Christmas.” So he has some form of identity that he cannot define verbally or even in thoughts. His attacks on women seem to be part of this hatred of himself. He is rebelling against the woman who birthed him into the world. He can find something better. He runs through the black part of town because it bears down on him.
Joe Brown changes his name to run from Lena. His identity is nothing. Once one town is burned he can easily find himself a new with a new name because his identity is not tied to his name. He works at the mill but only because he needs the money and only until he is willing to sell out his friend for a bit of money. It is really unclear as to whether he started the fire to cover up Christmas’ crime or whether he simply saw the house on fire and went to investigate himself.
Lena has no questions about who she is and what she is doing. She is simply searching for Lucas. She is undeterred by anything that may be in her path. She is on the road to find Lucas and that is what she manages. Her character stays the same throughout the novel. She is the same woman, searching for the same man when the novel closes.
The Reverend is interesting because he has obviously changed in some way because of his encounter with the people but it is not clear exactly what this means for him. He is willing to lie and give Christmas an alibi by the end of the novel.