# The Uncalled — Themes

> Major themes in The Uncalled by Paul Laurence Dunbar.

## Repression and Authenticity

The novel explores how Fred Brent's strict, religious upbringing by Miss Prime forces him to repress his natural emotions and desires, leading to inner conflict and a struggle to live authentically against imposed roles.

### Where it surfaces

- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/iv): Miss Prime's rigid self-discipline and suppression of natural emotion contrast with Freddie's instinctive childish behavior.
- [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/vi): Miss Prime's systematic crushing of Fred's natural impulses versus his innate sense of humor and rebellion.
- [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/vii): Fred's upbringing has taught him to repress any talk of girls or feelings; his rescue of Elizabeth triggers a powerful emotional and sexual awakening that he cannot understand or express, leading to shame and flight.
- [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/viii): Fred represses his feelings for Elizabeth, fearing judgment from Miss Prime, while Eliphalet struggles to express his love after years of silence.
- [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/ix): Fred's outburst against constant duty and obedience highlights his struggle between authentic desires and repressive expectations.
- [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/x): Fred struggles against the community's narrow expectations, feeling forced to suppress his natural inclinations like playing baseball.

## Determinism vs. Free Will

Fred is haunted by his parents' disreputable past and the town's expectations, questioning whether he can escape his heredity and environment or if he is doomed to repeat their patterns despite his efforts.

### Where it surfaces

- [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/xii): Fred feels carried by an 'unseen and relentless power' and struggles to fail his ordination exam, highlighting the tension between fate and personal agency.
- [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/xvi): Fred questions whether his own struggles matter given his father's past, reflecting on fate and choice.

## Hypocrisy and Religion

The book critiques organized religion's narrowness and hypocrisy, as seen in Miss Prime's rigid piety, Mr. Simpson's manipulative sermons, and the community's judgmental attitude toward Fred's background.

### Where it surfaces

- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/i): Miss Prime's self-righteousness and the women's gossip reveal the gap between professed Christian duty and actual compassion.
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/ii): The congregation gossips about Margaret's backsliding and the propriety of her funeral, while the preacher delivers a noisy, inconsequential sermon that manipulates emotions.
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/iii): Miss Prime frames her decision to take Fred as a religious duty, yet her stern demeanor and the women's mixed reactions hint at underlying hypocrisy and self-interest.
- [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/v): Miss Prime's stern piety contrasts with Eliphalet Hodges' more indulgent approach, both invoking religious duty while differing on what that means for raising a child.
- [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/vi): The church's harsh judgment of Fred's laughter while adults like Daniel Hastings use testimonies for personal vendettas.
- [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/vii): The religious figures manipulate Fred into performing conversion for social conformity, while Fred's authentic inner life—his love and awakening—is suppressed by the very piety they enforce.

## Social Class and Judgment

The town of Dexter is sharply divided by class, with Fred's origins on the 'mean street' marking him as an outsider, subject to constant scrutiny and prejudice even as he rises in status.

### Where it surfaces

- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/i): Margaret's poverty and 'low' status are openly discussed, and the women's willingness to help is tempered by class-based disdain.
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/ii): Margaret's poverty is evident in the cheap pine coffin and the county's rushed burial; Mrs. Warren's scavenging after the funeral underscores the harsh realities of class.
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/iii): The women's poverty and their judgments about Fred's father's 'bad blood' reflect class-based anxieties and the stigma attached to orphaned children.
- [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/x): Fred faces prejudice due to his parents' reputation and his upbringing on the 'mean street,' despite his personal achievements.
- [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/xi): Fred is acutely aware of being seen as 'old Tom Brent's boy' and faces the community's class-based scrutiny.

## Gender Roles and Ambition

Miss Prime's ambition to make Fred a preacher reflects her own thwarted agency, while Elizabeth's submissiveness and the gossipy women illustrate the limited roles and expectations placed on women in the community.

## Parental Legacy and Identity

Fred's identity is shaped by the legacy of his alcoholic father and deceased mother, forcing him to grapple with shame, anger, and the desire to define himself apart from their failures.

### Where it surfaces

- [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/v): Freddie's future is shaped by his mother's death and the competing influences of Miss Prime and Eliphalet Hodges, reflecting how parental legacy and community intervention define a child's path.
- [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/vi): Mrs. Tompkins's comment 'blood will tell' hints at inherited traits shaping Fred's identity.
- [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/xii): Fred's relationship with Eliphalet and Mrs. Hodges reflects his search for a father figure and his rebellion against the identity imposed by his guardians.
- [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/xiv): Mrs. Hodges sees Fred as her creation, a statue of her own making, and his departure destroys her dream and sense of accomplishment.
- [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/xv): Fred's discovery that the temperance speaker is his father Tom Brent forces him to confront the shame of his parentage and the inescapable burden of his father's past.
- [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/xvi): Fred grapples with the shadow of his father's past and how it defines him, questioning the value of his own moral efforts.

## Love and Control

Relationships in the novel, such as Fred's with Elizabeth and Miss Prime, are often marked by control rather than genuine affection, with love used as a tool for manipulation or conformity.

### Where it surfaces

- [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/vii): Miss Prime and Rev. Simpson attempt to control Fred's spiritual and emotional life through religious pressure, while Fred's love for Elizabeth offers a counterforce of genuine feeling and personal growth.
- [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/viii): Eliphalet's unrequited love for Miss Prime is intertwined with her desire for independence and control over her own life and Fred's future.
- [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/x): Fred's love for Elizabeth is a softening influence, but her adherence to her father's views creates tension and control over his behavior.
- [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/xiv): Mrs. Hodges' love for Fred is intertwined with her pride and control; his leaving reveals the fragility of a love built on expectation.
- [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/xvii): Fred's relationship with Alice is portrayed as freeing and nurturing, contrasting with his earlier, more constrained feelings for Elizabeth.

## Community and Gossip

The small-town setting is defined by pervasive gossip, as characters like Mrs. Martin and Mrs. Smith constantly surveil and judge others, shaping public opinion and influencing Fred's fate.

### Where it surfaces

- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/i): The women's conversation is filled with judgment, gossip, and a reluctance to help, highlighting the community's role in shaping social reputation.
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/ii): The women engage in a hive-like drone of conversation, speculating about the preacher, Margaret's life, and her salvation, revealing the community's judgmental nature.
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/iii): The women's meeting exemplifies how the community collectively decides Fred's fate, with gossip and personal judgments shaping the discussion.
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/iv): The conversation between Miss Prime and Hodges highlights the pervasive gossip in the town and the community's watchful nature.
- [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/v): The chapter revolves around Mrs. Martin and Mrs. Smith's gossip-driven investigation into Freddie's fate, highlighting how the community monitors and judges personal decisions.
- [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/ix): Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Martin's tea-time conversation drives the chapter, revealing how the community scrutinizes and judges Fred's future.

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