A common theme in books about slavery, but extremely important. Race can be defined as a group of people who are grouped together because they are related by similar ancestry. Throughout the book white people were grouped and separated based on their power. Blacks were also grouped together and denied freedom. Even in the book, when Celia persistently told the lawyer that she worked alone in her crime. They didn't want to accept the fact that no other slave was helping, especially considering his gender and physical state. They classified the slaves by race, in wanting to punish someone for the death of the master.