Jona, as a young slave struggles to understand what freedom means. The expected sense of freedom among slaves to be merely escaping the plantation does not so easily bring closure to Jona. He is forced to have this deeper reflection of the concept when introduced to the idea of "touching freedom"- for the concept to be so personally real that it's palpable. While he initially hates the thought of adopting this perspective, he takes a mental shift throughout the book, reflecting deeply on himself and other characters. Freedom is defined by each man, but the similitude is that every man must learn to touch it for themselves. Slavery only makes Jona a stranger to freedom, but his experiences and emotions of any person besides their background such as friendship, betrayal, and first love is all the same. It's a heartbreaking story, yet hopeful at last.