What is the theme in Mules and Men by Zora Neale Hurston?

Another important theme is slavery. The impact of slavery on the lives of the blacks is seen mainly through their stories. A great many of their legends focus on the slave named "John," who seems to be the epitome of every slave, and the "Massa," or master. It should be noted that in Hurston's stories, "Massa" is always capitalized, indicating the importance of this man's role in the lives of the blacks at the time. In the stories, John is sometimes able to get the better of the master, an indication that this is desirable, though it seldom happens. John is often beaten, again making the point that this is often the case.