What are the motifs in The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox?

Hypocrisy Versus integrity is a recurring idea. Jessie's mother is religious, and she warns him to stay away from the slave market and from taverns. She is also aware that no matter how poor she and her family are, "there were souls whose fates were so terrible in comparison to ours, that we should consider ourselves among the fortunate of the earth," meaning the slaves.