The theme in “The People Could Fly” is that hope can overcome cruelty. In the tale, there are individuals in Africa, who can actually soar through the air. However, eventually, they are captured and enslaved, losing their wings and memory of flight. Flying represents a metaphor for the privilege of freedom. When the individuals are stripped of their wings, it indicates a loss of physical and cognitive liberation. Afterwards, the slaves are taken to America, forced to suffer in their confined conditions. We encounter Sarah, a mom laboring in the fields to take care of her child. She is on the brink of dying, but an elder by the name of Toby recites an ancient spell, thus Sarah shoots away with her little one. Although Toby recited magical words, Sarah would not have been able to escape without some type of hope. It was concealed with her, deep inside, although Toby just reminded Sarah of what she had forgotten - that she was once liberated. The enslavers tried to break Sarah’s spirit and mental state, yet they were unable to eliminate her high hopes for freedom.