Darkwater explicitly addresses significant issues, such as the oppression of women and Eurocentric standards of beauty, the historical rise of the idea of whiteness, and the abridgement of democracy along race, class, and gender lines.
It follows the story of free-spirited Zora, child of a Southern swamp, and her romance with Yankee-educated Bles. It's showcases themes of racial equality and understanding through the stark reality of prejudice and bias.