What are the motifs in The Bear by William Faulkner?

Race and slavery are important ideas in the story. Like many of Faulkner's works, "The Bear" confronts issues of race and slavery directly. Ike's sense of personal responsibility forces him to evaluate not only his own actions but also those of his family. More than anything, the chronicle of slavery found in the commissary ledgers convinces Ike that he must make amends for his family's past. Yet Faulkner does not leave readers with the impression that the social evils of slavery and racism can be righted in any simple way.