Twelve Years a Slave Essay Questions

What are the "free papers" that Solomon has?

Solomon lived in a time in America when most black people were slaves. However, in some parts of the country, some slave owners could decide to free their slaves after a period of time, or the slaves could be released after their master died. Also, if a black man or woman had the financial means, they could buy their own freedom. To distinguish between black fugitive slaves and free black people, some states started issuing freedom papers and certificates of freedom. Those papers attested that a black person was indeed a free one. The papers were extremely important because, in some parts of the country, some men made a living by capturing runaway slaves and selling them again. The papers made sure that a free person remained free even if that person were captured by the police or by the aforementioned slave hunters. If a black person lost their freedom papers, they could no longer attest they were indeed free, meaning that they could be easily sold off as slaves once more.

Why did Solomon need a permit from his owner to travel to other places and plantations?

Solomon mentions how, in order to travel from one place to another, he needed to have a written permit from his master. The pass was necessary because it was a protection both for the slave and for the master. White men could legally stop a black man on the road and ask him whether he was a slave or not. If he was a slave, he needed to present them with a permit attesting the fact that his master allowed him to leave his property. If the slave did not have that permit, then he could be kidnapped and sold again. Through the permits, the slave owners were also protecting themselves by making sure that their property was not stolen from them.

Why did slaves still try to escape even though they knew there was a slim chance they will be successful?

Solomon mentions numerous slaves who tried at one point in their lives to run away from their masters. Some of the slaves were caught before escaping. or even in the act of escaping. and they were punished severely by the masters. Other times, the slaves were found by white men patrolling and then taken back to the masters who would beat them and humiliate them. When Solomon analyzed such incidents, he sometimes reached the conclusion that some slaves did not run away to be free, but rather just to have a few days to rest from the grueling tasks they were made to do. For them, being beaten and tortured was worth it if that meant having a few days to relax. Others wanted to make a choice for themselves—to live their own life. Others genuinely thought they would make it to freedom. Regardless of the motivation and the level of confidence in the success of the mission, running away gave slaves a sense of power and purpose.

Why are slave narratives valuable?

First, many Northerners either did not know the particulars of how horrible slavery was or they pretended not to notice them. Slave narratives made them conspicuous and undeniable. Second, they provided evidence against the word of slavery's sympathizers, correcting problematic assumptions and misunderstandings. Third, they provided undeniable evidence of their writer's humanity, and, by extension, the humanity of all slaves. Northerners could move beyond thinking of them as sub-human and see within slaves the same things that motivated them. Fourth, they were crucial tools for abolitionists, and their authors made valuable speakers. Fifth, to the writer who penned such a story, it could be a remarkably cathartic, meaningful, and important thing to do.

What are the particular difficulties that slave women and girls face?

Slave women face all of the troubles that slave men do—hard labor, separation from family, cruel punishments—but they also face troubles particular to their sex. From the time a slave girl hits puberty—and especially if she is beautiful, as Harriet Jacobs notes—she becomes prey for the master and other white men. She is a sexual object and she cannot say no to a white man's advances. She is privy to lewd words and leers, molestation, and rape. She may become pregnant with his child and forced to bring it into the world. Then, she may be separated from her children and suffer from not being able to protect them from the trials and tribulations of slavery. She often faces the mistress's wrath, as do her children by the master.