In Chapter V, Northrup is in Freeman's pen. That night he closes his eyes and thinks. What are his thoughts? What do those thoughts demonstrate about his experiences to this point in his story?
(20 Points / 1 paragraph Response / Due Wednesday PM)
As Northup continues his journey throughout the novel, the reality of the situation begins to dawn upon him. As he lays in the pen, he begins to replay all of the previous events that have taken place so far, and comes to the conclusion that this could possibly be a dream. Although, after giving it some thought, Northup realizes that this is in fact not a dream, but a new lifestyle that he must accept and that he is now in bondage. Northup's plea to God for strength and courage at the end of the chapter illustrates the emotions that Northup is feeling. Also, it demonstrates all of the overwhelming experiences that Northup has had to face. Northup's time alone with his thoughts helps him realize that his biggest enemy throughout this whole experience is going to be himself.
ReplyDeleteNorthup closes his eyes in Freeman’s slave pen and starts to think about his situation. He wonders how it’s possible that he went from being a free man to a slave. He thinks that maybe it could all be a dream, but then quickly realizes that it’s not an illusion at all. Northup begins to see the severity of his situation. He recalls all the events that have taken place so far, and begs for something to lift his spirits. He addresses his reality at this point in the book and this demonstrates that almost all the experiences up to this point in the book had been almost surreal for Northup. He’s overwhelmed with sorrow during this time, and prays to God for mercy and strength.
ReplyDeleteThe recent events of Solomon's life are not only stranger than fiction for the reader, but unreal for Solomon as well. During the last few weeks, Solomon underwent drastic changes in his life; he was stolen away from his home and family, enslaved, whipped, chained, renamed, and shipped just as cargo down into the Deep South. Solomon was again put onto a ship, headed toward New Orleans. Solomon met other slaves on this trip and even established a possible escape plan. Solomon was also able to trust a sailor, Manning, who provided Solomon with pen, ink, paper, and the delivery of Solomon's letter. Solomon wrote a letter that he hoped would reach Sandy Hill providing information of his capture. When Solomon reached New Orleans he joined 50 slaves in Master Freeman's slave pen. Once asleep, Solomon's brain was working harder than ever to make sense of his present life. Solomon kept asking himself if his life was currently just a horrible dream. After weeks of being enslaved, Solomon began to question his existence and reality. Solomon felt the only way to help was to pray for God's mercy for all free and enslaved men.
ReplyDeleteWhen Northup is in Freeman's pen, he begins to think about the predicament he is in and what he is going to do about it. He begins to think about his last few weeks and all that has happened during them. He was treated more brutally than he could even imagine. However, the people he met during his captivity were not all bad. He met several slaves and a sailor that he could trust. Northup desperately hopes that his predicament has been a dream, but he knows that it isn't. Northup describes the situation as almost like he has been watching it and not living it. Northup is extremely sad as he realizes the extent of his troubles. He prays to God for mercy of all men.
ReplyDeleteAs Northup lies in Freeman's Pen, he begins to question whether or not the situation that he has been in in the last few days is reality. To Northrup it does not seem possible at this particular point, that he has actually been captured and will soon be living out the rest of his life as a working slave in New Orleans. Throughout the night Northrup becomes desperate, as he comes to terms with his new fate as a slave, and he begins to pray feverously that he and the others that are held in similar captivity will be soon relieved of this horrible destiny. Northup's mental state during his first night at Freeman's pen demonstrates his previous denial of his capture, and suggests that until this point he has not fully come to comprehend the severity of his situation.
ReplyDeleteAs Northrup lays in the pen, his thoughts run wild. He questions continuously the actuality of what he is going through. After being put through so much trauma and distress, he cannot come to believing that he is actually in that position. Solomon cannot bring himself to accept what's happened to him, and he finds himself full of disbelief. He prays vigorously that others in the same situation are relived of this horror.
ReplyDeleteAs Northup closes his eyes in freeman's pen in thinks of his journey. He wonders how he has been put into this nightmare. He tries to believe that this only a dream. He also hopes that things can not get worse. He really struggles his first night to calm all the thoughts coming to his mind at once. He is starting again to deny like in the prison that this is all true. He prays to God that he will be a freeman once again. He also prays for all other slaves and their mercy.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 5, as Norhtrup lays in Freeman's pen, the actual severity of his situation is truly grasped, and it hits him hard. It's surreal to him that just a few days ago he was living a promising life of a free, successful man in New York and now he was on the eve of becoming a piece of property to a southern white man. He reaches out to God, praying to retain his freedom, as well as praying for the mercy of every other slave. He experiences denial, clinging to the notion that what he's experienced is somehow all a dream. However, no matter how much he wants to believe that it's a dream, it's his life and he has to find a way to come to that realization.
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ReplyDeleteWhen Northup closes his eyes he tries to convince himself that it is only a dream, that he is not really where he is. He prays to God that he will have the strength to get through this ordeal. This demonstrates that though his journey the past few weeks have been difficult he has not yet given up hope.
ReplyDeleteLaying in the pen, reality sets in and Solomon can't help but dwell on the fact that under a week ago he was a freeman. Chapter 5 is the first time Northup really tries to faces his harsh circumstances, and finds himself having a hard time accepting the fact that his freedom has been stolen from him. He turns to God, because his faith is all he has.
ReplyDeleteAfter Northup is taken off the ship and brought to Freeman's slave pen, he laid down and closed his eyes. He was contemplating if his harsh experiences were just part of a drawn-out dream. He couldn't believe what had happened to him. He went from being a free man in Saratoga to being an enslaved, captured man in the South. The fact that Solomon couldn't comprehend what he has experienced shows that up to this point in his enslaved journey, he has been in a state of denial about his treatment and thought his experiences were surreal. After Solomon's thoughts go crazy that night, he prays relentlessly to God that he will have mercy on him, and the other men, and to once again obtain his freedom from slavery.
ReplyDeleteSorry this is so late.
ReplyDeleteWhen Northup is in the pen the reality of his situation hits him. He found it difficult to believe he had been just recently a freeman in New York and was now in the South as a slave. Northup began to question if the whole situation was simply a distorted dream and that nothing that had happened to him was even real. These thoughts demonstrate the difficult contrast between Northup's free life and his new life. These thoughts also marked Northup's acceptance of his situation. After these thoughts, Northup begins to pray to God, asking for the strength to get through the ordeal and for his freedom.
When Solomon Northup sits down in his slave pen and closes his eyes he realizes his troubles. He looks back over his past few days and realizes the troubles and hardships he been through and thinks maybe this is a dream that’s lasted far too long. That notion ends and he finds himself in still in bondage and he has to accept his situation. He asks to be lifted up by the people around him and sits and prays to God for mercy; mercy he wont receive until 12 years later.
ReplyDeleteDuring one night at Freeman's slave pen, Northup lays down and lets his mind unravel. He is suddenly hit with all the feelings and questions he had been suppressing after being taking into slavery. Solomon is in disbelief that he had been packaged up and carted thousands of miles away from his family and continuously chained like a beast. All the events around him seem very surreal, and he is even questioning whether he is in a dream or not. The chapter ends with Northup begging God for a better life for him and his people.
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