First --> Describe the scene and explain why it was such a significant scene in understanding the plight that slaves faced during their servitude.
Then --> Find a supporting academic article that further supports Northrup and his experience. Your search should should end with site:.edu This will ensure you find an article from an academic institution. Once discovered read the article closely.
Lastly --> Explain what you learned in the article (make sure to cite article in the write-up) and what details from the article support Northrup's experiences as a slave and give us a better understanding of the plight of slaves.
REQUIREMENTS:
This write-up should be 1-2 pages in length.
Email me your write-up - lpclark@roadrunner.com
Due - Saturday Noon
50 Points - Major Grade
There are many scenes in Solomon Northup’s memoir, “12 Years a Slave” that demonstrates the hardships and plight that slaves faced during their servitude. One scene that struck me as significant, and that clearly revealed the brutality that slaves faced was when Patsey was beaten mercilessly by Northup, and after by master Epps. On a Sabbath day, Patsey was missing and Epps grew angry looking for her all over the plantation. No one seemed to know where she was, and then she finally returns from Epp’s neighbor Shaw’s house. She was there to visit Shaw’s wife, Harriet, but Epp’s thought she went there to see Shaw himself and thought they may have some sort of relationship. This made Epps fill with rage and jealousy. He orders Northup to put 4 stakes into the ground and strip Patsey of every piece of clothing. Then Epps gives Northup a heavy whip and makes him beat Patsey. As Northup is striking Patsey, Master Epps screams, “strike harder” and Mistress Epps and her children stand back and watch the event take place mercilessly. Northup states, “Nowhere that day, on the face of the whole earth, I venture to say, was there such a demoniac exhibition witnessed as then ensued” (Northup 186). Northup strikes Patsey for what feels like eternity, but he cannot do it any longer because he feels so guilty and awful. Epps then takes the whip from him and hits Patsey much harder, and instead of continuing to shriek in pain her head sinks to the ground and she quivers. This scene was powerful and horrifying, and it clearly shows the pure torture that masters inflicted on their slaves.
ReplyDeleteThe article, “A Slaves Life” from Clemson University’s website, Glimpse discusses the horrific violence that slaves endured on southern plantations. The author of the article, Jeff Worley, talks about Susanna Ashton’s recently published book, “I Belong to South Carolina: South Carolina Slave Narratives.” Ashton emphasizes, “the extraordinary suffering of slavery both a personal and a collective horror”. The article also discusses the reasons for slaves getting whipped and how there was a lot of the time no real reason at all for the punishment. This directly relates to Northup and Patsey’s experiences. Ashton’s award-winning book focuses on individuals and the tragic and brutal circumstances they faced as slaves. This article provided important incite on the plight of slaves and correlates with Northup’s experiences in “12 Years a Slave.”
Works Cited
Worley, Jeff. "A Slave's Life." Glimpse. Clemson University, n.d. Web. 5 June 2014. .