How was Patsey punished?
He punishes Platt with a merciless whipping. Another time Epps grows angry at Abram’s elderly confusion and punishes him by stabbing him in the back with a knife, wounding him severely. Patsey also suffers from Epps’ unreasonable anger.
Did Mr Epps love Patsey?
In order to explain that obsession, Fassbender referred to the relationship between Epps and Patsey as one of love—Epps loves Patsey, he insisted. When we reminded him that Epps repeatedly rapes Patsey, and rape isn’t usually an expression of love but of power, he explained how he came about his understanding of it.
Why was Mrs Epps jealous of Patsey?
Although she is presented as being polite to the slaves (she even cries when Solomon is rescued because she’ll miss his talent for the fiddle), Mistress Epps fosters a wicked hatred for Patsey due to jealousy, since Patsey is beautiful and is the helpless object of Edwin Epps’ sexual abuse.
What is the moral lesson in 12 Years a Slave?
While we may never realize how such acts of selfishness have damaged generations, “12 Years a Slave” reminds us of the power of perseverance to confront and survive. This film can bind us today, as we look forward, by helping us understand what journey others were forced to complete.
Why does Patsey get whipped?
Because Mistress Epps refused to give Patsey soap for washing, she left the plantation without permission in order to borrow some from a neighbor. Master Epps was so enraged upon her return that she was immediately staked to the ground, and Northup was ordered to whip her.
What did Mrs Epps do to Patsey?
While an underage teen, she began to be raped by Epps. He whipped Patsey if she resisted his sexual demands, which left “scars of thousand stripes” on her back. His wife was jealous of her and “nothing delighted the mistress so much as to see her suffer,” according to Northup.
How did Solomon Northup obtain his freedom?
Armed with this array of documentation, along with letters from a senator and a Supreme Court justice, Henry traveled to Louisiana and hired local counsel. With the help of Bass, they were able to locate Solomon, and his freedom was legally obtained on January 4, 1853.
Why did Epps make his slaves dance?
When drunk, Epps also had a peculiar habit of rousing his slaves at all times of the night and forcing them to dance for his entertainment. Those who danced too slowly were whipped. Platt was required to play the violin.
How do the slaves respond to the news of Northup’s freedom?
How do the slaves respond to the news of Northup’s freedom? “I was then offered as a witness, but, objection being made, the court decided my evidence inadmissible. It was rejected solely on the ground that I was a colored man—the fact of my being a free citizen of New-York not being disputed” (p. 213).
What is the main essence of Northup’s description of Southern slavery?
What is the essence of Northup’s description of Southern slavery? One of the distinguishing features of Twelve Years a Slave is its specificity. Unlike most slave narratives, Northup did not employ pseudonyms for persons or places and rarely wrote in generalities.