12 YEARS A SLAVE CHARACTERS

12 years a slave characters

Look at each picture and describe the character's role in society, what does he/she do for a living, is he/she kind, is he/she demeaning, does he/she has a family?...

12 YEARS A SLAVE CHARACTERS

harriet shaw

A slave mistress of a nearby white plantation owner. Friend of Patsey.

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12 YEARS A SLAVE CHARACTERS

tibeats

Tibeats worked as a carpenter at Solomon's first owner's plantation shortly after he was illegally sold into slavery in the South, while the plantation owner was a fair man who cared for his slaves (despite obviously exploitating them) Tibeats was the polar opposite and embodied the deep hatred Whites of the time had against African Americans. Tibeats grew to especially hate Solomon due to the fact that Solomon was an African American who showed himself to be clever, capable, and thus a threat to Tibeats worldview that slaves were inferior, stupid and sub-human

12 YEARS A SLAVE CHARACTERS

william ford

Ford is Solomon’s first master, as well as Solomon’s only kind and compassionate master. Ford purchases Solomon (whom he knows only as Platt), along with a slave named Harry and another named Eliza, from slave dealer Theophilus Freeman. Ford is married to Mistress Ford, whom he treats with tenderness and love. A fatherly, devout Christian man, Ford treats his slaves like family, and his slaves consider him their father figure in return. Ford frequently acts as Solomon’s protector even after Solomon is sold to the erratic, hard-to-please John Tibeats. Solomon deeply respects Ford and knows that he only owns slaves and is a proponent of slavery because of his environment—had he grown up in the North, Solomon believes that he would certainly be against slavery.

12 YEARS A SLAVE CHARACTERS

solomon northup

Solomon Northup, the author and protagonist of the memoir, is born a free black man in New York, where, at the start of the story, he lives a pleasant life with his wife, Anne, and their three children, Elizabeth, Margaret, and Alonzo. He is known by the community as an excellent fiddle player, a family man, and a hard worker. These traits unknowingly lead him into a trap, when, needing a source of income to help his family, Solomon agrees to travel to Washington D.C. with two new acquaintances (Brown and Hamilton) to play the fiddle in their circus. The two men betray Solomon, selling him into slavery to James Burch. Solomon lives as a slave for twelve years for three different masters—first, the kindhearted William Ford, then the violent John Tibeats, and finally, the exceedingly cruel and evil Edwin Epps.

12 YEARS A SLAVE CHARACTERS

patsey

Patsey is a twenty-three-year-old, beautiful slave girl belonging to Edwin Epps. She is raped by Epps regularly, making her the object of Mistress Epps’ jealousy and hatred and thus the recipient of even more brutal treatment. Stuck between Edwin Epps and Mistress Epps, Patsey is constantly beaten and punished for one thing or another. She is known among the other slaves for her bright spirit and extraordinary talent picking cotton. She is eventually beaten nearly to death by Epps, after which she is never the same.

12 YEARS A SLAVE CHARACTERS

bass

Bass is a kind-hearted white carpenter from Canada who works on a construction project for Edwin Epps. This makes it possible for him to befriend Solomon, as Solomon has skills in carpentry, and the two work side by side. Bass and Solomon quickly form a tight-knight, secret friendship due to Bass’ abolitionist spirit, outspoken opinions, and his deep empathy for the injustice of Solomon’s situation. Bass is pivotal in securing Solomon’s freedom, as he sends several risky letters to Solomon’s contacts in New York, including Judge Marvin, Perry and Parker, and the Collector of Customs at New York. Bass, who has no family of his own, remains unblinkingly loyal and loving to Solomon and dedicates months of his life to helping him.

12 YEARS A SLAVE CHARACTERS

mary epps

Mary, the matriarch of the Epps plantation, holds her status as a lady of high class in very high regard. She is aware of her husband's uncontrollable rage and violence, which she often encourages. She is also aware that Edwin frequently rapes their female slaves, whom she sees as her rivals rather than his victims. She is especially threatened by Patsy, Edwin's "favorite", and thus is particularly cruel to her; she beats Patsy, demands Edwin punish her, and generally inflicts as much pain as possible upon her.

12 YEARS A SLAVE CHARACTERS

anne northup

Anne is Solomon’s wife and the mother to Elizabeth, Margaret, and Alonzo. She is a hard worker and known as an excellent cook.

12 years a slave characters

edward epps

Epps is Solomon’s third and most inhumane master, whom Solomon serves for ten years. Epps is married to Mistress Epps, and the two have at least two children. A heavy set, coarse man with a love of drinking, Epps is cruel and malicious toward all his slaves, including Solomon (whom he knows as Platt), but reserves particularly brutal treatment to an elderly male slave named Abram and a young, pretty female slave named Patsey. Epps frequently rapes Patsey, making her the object of Mistress Epps’ jealousy and hatred. Epps views his slaves as nothing more than animals who harvest his cotton so that he can make a profit—a dehumanizing view he passes down to his son.

12 years a slave characters

Theophilus Freeman

A slave trader who sold Northup at New Orleans, lived with a mulatto woman named Sarah Conner, who had been his slave but whom he had allowed to purchase her freedom.

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