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Lightweight and easy to steal, Solomon’s free papers symbolize his identity as a free black man; like his freedom, they proved flimsy and easy to take from him. Solomon’s arguments with the Washington D.C. slave dealer Burch reveal that Solomon’s thirty years of life as a free man of New York mean little now that he is in chains. Solomon’s claims to freedom hold no weight against the violently-reinforced power of white slave holders and slave traders, just as his papers held no weight, taken from his pockets and disposed of somewhere while he was drugged.
Free papers Quotes in 12 Years a Slave
The 12 Years a Slave quotes below all refer to the symbol of Free papers. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 2 Quotes
The idea struck me as a prudent one, though I think it would scarcely have occurred to me, had they not proposed it […] I must confess, that the papers were scarcely worth the cost of obtaining them—the apprehension of danger to my personal safety never having suggested itself to me in the remotest manner.
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In this passage, Solomon is surprised by Hamilton and Brown’s suggestion that he obtain free papers before traveling to Washington D.C., a slave state. This passage is reflective of Solomon’s self-assuredness in his identity as a free man of the North. Having lived his entire life thus far (thirty years) as an ordinary citizen, a threat to his safety and well-being has never “suggested itself…in the remotest manner.” His attitude about race and slavery is reflective of the social and political fabric of the North, which was the birthplace of the Abolitionist Movement and the Second Great Awakening. The former Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deser
Then did the idea begin to break upon my mind, at first dim and confused, that I had been kidnapped. There must have been some misapprehension—some unfortunate mistake. It could not be that a free citizen of New-York, who had wronged no man, nor violated any law, should be dealt with thus inhumanly […] I felt there was no trust or mercy in unfeeling man.
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In this passage, Solomon awakens from being beaten, drugged, and sold by Brown and Hamilton to slave dealer James Burch. This passage illustrates a shift in Solomon’s perception of justice and humanity. In the span of a few moments, Solomon goes from feeling “dim and confused” about how and why he has been kidnapped to realizing that there is “no trust or mercy” in mankind. Solomon introduces the idea that slavery and racism is a means for “unfeeling man” to be wicked and inhumane—a concept that is fleshed out with the later introduction of Edwin Epps. In addition, this passage Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Molliti
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Free papers Symbol Timeline in 12 Years a Slave
The timeline below shows where the symbol Free papers appears in 12 Years a Slave. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2
The next morning, Hamilton and Brown tell Solomon to get his free papers , since the group will be traveling to Washington D.C., a slave state. Solomon thinks...
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...their kindness to him, and he trusted them entirely. Between their suggestion that Solomon obtain free papers and the “hundred other little acts” they did for him, Hamilton and Brown appeared as...
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...that there is a huge gap in his memory. Feeling his pockets, Solomon realizes his free papers are gone and that he has been kidnapped. He thinks there must have been some...
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Chapter 3
...telling her that she would be freed. When Brooks took her into town to secure free papers , he promptly sold Eliza and her children to James Burch. Listening to Eliza’s story,...
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Chapter 19
...letter to his friends and family so that they can rescue him or forward his free papers . Bass agrees to help, and the following night, the two meet again. Bass writes...
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