Causes Of Violence In Slavery

Violence takes many forms in the slave society Northup enters. Violence takes the form of threats. It can also take the form of beatings, whether the victim is receiving a beating or watching someone else receive beating. The threats could be a million different kinds of threats. They could be threats to sell the slave to a crueler master or even to kill them. Master Epps threatens Solomon Northup, or Plat as Epps knew him, say that he will kill him, shot him or hang him. Master Epps even tried, but failed, to do so. Another threat could be a threat of a whipping. Master Epps threatened Solomon Northup and the the other slaves saying that if they did not fulfill their requirements then they would get a severe whipping. Many slaves feared