Question

In "12 Years a Slave," describe the cruelties of slavery depicted in the story of the slave Eliza and her children.

a) Eliza and her children were treated with kindness and compassion.
b) Eliza and her children were subjected to physical abuse and forced labor.
c) Eliza and her children successfully escaped slavery.
d) The story of Eliza and her children is not present in "12 Years a Slave."

Answer 1

Eliza and her children in '12 Years a Slave' were subjected to physical abuse and forced labor, illustrating the inhumanity of slavery, including the practice of family separation and its lifelong traumatic effects on the enslaved. The correct option is b.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the narrative of 12 Years a Slave, the cruelties of slavery are vividly depicted through the story of Eliza and her children. The correct answer to the question is b) Eliza and her children were subjected to physical abuse and forced labor.

Eliza's experiences in the story highlight the brutal practice of family separation, which Frederick Douglass described as particularly barbaric. This separation caused lifelong trauma to the enslaved and was a clear illustration of the lack of humanity within the system of slavery.

For Eliza, the pain of being separated from her children and the subsequent abuse they faced is a prominent theme in Northup's account, underscoring the ruthless nature of the slave trader known as Freeman.

The depiction of such treatment in literature, such as in Uncle Tom's Cabin, further bolstered abolitionist arguments against the cruelty and moral corruption slavery inflicted on both the enslaved and the enslavers. The correct option is b.