How do changes in ownership affect working and living conditions?

          

     How do changes in ownership affect working and living conditions? 

         Changes in ownership drastically affect working and living conditions of slaves. From the movie we can observe that when Solomon Northrup was on the cotton plantation of Tibeats although he was treated badly by Tibeats he was treated very well by the actual owner of the planation. An example of how he was treated well by the plantation owner was the owner of the plantation gave Solomon Northrup a violin to play at parties. Changes in ownership can mean a slave will be treated very badly at the plantation he is being moved to. For example Solomon Northrup was moved to the plantation of Edwin Epps, this man had a reputation of being a “nigger breaker” and he proved it to Solomon Northrup. Edwin Epps was very critical of everything Solomon Northrup did, when Solomon Northrup didn’t pick as much cotton as the other men that were slaves Edwin Epps beat him and humiliated him in front of his compatriots. Also a change in ownership placed Solomon Northrup in a very volatile situation, such as when Edwin Epps make Solomon Northrup whip Patsey with a with his whip because Patsey ran off to get some soap because Mrs. Epps wouldn’t allow her to shower. Lastly when slaves change ownership they can have their futures seriously changed. For example when Solomon was moved to the plantation of Edwin Epps he was given the opportunity of a lifetime. When Bass came to help Edwin Epps on the plantation as a hired hand, Solomon Northrup never expected for the message he told Bass to be conveyed to its true recipient, but it was. Solomon Northrup was freed because Bass told one of Solomon Northrup’s friends that Solomon Northrup was a slave and that he needed his freedom papers. This change in ownership resulted in the freedom of Solomon Northrup.

                                                         Solomon Northrup with Mr. Epps