Twelve Years a Slave Lesson Plan

How does Northup describe the role of music in his own experience, and in plantation life in general? How might this have impacted his readers in the 1800s?

Northup describes his experience as a violin player both in terms of his personal and financial benefit. He is able to express himself, or cheer himself up with music played on his violin, describing it as a source of solace in his long years of suffering. Being a skilled player, it also gives him the chance to see and socialize widely with other households in the area. He describes being given access to fine houses and dignified gatherings, which also occasionally gave him a break from field labor. He also describes the...