Fix the sentences using the language tactics you’ve learned
Certain forms of resistance demonstrated by slaves were more effective than others. By
resisting the brutality of slave life, they hoped to improve their conditions and free themselves
or others, or maybe even take a step towards the abolition of slavery, they tried both direct and
indirect forms of resistance, either appealing to their masters' humanity and sense of justice,
fighting back, or going behind their masters' back. But it often failed, and it also often made
matters worse. Like, the slaves that spontaneously challenged the masters often lost that
battle. When Frederick Douglass cracked under pressure and refused to obey his master Covey,
he was put back to work almost immediately, soon after he was healed, for he was beaten after
refusing to obey (295-96). So, by openly challenging his master and refusing to work, Douglass
only enraged him, and this was the case for many slaves. Most slaveowners had paid money
for slaves, and were greedy, and more concerned about getting their monies' worth out of the
slave than contemplate their human rights as people. But there were slaveowners who could
be convinced to give up their slaves, and could be convinced that profits from the slave trade
were evil. Mary Price, a slave, stayed in her masters' good graces for a long time so that, when
she did upset them, rather than beat her, they threatened her with throwing her out (211).
They thought they had convinced her that the life of a free black was worse than that of a slave,
but she took them up on the offer anyway, and left, going to the North to start a new life for
herself, and her family, which had come with her, also free. Mary was patient and obedient.
She had her masters fooled. And Mary Price was able to manipulate her own freedom from
them. Being unable to reason with their masters for freedom, you would have to try
approaches such as these, if you were a slave. Wouldn’t you do the same? Unity amongst the
indentured slaves as a strong community, united in their resolve, also served as an adequate,
non-bellicose form of non-violent resistance. When Frederick Douglass was bought by Colonel
Lloyd, he and other slaves were warned not to say anything that might upset their new master,
for he was as irritable as a pig. But one day, a slave did not heed this advice, and when
confronted by a "stranger" about the working conditions, the slave went against the other
slaves' wishes and complained about Lloyd to this stranger, and sure enough, this inquisitive
stranger turned out to be Lloyd in disguise, fooling the slave (265-66). The slaves were later
whipped, and he was eventually sold away, the the slave that complained. But, Equiano, on the
other hand, warned his community in Africa of the coming kidnappers. And in the end all but
Equiano himself escape (25). The slave that simply complained about the situation was
punished, the unity of Equiano and his tribe allowed their form of resistance to be much more
effective. There are many more instances in the narratives of forms of resistance that were
effective and unity was always an effective approach while disunity always only made the
situation worse.