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Ford is Solomon’s first master, as well as Solomon’s only kind and compassionate master. Ford purchases Solomon (whom he knows only as Platt), along with a slave named Harry and another named Eliza, from slave dealer Theophilus Freeman. Ford is married to Mistress Ford, whom he treats with tenderness and love. A fatherly, devout Christian man, Ford treats his slaves like family, and his slaves consider him their father figure in return. Ford frequently acts as Solomon’s protector even after Solomon is sold to the erratic, hard-to-please John Tibeats. Solomon deeply respects Ford and knows that he only owns slaves and is a proponent of slavery because of his environment—had he grown up in the North, Solomon believes that he would certainly be against slavery.
William Ford Quotes in 12 Years a Slave
The 12 Years a Slave quotes below are all either spoken by William Ford or refer to William Ford. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 7
Quotes
The influences and associations that had always surrounded him, blinded him to the inherent wrong at the bottom of the system of Slavery. He never doubted the moral right of one man holding another in subjection. Looking through the same medium with his fathers before him, he saw things in the same light. Brought up under other circumstances and influences, his notions would undoubtedly have been different.
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Chapter 14
Quotes
It is not the fault of the slaveholder that he is cruel, so much as it is the fault of the system under which he lives. He cannot withstand the influence of habit and associations that surround him. Taught from earliest childhood, by all that he sees and hears, that the rod is for the slave’s back, he will not be apt to change his opinions in mature years.
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William Ford Quotes in 12 Years a Slave
The 12 Years a Slave quotes below are all either spoken by William Ford or refer to William Ford. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 7
Quotes
The influences and associations that had always surrounded him, blinded him to the inherent wrong at the bottom of the system of Slavery. He never doubted the moral right of one man holding another in subjection. Looking through the same medium with his fathers before him, he saw things in the same light. Brought up under other circumstances and influences, his notions would undoubtedly have been different.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 14
Quotes
It is not the fault of the slaveholder that he is cruel, so much as it is the fault of the system under which he lives. He cannot withstand the influence of habit and associations that surround him. Taught from earliest childhood, by all that he sees and hears, that the rod is for the slave’s back, he will not be apt to change his opinions in mature years.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
