From the period of antebellum America to the present day, many documents and works have been published regarding the abolition of slavery and slavery in general. Regarding the abolition of slavery, slave narratives were one of the ways to get readers to look at firsthand accounts of slavery and, in turn, formed an important part of abolitionist movements. In class we read three of the great slave narratives and there are abolitionist themes that can be found in all three. These themes argued against slavery and were used to persuade readers to support the abolition of slavery. While there are many similar themes throughout the narratives, I will only focus on two of the most effective ways to advocate for the abolition of slavery: slavery seen as a slow poison, and emotion through extreme cruelty and suffering. The topic of slavery represented as a “slow poison” can be seen in the three narratives that form the basis of this article. The “slow poison” is that slavery is a slow poison that affects not only blacks and whites but all those subjected to slavery. The people most obviously affected by slavery are slaves, but there are also many examples of white people and their families affected by slavery. The Epps family from Twelve Years a Slave is a good example of how slavery can destroy a family. Mr. and Mrs. Epps were happily married until their marriage was called into question by Mr. Epp's liking for a slave named Patsey. Mrs. Epps became jealous of their relationship and in time their marriage broke up and Mr. Epps became an alcoholic to deal with his marriage and his near-constant flogging of his slaves. Mrs. Epp's jealousy and hatred of Patsey c...... middle of paper...... "slow poison" topic that the author was able to relate to the readers' lives in many situations and show that slavery is bad for everyone and not just for slaves. The authors also include several examples of extreme cruelty and suffering that engage readers' emotions and make them think more about the treatment of slaves and abolition. With these two topics present in the three slave narratives, it should be easy for any reader to understand that slavery is wrong and join the abolitionists. Works Cited Brown, William Wells. From Fugitive Slave to Free Man: The Autobiographies of William Wells Brown. 1st ed. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina, 1996. Print.Jacobs, Harriet A. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. New York: Oxford UP, 1988. Print.Northup, Solomon. Twelve Years a Slave. Auborn: Derby and Miller, 1853. Print.