Chapter Four "The Slave Who Dared to Feel Like A Man"

Harriet’s uncle Benjamin had been pushed far enough that he was willing to attempt an escape to the North. He had a fight with his master and threw him to the ground. The reason behind this was because he was whipped when he did not immediately go to his master after he was summoned. After this incident, he fled to the North but was caught and brought back to his master. He was thrown into jail right after. When Harriet and his mother went to visit him, they saw that he was pale, and malnourished.The corrupting power of slavery is mainly shown in chapter 4 when Harriet and his mother visit Benjamin in jail. He was covered in rats, roaches and feces. He wasn’t treated as a prisoner at all, he was treated as if he were an animal. Although he was treated so cruel, he didn’t let this affect him and instead sang and laughed. The master was so furious that he sent him to live in an apartment full of dirty slaves covered in vermin and feces.