Theme Of Sacrifice And Freedom

Sacrifice is defined as giving up something important or valued for the sake of other considerations, while freedom is defined as the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Through the actions of the characters in the passage, readers learn the themes of sacrifice and freedom. Harriet Tubman and Thomas Garrett showed these traits through their vigilant efforts to free slaves. Furthermore, Ellen Craft demonstrated the themes of freedom and sacrifice in her effort to free both herself and her husband. Throughout the passage, these people demonstrated the themes of sacrifice and freedom with their actions and dialogue.

Harriet Tubman’s actions all supported her views of sacrifice and freedom. Harriet

Tubman was an abolitionist and freed slave who helped to free over 300 other slaves. Not only did she escape freedom herself but she also made 13 other trips back into the South to help free others. Harriet Tubman continued traveling into dangerous territory despite being a fugitive former slave. She wanted to help others and free as many people as possible, and not just her family and friends. This demonstrated the themes of sacrifice and freedom because she risked her freedom from slavery. Harriet Tubman could have been captured and killed by slave hunters on any one of those journeys but she willingly continued to save people. The next example of Tubman’s sacrifices was how much she risked her life on the journeys to the south. She walked through hundreds of miles of harsh rain, cold, and wooded forest. This showed the themes because she sacrificed her comfort, and potentially her life, in order to make sure that others experienced freedom as she had. The final example and quote occured towards the middle of the passage when she thought of the consequences that would happen if she was caught, so she risked one slave’s life for the good of the group. “If they were caught, the eleven runaways would be whipped and sold South, but she – she would probably be hanged.” “She lifted the gun, aimed it at the despairing slave. She said, ‘Go on with us or die’” (442). Her thoughts and actions in these moments displayed her sacrifice because she was taking the largest ever group on the Underground Railroad, and oftentimes had to motivate and encourage them. This proved to be difficult. When one slave tried to turn back, she chose to threaten him, which exhibited how passionate she was to bring these people to freedom. Through Harriet Tubman’s efforts in the Underground Railroad, she showed how she sacrificed parts of herself in order to bring others to freedom.
Thomas Garrett was another person whose actions demonstrated the themes or freedom and sacrifice.

Thomas Garrett was a Quaker and an abolitionist who housed many slaves on their way to freedom. Every time a group of slaves came to his house seeking food and a place to eat, he opened his doors and housed them. He sacrificed his house and his freedom to give the runaways comfort. Garrett also supplied each of the slaves with shoes. This was a huge sacrifice because he spent his money to help the slaves by giving them shoes, which were expensive. He also could have been suspected of helping slaves because he was buying so many shoes. The final place where Thomas Garrett displayed these attributes was when Harriet Tubman described him. “He was a friend of all fugitives. He called them God’s poor.” “He was a big man and strong, but he had never used his strength to harm anyone, always to help people” (443). This proved his sacrifices for freedom because he was always willing to help a fugitive and was willing to do anything for them. Thomas Garrett was vital to the Underground Railroad and helped people by demonstrating the themes of sacrifice and

freedom.
The final person in the passage whose actions demonstrated the themes of freedom and sacrifice was Ellen Craft.

Ellen Craft was a slave who escaped to freedom by pretending to be a white male and leading her husband to the North. She demonstrated these themes during her escape due to the fact that she was pale skinned and looked white, so she dressed as a white male. This was a crime because she not only dressed as a white person, but she dressed as a male. Ellen could have been killed, but she still wanted to gain freedom. She also took her husband on trains and they stayed in fancy hotels on their way to freedom. By placing herself in very populated places, she was increasing the chances that they would be caught. However, she went on trains and stayed in fancy hotels because trains were faster than walking and hotels were more comfortable than sleeping on the ground. She wanted to get free faster and more comfortably. The final example occured when Ellen Craft’s daring escape was being described. “Ellen pretended to be very ill – her right arm was in a sling and her right hand was bandaged because she was supposed to have rheumatism. Thus, she avoided having to sign the register at hotels, for she could not read or write” (445). Ellen had to go through many difficult trials and there were many instances where she and her husband could have been caught. She sacrificed her life and her comfort because she dressed as a male in order to become free. Ellen Craft was another

who demonstrated the themes of sacrifice and freedom through her actions.
Throughout the passage, many people demonstrated the themes of freedom and sacrifice. Harriet Tubman, Thomas Garrett, and Ellen Craft were all very important individuals at the time of the Underground Railroad and provided a guide, a home, and a story for motivation. These people showed immense sacrifice in their lives as they helped others, or themselves, find freedom. All in all, Harriet Tubman, Thomas Garrett, and Ellen Craft’s quests to bring themselves or others to freedom distinctly showed their many sacrifices.