In this footnote, Stowe sets the historical record straight by acknowledging the true inventor of the cotton gin, a technology that increased the demand for slave labor. In doing so, she also makes a subtle but powerful commentary on the way that American history has ignored the achievements of African American slaves. Furthermore, this footnote challenges the reader to think critically about the way that slavery was used to both oppress and exploit African American ingenuity.

This piece of text shows how slave owners try to present themselves as in control of their slaves' lives while simultaneously giving them a sense of security. The emphasis is placed on obedience as a means of staying in one's place and being reminded that one's safety is not entirely in their own hands. This shows how fragile life as a slave really is and that no matter what you do, you are not entirely safe.

This sentence reveals the racial prejudice that influences the evaluation of the goodness of the slaves. Haley’s comment means he believes that honesty among Black people is an unusual occurrence. Stowe uses this remark to comment on the prevalence of discrimination in society.

This excerpt reveals the economic basis for the institution of slavery. Brown’s owner is no fool about the mistreatment that is occurring but is instead intentionally oblivious to it for the sake of the bottom line. This line highlights that the enslaved individuals had no way to seek justice because the individuals who were supposed to protect them had a vested monetary interest in enslaving them.

This marks an important moment because it sheds light not only on the violence of slavery, but the violence it created on the psychological levels of the people living through it as well. Brown is not explicitly receiving lashes, but the pain falls harshly on him as well. It is through the medium of audio, as opposed to visual cues, that Brown brings into view the fact that child slaves of the time received lashings vicariously, through their emotions as well.

Brown points out the ways in which the institution of slavery strips the slaves of their legal and personal identity by depriving them of names. Moreover, the fact that he is assigned the name “William Wells Brown” is more than a gesture of goodwill because it is an assertion of his humanity. Naming becomes a declaration that freedom is achievable only when one is acknowledged as a human being and not a piece of property.