What physical and emotional aptitude enabled northup to escape and survive in the great pacoudrie swamp?

The book "Twelve years a slave", published in 1853 is a memoir related by  Solomon Northup in which he recounts his personal story of being kidnapped and later sold as a slave. After he protests to his slave trader that he is in  fact a free man, this last one attacks him for his audacity. Later on, he is sold to John Tibets, because Solomon had a lot of value as a worker since he had engineering knowledge.

This is the moment were Solomon decides to start fighting John Tibeats back, as he tries to attack him in more than one occasion. During the last attack, Northup defends himself and escape, swimming across the Great Pacoudrie Swamp. He manages to do so because of his physical and emotional endurance and resilience. He decided bravely to make a stand against John Tibeats, and he wins because of his strength. Later on when he is swimming through the swamp that is infested with alligators, he proves again how strong and determined he is in regaining his freedom. All of these qualities helped him to escape and regain his liberty.

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