Horton represented personification in the words liberty and slavery to emphasis the aim for all the slaves’ freedom and not to be controlled by authority. Horton’s emotions illustrated the degradation of slaves and how the only way to escape pain is through death as he stated in the poem, “Oh, Heaven! And is there no relief / This side the silent grave-” (9-10). The picture highlighted Horton’s independence and slavery experience by showing his miserable behavior as an impossible escape from an atrocious damnation. Horton’s agony is clearly indicated throughout the poem, which characterized both documents persuasive to all audiences. Therefore, Horton’s language and style in the photo and poem illustrated a dynamic influence against enslavement
