In this excerpt from Thomas Pynchon's "Mason & Dixon," Captain Zhang challenges the perception that Pennsylvania is free from slavery by pointing out that not all slaves are clearly visible or of African descent. He suggests that some may not even realize their enslaved status, highlighting the complexity of slavery's persistence in society. The implication is that slavery can exist in many forms and is often masked within different cultural contexts.

Furthermore, Zhang comments on the historical and universal nature of slavery, asserting that it permeates various cultures, including Indigenous peoples, Spaniards, and across Christendom. His remarks stress that there is no true innocence regarding the practice of slavery, indicating that it has deep roots in human history and can manifest in subtle ways that challenge the notion of freedom in seemingly liberated societies.