The character's transformation from slaveholders to advocates for freedom is likened to a house cat hurriedly escaping a closing door, illustrating the precarious nature of their moral shift. This metaphor emphasizes the urgency and chaos surrounding their change in beliefs, highlighting that such transformations may lack deep conviction and are often tied to the pressing nature of circumstance rather than genuine ethical growth.

The passage reflects on the fleeting moments in history that can lead to significant changes in moral perspectives. It suggests that sometimes, all it takes for a pivotal shift is a moment of opportunity, a concise interplay of factors that can radically alter one's position from oppression to liberation, underscoring the complexities of moral choices during tumultuous times.