Running head: 12 Years a slave (Movie)

12 Years a slave (Movie)

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12 years a slave:

The most wonderful Cultural event I attended on 23rd November this year was actually a

movie. Initially, I was quite apprehensive that it would not turn out be pleasant. However, after

my friends urged me to attend it I could not resist. Ordinarily, there are several movies that can

be ranked as the best due to their absolute amusement. These movies involve works of writings:

for example the Frozen of the world as well as Silver Linings Playbooks. Moreover, there are

cinemas where the entire film arrangement appears to be insufficient and unappealing.

Nevertheless, there are several important movies to watch. These Movies majorly focus on

specific features that are complicated and of human personality. They challenge people to

remember their past for example a “12 years slave” film. The film was the major highlight of this

cultural event. It is one of the best movies ever prepared in the last ten years .It is filled with

energizing signs of hope from an amazing story of patience.

The human’s brutality to other people, dishonesty and unbearable violence are all shown

in the “12 years a slave” film. This means that the Film is strictly targeted for adult viewers.

Nevertheless, various mature youngsters would gain from description of human strength and

their continued existence. The film was directed by Steve McQueen from a john Ridley’s

screenplay. The "12 Years a Slave" is derived from (Chiwetel Ejiofor) a real tale of Northup. He

was a famous black gentleman who in 18th century published the “eponymous memoir” (Northup

2013). At the starting of the film, we find Solomon Northup in city of Newyork living happily

with his family and working as a violin player as well as a carpenter. He meets friends who

persuaded him to earning more money as a musician in Washington. Northup never gave

information to his wife who was working in nearby city and off he went with the strangers to

Washington D.C and Newyork; this is where his problems began. After heavy drinking that
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afternoon, Solomon woke up only to discover that his new friends had sold him as a slave. He

was drugged, chained, his name changed into Platt and later ferried to New Orleans (Northup

2013). Here he was ready for sale to the utmost bidder. When Northup emphasized his human

rights as a free gentleman, he was thoroughly beaten and threatened never to talk about his

freedom in that city of Newyork again.

When Northup and other slaves were being shipped to slavery in Orleans, they were

infected by smallpox and one black slave passed away. While in shipment, he begged a kind

sailor to mail his family. The letter that he sent arrived safe and sound; however, his family was

not able to save him because they did not know where he was being taken. The audience shows

Platt’s unbelievable slavery when he faces all possible disgrace like continuous whippings and

beatings. Even though it looked miserable, Platt was hopeful that one day he was going to be free

to return home to his family.Pitt tells his colleague slave “I don't just want to survive. I want to

live!"Therefore, he had to hide his persona as a civilized person. As time passed by, Platt had

developed unique features. Sometimes, his woodwork as well as extra skills made him to be

treated well even though he experienced severe brutality. Benedict Cumber batch noted that Platt

had something different from other slaves and hence offered him assistance as a Musician and an

engineer. Paul Dano dislikes his talents and thus treats him with brutality. For example When

Platt defended himself from John; Ford is forced to sell him so as to maintain peace. He is sold to

Edwin Epps a sadist who quoted the writings as the reasons for raping ladies and beating slaves.

Platt become hopeless as the years passed, he learnt his lessons not to trust any

stranger.However, after long searching and several procedures were followed; the attorney was

able to locate and enslave Solomon Northup from the farm.

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I found the persistent violent behavior in "12 Years a Slave" as well as physical attacks to

be similar to those found in film of "The Passion of the Christ." The two films employ films

violence to show a critical idea. Thus the film reminds us of the anguish of black people long,

dark shade spread by their oppression into the modern days. This film contains horrible bloody

brutality including whippings, hangings, beatings, torture and rape (naked consensual but non

marital sexual activity) as well as some wicked and rough words. Thus teenagers must view with

guardian or a parent.

Definitely, there is no hesitation that “12 Years a Slave” is as essential as it is skillfully

prepared. However, trying to understand the fact that this one tale really occurred, not only to

Northup but to hundreds of slaves in America, takes some serious deeper strength. And even

though I can't imagine seated down to watch such an emotional film such as 12 Years a Slave

again, there is no doubt that I was not the only person who rose from this cultural event a better

person after having seen it. I really enjoyed it.

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Reference

Northup, S. (2013). 12 years a slave : illustrated: Narrative of Solomon Northup, a

citizen of New-York, kidnapped in Washington City in 1841, and rescued in 1853 from a cotton

plantation in Avoyelles Parish, in the Mississippi Valley of Louisiana. Marksville, Louisiana:

Avoyelles Publications.