Based on a true story, 12 YEARS A SLAVE is a riveting account of a free black man kidnapped from

New York and sold into brutal slavery in mid-1850s Louisiana, and the inspiring story of his desperate
struggle to return home to his family.

SOLOMON NORTHUP (Chiwtel Ejiofor), an educated black man with a gift for music, lives with his
wife and children in Saratoga, New York. One day, when his family is out of town, he is approached
by two men claiming to be circus promoters. Solomon agrees to travel with them briefly, playing the
fraud while they perform. But after sharing a drink with the men, he awakens to find he has been
drugged and bound and faces a horrifying reality: he is being shipped to the South as a slave.

No one listens to Solomon’s claim that he has papers proving his status as a free man. Despairing, he
plots his escape, only to be foiled at every turn. He is sold to WILLIAM FORD, a kindly mill owner who
appreciates Solomon’s thoughtful nature. But Ford is forced to sell him to a cruel master who
subjects him and other slaves to unspeakable brutality. For years, Solomon nurtures his dreams of
returning home. He piles slips of stolen paper in his fraud and develops a natural ink with which to
write a letter. But when his greatest efforts come to nothing, he realizes just how trapped he is. Even
if he could write the letter without being caught, where would he send it? Whom could he trust to
deliver it? And will he even survive long enough to be rescued?

Refusing to abandon hope, Solomon watches helplessly as those around him succumb to violence,
crushing emotional abuse and hopelessness. He realizes that he will have to take incredible risks, and
depend on the most unlikely people, if he is ever to regain his freedom and be reunited with his
family.

There is so much to say about Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave”. Powerful, beautiful, gut-
wrenching, shocking. I did not know that free men in the North were taken and sold into slavery in
the South. How did I miss that fact in all of my history classes in high school and in college?

We never dissected the economics of the slave trade. Rather, it was dismissed as something as a relic
of a bygone era.

Solomon Northrup’s story proved to be compelling, intricate, thoughtful and shocking. Yes, I used the
word shocking again. When we talk about human beings, the story is not simply black and white. You
don’t get into the gray part because the storytellers and/or society does not deem it to be the most
interesting part.

I disagree. In the gray area we learn the most…we find true beauty and reach higher levels of
understanding of our shared humanity.
It can also be the most difficult portion to look at because a thorough examination requires
compassion, empathy, listening, apologizing, embarrassment, neutrality and observation. Over the
decades, we lost the ability to engage in that kind of dialogue. Maybe we never really did it well, but
we definitely are not doing much of it now. Solomon Northrup’s story could not be told simply. It
only scratched the surface of a complex and painful chapter in our history.

Yes, slavery specific to the 1800s ended. We know about the key amendments, leaders and
proclamations of that period. In my experience, we never discussed why slavery existed and why
certain White people engaged in such violent behavior toward fellow human beings on the basis of
skin color. A lot of people wouldn’t like the answers because they exist in the gray area.

As a White woman growing up in suburbia, slavery and matters of race were rarely discussed.
Thankfully, my immediate family embraced everyone, did not discriminate, or ever participate
directly in the slave trade.

Racism is taught. As children, we pick it up from our parents through verbal/non-verbal cues and off-
the-cuff comments…continuing the vicious cycle. That’s the gray area.

I wholeheartedly believe things can shift. It will be uncomfortable, take some time and involve
people being honest with themselves and others. Feeling like a victim throughout our lives serves no
purpose.

We need candid dialogue…not merely a litany of apologies and complaints. Only upon reflection and
dissection of our conscious and subconscious views and attitudes can we achieve real progress.

I participated in a Q & A with Steve McQueen after a screening and one of attendees asked him what
he deemed to be the underlying theme of the movie. He responded, “Love, this movie is about
Love.” What an incredibly bold statement for a film that depicts such degrading, inhuman behavior!
Love for your family can get you through anything. Love for your fellow human beings can change
our vibration. Love for yourself can get you through the most harrowing circumstances.

If we extend love and it resonates throughout society, healing begins and we can banish blame, guilt,
shame and resentment. Let’s dive into that gray area together and make things better. What are you
willing to do?
12 Years A Slave (my personal reflective movie review)

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Last night I watched the riveting movie – “12 Years A Slave” and living in a polite English town I
wasn’t surprised to see some people leaving the cinema half-way through the movie because of the
viciousness and violence that was on display.

But still I couldn’t help but be a bit annoyed by these ones who in their English politeness turned
their backs on the harsh real life story of Black man – Solomon Northup (played by Chiwetel Ejiofor)
who was a free man until he was kidnapped and sold into Slavery in 1841.

The brutality of Solomon’s story is no fiction. It is the ineffaceable reality of slavery in 19th century
America.

For me “12 Years A Slave” was a very powerful movie which brought me to tears and thoughts. It led
me to deep reflections about Legalized Slavery and all that it portended for our African brothers and
sisters who were captured and carried across the ocean to America in that era when the law made it
possible for them to become the “property” of any white person who had the wherewithal to
purchase them.

The law made it possible for them to be reduced almost to the level of livestock.

The law made it possible for them to be hunted down like animals when they ran away.

The law made it possible for them to be raped, bound, branded, beaten, whipped and even killed.

The law of Slavery was vile and vicious. And yet it lasted and lasted and lasted.

Those who defended and advocated for slavery of the black-skinned people said that it was good and
even necessary for the economy because black slaves worked the cotton fields and the wood mills
and the sugar plantations.

I guess one could say that the blood, the tears and the sweat of the African slaves kept the American
economy strong for over a century and whoever tried to fight the legal system of slavery was
considered an enemy of the good economy, the enemy of the people, the scum of society, the
unwelcome abolitionist.

But today, I can watch a movie entitled “12 Years A Slave” because slavery is now against the law in
almost every nation in the world. And those people who are dealing clandestinely in the buying and
selling of other human beings are considered traffickers and criminals, they are indicted and
prosecuted by law for their violent trade.

And we heartily celebrate this victory over violence from one end of the earth to the other while
aiming to bring a complete end to slavery.

We must not forget that all of this started from the heroic suffering and sacrifice of the abolitionists
who refused to accept a vile and vicious unjust law.
Those who challenged slave owners of their time, and wrote books and travelled near and far to
speak up for the life and dignity of the black people.

One of my favourite scenes in the movie, was the tense and chilling conversation between the slave
owner Edwin Epps (played by Michael Fassbender) and Bass- the Canadian construction labourer
(played by Brad Pitt).

In their brief exchange of words, Bass earned Epps’ displeasure by expressing his opposition to
slavery and in the course of their tense conversation, Bass spoke an unforgettable line that will now
be engraved upon my heart for the rest of my days. He said to the slave owner “laws come and go,
but universal truths remain”.

Laws come and go…

How true!

Legalised slavery has come and gone.

As an African woman living and working side by side with white people, you cannot imagine my
gratitude to the men and women who 150 years ago incurred displeasure and risked everything so
that one day in the future I can be where I am, do what I am doing and be paid justly for my skills and
intellect.

No law will allow anyone to own me.

No law will allow anyone to treat me like livestock.

No law will allow anyone to rape me, bind me, brand me, beat up, whip me, or kill me.

I am black, yet I am free, and yes I am protected by the law.

Because Universal truths remain…

This is why I in turn, have resolved to challenge the most unjust law of my time- the Law that gives
women and their doctors the right to kill the most tender unborn babies in the womb. The law that
tells us that a woman is a valued patient but her unborn baby is not. The law that makes it possible
for 90% of our Down’s syndrome babies to be killed before they see the light of day.

The law that makes it possible for millions of babies to be killed every year in the modern world.

Pro-Abortion defenders and advocates say that abortion is good for the healthcare system (probably
as good as slavery was for the 19th century economy).

They tell us that women’s health and wellbeing is dependent on the availability of legal abortion.

They revile nations with pro-life laws for not caring enough for women.

Great Nations like USA, UK, France and China channel government funds to sustain and support this
violent and blood-thirsty system.
And every day in too many “clinics” and hospitals in these nations, the blood of the most innocent
among us flows into surgical sheets and pans as their remains is unceremoniously thrown into clinical
waste bins.

And the Abortion doctors in these “modern” nations remain arrogant, proud and well paid to raise
their instruments of death against the tender babies in the womb. They kill and yet the law protects
them (just as much as the law protected the meanest of plantation overseers 150 years ago).

The Law of Abortion is vile, vicious, violent and surely will one day come to an end as long as the pro-
life activists of our time continue to thread the well-worn beaten path of the 19th century
abolitionists, that path paved with sacrifice and suffering.

As a pro-life activist, I have been called an enemy of good healthcare, I’ve been labeled an enemy of
medical advancement, I have been treated like a scum of the land.

But in all of this I remain resolute because I tell myself that I am black and yet I am free thanks to
those who courageously struggled150 years ago for a Law that would protect me today in every way.

So as I enjoy my dignity and freedom, I believe that I am duty bound to sacrifice, suffer and risk all for
a law that would protect every human being even the little ones in the womb.

I can no longer sit silent and pro-choice in the face of unspeakable injustice. Neither should you.

We must lay down our lives for the elevation of the universal truth.

And one day this universal truth will reign in every nation of the world. And Abortionists will have no
choice but to hang up their vile instruments of death, and those of them who continue to kill babies
clandestinely in the back allays will be considered as killers and criminals (as we consider the human
traffickers of our time), they will be indicted and prosecuted by law for their violent trade.

And good people and lovers of life will heartily celebrate this victory over violence from one end of
the earth to the other.

Who knows, just as I sat in the cinema last night to watch this movie titled “12 Years A Slave” , my
own descendants might one day sit in a cinema to watch a movie titled “9 Months A Foetus” !

My prayer is that on that day, they will hold up their heads because you and I would have succeeded
in establishing the just Law that protects (without discrimination) all human beings during their 9
months in the womb be they black, white, blond, blind or downs!

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A Reaction Paper on the Movie "12 Years a Slave"

This is my reaction paper on the film entitled "12 Years a Slave" with regard to the constitutional
rights against slavery and injustice by an employer to its employee.

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This is my reaction paper on the film entitled "12 Years a Slave" with regard to the constitutional
rights against slavery and injustice by an employer to its employee.

TRANSCRIPT

A Reaction Paper on the Movie: “12 Years A Slave― In Partial Fulfillment for the Requirements in
Constitutional Law II Submitted by: Myrah Mae E. Jumao-as JD-I / M12 Submitted to: Atty. Judiel M.
Pareja Abstract This paper summarizes the true story of Solomon Northup depicted in a film, who
was born and raised as a freeman in New York. He lived the American dream, with a house and a
loving family. Then one day he was drugged, kidnapped, and sold into slavery in the Deep South.
These are the true accounts of his twelve hard years as a slave. His extraordinary journey proves the
resiliency of hope and the human spirit despite the most punishing and frightening of circumstances.
This a story of injustice, a story for the ages delivered with raw passion and a heart filled with plenty
of pain and eternal hope. A story which pushes that there is equality among equals and that there
must be equality before the law pushing harder for the protection of our rights from womb to tomb.
Synopsis The film “12 Years A Slave― set in 1841, the protagonist named Solomon Northup was
a free black man who knows how to read and write living in Saratoga, New York with his wife and
children, and was a talented violinist and a respected member of society. One morning, two men
claiming to be with a circus company from Washington proposed to hire him for his violin skills
during what they said would be a quick trip to New York City. Northup consented. Having proceeded
to New York, the two amiable men pleaded Northup to continue with them to Washington. He was
cautious, but he consented again, on account that the two men had such friendly and protective
dispositions. But once there, the men intoxicated Northup. When he was conscious, he woke up in
shackles. Northup insisted that he is a freeman but he was beaten and his back is ripped in ruddy
mess. Thereafter, he was sold to the slavers and was auctioned by the slave agent named Theophilus.
Eventually, Northup was sold to land owner William Ford – a Baptist preacher. He was the owner
of not only a plantation but a large lumber establishment, and treated his slaves well.Â
Unfortunately, the other half of the bitterness emanates from morally sinister men like John Tibeats.
He was introduced in the film as a sadistic coward who delights in tormenting slaves with his
rendition of a “run, nigger, run― tune sung like a cursed nursery rhyme. It is left unremarked in
the film; Tibeats becomes master to Northup when Ford, who had to bail out the debts of his
brother, couldn’t pay his bills to Tibeats. Tibeats naturally mistreated Northup any chance he
could. One day he attacked Northup, who overpowered his owner and, seizing his whip, struck him.
Tibeats tried to hang Northup for it, and would have succeeded if not for the interjection of the
plantation’s overseer. Northup was left bound tightly, with a rope around his neck, under the
blazing sun for an entire day with only one foot touching the ground. While Ford is a relatively
reasonable master, Solomon runs afoul of his foremen and is re-sold to Edwin Epps, a cotton
plantation owner and a man of greater evil. Epps is slightly insane and whip-happy, and infatuated
with Patsey his most productive slave, triggering the ferocity of his wife Mary. As Solomon does what
he needs to in order to survive as a slave, he never stops trying to regain his freedom, despite the
brutality of life under Epps. A chance encounter with Canadian laborer Samuel Bass offers an
opportunity to once again change the course of his life, subsequently back in the arms of his family.
Discussion “The plantation model could never be as efficient as labors of free will. Slavery not only
is an abhorrent slander to the human soul, but those who defend it as a necessary mode of economy
are fools who cannot see that it makes for the most unproductive system imaginable.― –
Solomon Northup In the film, there was clear violence against a person’s right to life, liberty, and
property. It has been embodied in our 1987 constitution that “no person shall be deprived of life,
liberty, and property without due process of law xxx―. No government, private entities, nor
individuals has the right to infringe upon another’s life, liberty, and property. While the film was
set in 1841, the issue of unfairness and racism between the blacks was elucidated. They were
stripped with their identities, their rights, and their free will. They were enslaved and treated without
respect, as if they were mere objects subjected to eviction, torture, and cruelty. They are just mere
properties, tilling plantations and seen as robots of economic exploitation. As depicted in the film,
there was no right to life for them. The constitutional protection of the right to life is not just a
protection of the right to be alive or to the security on one’s limb against physical harm. The right
to life is the right to a good life (Bernas, 2011). Compared in the film, there was a clear violation of
their right to life. They were repeatedly slashed if they did something not amusing to their masters.
They were always wronged and subjected to torture anytime. There was always harm – physical,
psychological, or mental. The blacks have been denied to a healthy living, delicious foods, and well
nurtured shelter. Moreover, their right to be free was also violated. They were treated as tools and
robots. Made to dance, became raped, forcibly worked, and handed down from one master to
another. They don’t have the right to question their masters nor afford security from them. It is as
if they were made to born in order to render service to others, and not for themselves. Further, they
were deprived of their right to property. Father Bernas (2011) wrote in his book that property rights
includes those provided by law, vested, and also includes right to work and earn a living. Obviously,
Northup and the rest of the slaves were not given any rights at all. Since they were stripped off with
their rights, and were treated as mere objects, they cannot enjoy the earnings from the long hours of
work. They were not even given benefits – the benefits to rest, leisure, and bonus. Lastly, there
was no due process and equal protection of the laws. The slashing when they were wronged and
failure to please their masters refused them of their right to be questioned, to answer the
allegations, to explain, and be understood. No equality was afforded to them because of racism –
the whites over the blacks. Therefore, the film is a representation of contravention to the tenor of
Section 1, Article III of our Constitution, that “no person shall be deprive of life, liberty, or property
without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws.―
Conclusion The film tells us that the right to life, liberty, and property as well as due process and the
equal protection of the laws must be respected and at all times be the soul of the rights of human
supremacy. No one must be treated with violence and unfairness because he or she is black or white,
Asian or American. No one shall be an object nor be a property of another. Every person must be
equal among equals. No one shall be enslaved nor harmed. The constitution posits fairness and due
process. Everyone has the right of their own, a right to reap what he or she sow, a right to be
educated, a right to leisure and family, and a right to be a person – to be equal from womb to
tomb. References Book Bernas, J.G., (2011), The 1987 Philippine Constitution: A Comprehensive
Reviewer, Rex Printing Company Inc., Philippines Internet Movie Review: 12 Years A Slave (2013)
retrieved from January 30, 2015 from http://www.theaceblackblog.com/2013/11/movie-review-12-
years-slave-2013.html The ‘12 Years a Slave’Book Shows Slavery As Even More Appalling Than
In the Film retrieved from January 30, 2015 from
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/10/18/the-12-years-a-slave-book-shows-slavery-as-
even-more-appalling-than-in-the-film.html

In the movie 12 Years a Slave, it’s too obvious that actors and actresses are different here in the
Philippines. Filipino’s primarily choose actors and actresses with such an appealing physical
personality. They always consider white is beautiful. But in this movie, the leading role belongs to
Solomon, a black man. He played very well regardless of what he is, where he came from and what
race he belongs. Yes, he is black nonetheless he perform the character of what the movie needs in
order to portray and deliver to the audience the real essence of this movie. The conceptual idea of
Filipino’s which is “Maganda ang Maputi” should be diminished because everyone can execute their
specific roles if they work hard on it. In addition, both “maputi o kayumanggi” should not have a
special treatment in movies.

The character of a common Filipino in selecting a film had been established since Spanish time.
Filipino’s always choose a movie in which they can laugh; they can be amaze by stunts; they can
imagine a fictional world and any other forms of entertainment. Locally, more or less of the movies
produce has no moral or ethical values. Comparing it to the movies produce internationally, I can say
that our movie industry will not grow and develop to a more sophisticated trade. Being a millennial
which has a wide spectrum of choices, I would pick a tiresome movie with life lessons rather than a
humorous movie with no essence. The movie 12 Years a Slave pertains to a black man who was in
slavery because of discrimination in their country. Years passed by and after 12 years, he was freed.
This movie taught people to respect, accept and set an equilibrium to everybody. In contrast to this
film, an example of the movie which has no moral content is “Extra Service” starring Jessy Mendiola,
Coleen Garcia and RC. It’s given that this film entertains people, so what happens next? Do people
who watches the movie can share their cheerful experience to make other people happy as well?
Why settle for a movie which can only convey entertainment if there are movies which has a lot of
life lessons?

As what Nicanor Tiongson said about heroines, during Spanish and American regime, chosen
leading actors and actresses should be an underdog, naïve, immature and loser. Examples of the
drama produced which depicts this kind of value are Mara Clara, Katorse, Ikaw lang ang Iibigin and
Dalagang Bukid. These values, however, did not die whenever light shines in the stage. It became a
part of Philippine tradition in producing films. In our context this value becomes a vice, especially
because it makes Filipinos accept all sufferings, even if the suffering is unjustly imposed on them by
foreign or local oppressors. Films like this makes people dumb and stupid because they represent a
fictional living wherein the “dehado” became rich and knowledgeable which opposes their style of
living at the start of the show. Their success is because of other people in the show who help them
rise from poverty and scarcity.

In contrast to the film mentioned above, the movie 12 Years a Slave exemplify “Mabuti ang
may Sariling Isip at Gulugod.” This film forms a critical mind which discuss social or personal
problems with a bigger social perspective. Aside from this, the lead actor, Solomon, showed that he
has a will and perseverance to acquire his goal which is freedom. From a typical local film wherein it
depicts social issue like poverty, the blessings at the end are always expected to drive into the
protagonist. Unlike in the movie 12 Years a Slave, the fate of the leading character is uncertain
because it is the reality. I really don’t know if Solomon will be able to escape from slavery or he will
going to accept the fact that it’s his destiny. Being in custodial of abusive people for 12 years,
hopelessness and impossibility is conceivable. On the other hand, he fought for what is right. He
fought on his own for his freedom. This kind of character showed that “Mabuti ang may Sariling
Gulugod” than “Mabuti ang Inaapi.”

A mystic and dreamlike films play a significant role in Philippine entertainment industry. They
can influence viewers in believing that our world is still good and a beautiful place to live. “Maganda
pa ang Daigdig” became a traditional movie plot in most of Filipino films. You can be whom you want
to be even if it’s unbelievable and mysterious. A common Filipino doesn’t want to accept the reality
that the protagonist didn’t succeed on his/her mission. They often consider that a poor and ugly
leading character will meet his/her good-looking destiny and by just a simple “1 year later” on your
TV screens, the protagonist became an instant owner of a house and lot or in other words, he/she
live happily ever after.

According to Tiongson, a vision of “Maganda pa ang Daigdig” should be diminished and be

transformed into “Gaganda pa ang Daigdig” which is based on a realistic and scientific analysis of
problems. This value signifies reality of what is truly happening in the society whether it is social,
political, economic or personal issue. The movie 12 Years a Slave entails the real world were
discrimination among black is very observable. Dates back, a lot of racial discrimination have been
cycling into the society particularly in America, the main setting of the story. This film enlightened
the mind of its viewer that through perseverance and determination everything is possible. That’s life
and that’s how life goes on.

By just merely looking at the movie title, I can say that it’s lackluster and tiresome to watch.
Maybe because I possess a disvalue in choosing a film and I am a type of millennial which they often
called “Kinain na ng Sistema.” Honestly, I’m not fan of any historical drama that depicts serious
issues. But I will include this movie to my exceptions. Solomon Northrup’s story proved to be
convincing, complicated yet thoughtful and dreadful.

As I consulted the internet, this very powerful film from British director Steve McQueen
achieves a clean sweep in best picture category and receives a famous Oscar Awards. No doubt for
this film to receive those awards because they truly deserves it. I was greatly affected on how the
characters in the film showed their desire to appeal for freedom and opposition to racial
discrimination. Hands up for Solomon because he is not just a protagonist in the film but became an
instrument to educate viewers on how cruel and unjust life is. There are some part in the film in
which I felt like I am the one suffering their hardships. It is an indication that this film have been
crafted for the audience to be engaged in what they are watching.

Although there are certain portions in the film which is less essential, 12 Years a Slave more
than makes for these flaws though through its artistic components- such as its beautiful mark, well-
crafted cinematography, and most especially, its superb twisted plot. The cinematography of this film
is very close on what is happening in the reality. It made me imagine that what I am watching is not a
film but a real world. Technically splendid is how I described the movie’s sound manipulation. From
the very start of the film until the end, the sound plays a significant role in moving the viewer’s
emotion.