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Upon Bass’s departure, which took with him most of the hope Northup had to be freed, Northup
stated, “The night before his departure I was wholly given up to despair. A simple humane act could
completely alter the respect other planters held. Give me your paper requirements and I connect you
to an academic expert. In order to discuss the impact that slavery has had on today’s society, you
need to first address why it actually occurred. Although Douglass was born as a slave and Northup
was born as a freeman, but later kidnapped and held as a slave, they do also have many similarities.
The book didn’t only give in-depth insights on the cruelty of slavery, it also shows the humanity
within the slaves. The black people whether slave or not were not allowed to testify in the courts of
law especially for themselves and this goes to show that their words were never taken seriously.
Also, it goes on to not even call the person that was being beaten a human being instead they call
them a piece of property that they own and can do anything with. 6) We first start out with hearing
Northup retell his life as a free black man living in upstate New York. It’s important to remember that
the events depicted in 12 Years a Slave are still happening today. He served various bosses some of
whom were kind while others were simply very cruel. Freedom and enslavement were not far from
each other: kidnappings and run away attempts prove that. However, the book does an exquisite job
in ensuring that the message is passed across, and the plight of the slaves is highlighted. In the Lower
South cotton and sugar were the two giant cash crops that dominated the agricultural world. Bass
asked, “Now, in the sight of God, what is the difference, Epps, between a white man and a black
one?” The institution of slavery had twisted their own religion in to order to attain what they so
desperately and selfishly want, which is wealth. Mcqueen lingers several times on scenes throughout
the film which makes the viewers have to face their discomfort of slavery and as cultural historian
Dr. Thomas Doherty says “has already been called the most searing depiction of slavery ever
projected on the American screen”. The struggle for survival is shown when Solomon promises
himself that he “will not fall into despair. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend
looking to learn more about slavery and the mid 1800s. This idea is explored further when Northup is
the subject of attempted murder at the hands of his master John Tibeats, and Northup states, “Had he
stabbed me to the heart in the presence of a hundred slaves, not one of them, by the laws of
Louisiana, could have given evidence against him.” When Northup is rescued and he brings James
Burch, the slave dealer, to court, Northup is not allowed to testify as a witness on his own behalf
when Burch is allowed. For an optimal experience, please switch to the latest version of Google
Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari or Mozilla Firefox. The white people sought to control the
lives and destinies of the slaves since they were made to believe that they were savages with no
feelings or emotions. From there, he travels to Washington, D.C. to press charges on Burch but Burch
gets away scot-free due to false witnesses and racial bias in the courtroom. He grew up in
Washington County and is best well-known for being an American farmer, laborer, and musician.
This movement rekindled citizens’ connection to their Christian faith and pushed slave owners to
view the religious welfare of their slaves as their responsibility. With a job offer two men tempted
Northup to come to Washington D.C., where they drugged him during a pretended business dinner,
took away his papers and delivered him to a slave pen. The goal will also be to embed the movie and
work with both the book and the motion picture to teach students how the reality of slavery looked
like (McGlinn 13). This also keeps it intriguing and demands readers’ attention at all times. The tone
remains dramatic throughout, which is appropriate for the subject matter. The captives were
insignificant to those communities and, this was the reason behind the slave trade; they opted to
exchange them with valuable items from the traders. Report this resource to let us know if this
resource violates TPT’s content guidelines. While in the movie, Patsey believed that death would be
the solution, Northup still believed in freedom and other forms of resistance.
Furthermore, this paper will equip high school teachers with a step-by-step outline offering
background information, teaching ideas and suggestions. There are definitely some invented scenes
that are not originally taken from the book. The book shows the cultural values that the enslaved
communities had created such as the implementation of Christianity. Additionally, the whipping
scene placed in the backdrop of Epps’ plantation as well as the eeriness of Eliza’s mourning during
Ford’s sermon further highlight numerous instances where slave owners manipulated The Bible and
Christianity to defend slavery’s institution. (02:57min). This became very annoying to me and I felt
disgusted by the use of the word throughout the movie. A free black man without his free papers
was merely just another runaway slave. Soloman was also married and had three children of his own
in a lovely home. On his plantation, Ford delivers a sermon to his slaves where he recites Luke
chapter 17 verse 2, a verse in which Jesus warns his disciples to refrain from inciting sin or sorrow in
the hearts of their brethren. It’s obvious that their lives were very unfavorable. One day Tibaut tried
to whip him but Northup resisted and fought him, which led to further punishment. One letter was
sent to Anne Northup, his wife, who then sought help to free her husband. In this analysis I will
dissect Asante's work covering racism from the past, present and the future moving forward. From
there, Solomon and all the other slaves are sent downriver eventually landing in New Orleans,
Louisiana. He would do this by getting papers for the said slave and to prove that he was a free man,
the black person would need to walk around with the documents. Following the movies big success,
Twelve Years a Slave was subsequently added to the national curriculum in the United States.
However, this fashion sense grows from their connection with one fashionably renowned African
country, Ghana. Many diseases have been virtually eradicated (i. e. polio, STD's, etc),
communication across the world is freer and faster than ever, and we've. In order to overcome the
trauma of slavery requires remembering the atrocities faced by slaves rather than forgetting them. The
author was not a slave entirely and thus even though is treated as a slave, he does not own the
experiences and can be said to have some advantages over the other slaves due to his skills. Henry
was made an agent of the State of New York to find Solomon and was sent to Louisiana with letters
from a senator and a justice on the Supreme Court. The invasive thought of being unable to have
even the smallest semblance of freedom of speech is explored in the narrative and begins to plant
empathy in the minds of readers. Perhaps if one did not have a faith or feel strongly one way or the
other about the idea of a god, the discussion of Christianity, especially as it pertained to the slave
trade, might not be nearly as swaying as the previous statements, but it does lend unmistakable
opportunities for empathy in a select group of readers. All other slave narrators had been born into
slavery. In addition, director Steve McQueen released a film 12 Years a Slave in 2013. In most
scenes, we get to view the whole body of the actor rather than the medium shots which show only
the waist up to the head. Despite all the obstacles, slave marriages or relationships were often close
and long lasting. (Boyer 326). A marriage also kept the hope alive and the belief to be able to live a
life in freedom. In the same setting, in the bed, Northup is even planning of the future with his
wife.The shots and camera movements used in 12 years a slave are a variety. Whenever they tried to
resist, they would be killed in the most inhumane way since only the owner had the right to free a
black person. There is a lot of information about his early life in New York and what he did after he
regained his freedom, which is hard to find elsewhere. The book integrated many different sources
and gathered information from a wide variety, which provided a full biography of Solomon Northup
rather than a story retold or a remixed edition of Northup’s book.
Most people, even in the United States, were unaware of the numerous abductions of free African
Americans in the North (Churchwell). In the latter technique, the camera appears to be in level with
the actors.ReferenceNorthup, S. (2010). Twelve years a slave: Narrative of Solomon Northup, a
citizen of New-York, kidnapped in Washington City in 1841 and rescued in 1853, from a cotton
plantation near the Red River, in Louisiana. He talked only wonderful things and cheered his
bondsman to do well. Solomon Northup was a free man, then lured to Washington D. C. and put
into slavery from 1841 to 1853. Even Though, it is just him living with his pain and guilt he has not
been broken he had not given up and decided that until he had what he wanted he would stay strong.
If you want a unique paper, order it from our professional writers. Right before he is put up for sale
he contracts smallpox, which nearly kills him. The main difference from Douglass’ work is that
Northup did not write the narrative by himself. He was shown as a man who was living a good life
and who life had been very kind to. In 1854, those who held Northup as a slave were found and
arrested. His encounters are the subject of the book and film 12 Years a Slave. With the help of his
friends and Bass, Solomon Northup returns to his family in New York after twelve years of bondage.
The film “Twelve Years a Slave” is based on a real story of Solomon Northup, a free black man
living in Saratoga, New York who later was tricked, kidnapped and sold into slavery in Louisiana. It
is unusual for a baby to fear someone because of the color of their skin. However, Ford maintained
forty percent ownership as the sale was to repay a debt owed to Tibaut, but was not worth the whole
amount of Northup. A recent article by Rochelle Riley for USA Today describes slavery as
America's open wound, the painful injury that a third of America lives with and the rest of the
country attempts to ignore because, for them, it is an ancient scar and, well, hasn't it healed by now.
After becoming raised free and encountering an existence of independence, Solomon was robbed
and traded into slavery auction for 12 years. The first stage is the “social negation” in which the free
man is violently uprooted from his milieu but especially from his family. This movie is difficult to
watch and will most likely leave the students with much to think about. That is the reason why a
new law came into force in 1793 that will be further described in the following chapter. She was not
completely free before she was sent to a new master, it was her mistress who desperately wanted her
gone. There are millions of impoverished men, women and children who are easy prey for traffickers.
Northup describes the constant engagement of the slaves in the following: “ploughing, planting,
picking cotton, gathering the corn, and pulling and burning stalks, occupies the whole of the four
seasons of the year” (Eakin 226). Many Anti-slavery abolitionists had very unpleasant views on the
act of enslavement and created pieces of art to show the cruelty and agonizing truths of slavery.
However, it did not give the father the right to visit his family whenever he pleased and if he went
without permission a severe whipping was usually the consequence. Solomon Northrup’s rescue was
publicized everywhere. This historical period played a main role in the making of America and the
development of the modern world. The film, 12 Years A Slave is based on a true story of Solomon
Northup’s ordeal as a victim of wrongful kidnapping and enslavement in the United States. But
people can’t just support their ideas on just 1 action; the entire image must be looked in a way to
accept. The detailed descriptions of the processes of cotton farming, as well as the depiction of the
area with the many plantations, confirm Northup’s knowledge of the region and validate the truth of
his account (Berlatsky).
The new, and stronger act was passed in 1850 demanding that escaped slaves in the North must be
sent back to their owners immediately. Immediately after, the camera shifted from his face to reveal
the U.S. capitol building on the horizon. By continuing we’ll assume you’re on board with our. You
can use essay samples to find ideas and inspiration for your paper. The black slaves did not have any
say about what happened to their lives, and the white people could do with them as they wished. The
fugitive slaves were secretly and steadily transported northwards until their freedom could be
secured. The black people even those who were free were in constant danger the white people did
not think much of the black people and they only could relate them to property that could be sold
and bought at the markets. When teaching the institution of slavery, though, the genre of slave
narrative is worth considering using. The first two chapters of the book discuss the family of
Northup and their history and details such as where he comes from and how they were freed are
explained. No matter the time period, race of people, or status the collective experience of being
human helps tie together the bonds that may otherwise divide those who read the narrative. Even
Though, it is just him living with his pain and guilt he has not been broken he had not given up and
decided that until he had what he wanted he would stay strong. Female slaves were continually
sexualized by their masters. Essays on slavery could explore its historical occurrences, the impact of
slavery on contemporary racial relations, or discuss the legacies and traumas of slavery. It goes into
detail about the poverty prevalent in sharecropping families and the struggle to escape its grasp. My
analysis will explain why some scholars do not consider the book Twelve Years of a Slave a slave
narrative. Solomon background is started from his ancestors on his paternal side were slaves in
Rhode Island. He is not only dissocialized but also depersonalized. Northup has a simple concept of
Christianity that many might find it difficult with which to disagree. The sessions is a quick paced,
team based session with plenty of activities to encourage independent thought and sharing of ideas
to help stretch and challenge but also support. Frederick Douglass revealed about his worst master
who was Christian that “If religion had any effect on his character at all, it made him more cruel and
hateful in all his ways” (Douglass 66). He told his kidnappers his identity but what he got was
tortured, beaten with paddle and whip. Furthermore, this paper will equip high school teachers with
a step-by-step outline offering background information, teaching ideas and suggestions. One of the
most crucial chapters in the American history: Thousands of African Americans were either born or
dragged into slavery, struggling to survive and enduring the injustice of slavery. The detailed
descriptions of the processes of cotton farming, as well as the depiction of the area with the many
plantations, confirm Northup’s knowledge of the region and validate the truth of his account
(Berlatsky). Even in modern day, people use their religion or even lack thereof, to get through trying
situations. Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert. I watched
both movies, “Twelve Years a Slave” and “Birth of a Nation” my senior year of high school in a
course I took called “Modern Global History through Film”. His book became a bestseller in 1853,
and helped build the case for abolition. Raised as a freeman, Solomon had achieved and education
as well as the skills to play the violin. This movie used this word in a very degrading, humiliating,
and disrespectful way.
The white people sought to control the lives and destinies of the slaves since they were made to
believe that they were savages with no feelings or emotions. He lost the case as he was not allowed
to testify because he was a black person. The major weakness of the story is that the storyteller tells
of his account more like a visitor to slavery than a slave who has nowhere else to go. He lives
happily with his wife and children in Saratoga County, New York, until the day an employment offer
at a circus changes his life. He was not represented in the U.S. registration of 1860 and more likely
than not predeceased Anne, who kicked the bucket in 1876. Since Northup is portrayed as a proud,
hard-working family man, it is easy for the audience to relate to his situation. The black slaves did
not have any say about what happened to their lives, and the white people could do with them as
they wished. This change was thrust upon him after he had been in Mr.Epps care for the previous 10,
or so, years of which he worked his life away. 5). After the incident, he tries to kill Northup using an
axe. However, he was forced to deny that he was the one who wrote the letters when they were
intercepted since his ability to read and write would be seen as a threat. He was a free man robbed
from his liberty, causing him to question freedom itself. This is a key fact that would shape the
following years for him. With his apparent state of being locked up and beaten, he also seems heart
broken. He was tricked by a slaver who had promised good work, then kidnapped and trafficked to
the South. One day in 1841, he received an offer from a pair of “traveling entertainers” to perform in
Washington D.C. Shorty after Solomon arrived there, he was drugged, kidnapped, and sold into
slavery in the South. The not white people in 12 years of the slave were solid employees and they
did labor from like for the whole day if they didn’t do what the owners wanted them they will get
hit.”Ten years I toiled for that man without a reward”(Solomon Northup 70). Our experts will write
for you an essay on any topic, with any deadline and requirements from scratch. PapersOwl offers a
variety of free essay examples on the topic of 12 Years A Slave. For young age skales usually they
become slave for their masters children and the treatment they received similar to the adult. He was
shown as a man who was living a good life and who life had been very kind to. Please include what
you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page.
This shows his determination because even if he has yet to become a slave he is determined to make
it so he controls his life even after all is said and done. During the busy harvesting time, slaves did
not get much sleep and had to work until they were utterly exhausted. Solomon’s Northup narrative
is a fine proof that in the history slaves always resisted in different kinds of ways. Give me your
paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert. As Jonathan Merritt, a senior columnist
for Religion News Service elaborated, “McQueen seems to be making a point about how people pick
and choose the verses they live by and how those verses should be applied”. Both camera angles and
movements in 12 years a slave are minimal. Most of the clothes worn by people in Jamaica reflect a
significant part of their cultural and religious beliefs. The movie became a huge success, highlighted
with an academy award win. Many diseases have been virtually eradicated (i. e. polio, STD's, etc),
communication across the world is freer and faster than ever, and we've.
What makes Solomon northup’s experience of slavery so different from others. He was the son of an
emancipated slave and was born July 1808. Consequently, Twelve Years a Slave has not only
become a slave narrative that gives the reader a good insight into the slave life but also provides a
reliable historical source and reference. But what makes Twelve Years a Slave so interesting and so
unique. They are possible key topics for further class discussion while reading Solomon’s book and
learn about the institution of slavery. After much legitimate moving, the case achieved the state
preeminent court and afterward the court of offers, yet the charges were at last rejected in May
1857. I was also amazed by how at one point in the movie, Solomon Northup was left with no other
option than to give into his situation and acknowledge that he was now a slave and not a free man
anymore. However, this fashion sense grows from their connection with one fashionably renowned
African country, Ghana. She was still forced to live to her amazing standards and if somebody even
came close to what she made, she would get beat. Northup shows both scenarios, what any family
dreads and what they hope for. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was known to be the most
controversial in 19th century because it forced even slavery-neutral citizens in the north to form a
clear opinion on the question of slavery. Throughout history several groups of people have been
affected by racism. Take the quote, A tall, emaciated-looking boy popped suddenly from a forest trail
and swung a thin arm around Stacey. It was T.J. Avery. His younger brother Claude emerged a
moment later, smiling weakly as if it pained him to do so. In his Oscar speech, documented on the
official webpage of Twelve Years a Slave, Steve McQueen thanked the deceased historian Eakin for
the detailed investigation that gave him a basis in directing the movie. The narrative not only teaches
history, but also about the endurance of human beings in a desperate situation. Conceived in July
1808 in Minerva, New York, Solomon Northup grew up a liberated individual, functioning as an
agriculturist and violinist while having a family. Another reason why 12 Years a Slave does not fulfill
all the criteria of a slave narrative is the fact that the narrative does not stick to certain formal and
generic expectations. In the American South, learning to read and write was absolutely forbidden by
the system. As documented by Boyer (2014), “on average, any given slave would witness the sale of
eleven family members over the course of her or his lifetime”. Enslaved people were property owned
by white people, treated as property and traded regularly. In 1841, African American Solomon
Northup, a free man, is kidnapped and forced into slavery under the name 'Platt' for 12 years. You
can use essay samples to find ideas and inspiration for your paper. It’s important to remember that
the events depicted in 12 Years a Slave are still happening today. The fugitive slaves were secretly
and steadily transported northwards until their freedom could be secured. When a slave preacher
married an enslaved couple he pronounced, “until death or distance do you part.” (Boyer 326)
Sometimes, married couples lived on different plantations whereas the children usually stayed with
their mother. I am interested in learning more about Northup but I feel this book gives a great
comprehensive timeline of his life. Both movies Lincoln and 12 years of slavery have put to the
realities that faced African Americans in the slavery period. The world came a long way from when
slave start to the end of it. This adjusted the readers’ vision of what was enslavement were like
through that time generation. Music was also twisted when Epps drunkenly forced his slaves to
dance to a “quick-stepping tune” which Solomon had to play for.
From this mutual starting point, the audience accompanies him on his unfortunate way into slavery.
Solomon Northup, a free black man who was kidnapped, sold into slavery and deprived of liberty for
twelve years wrote one of the most popular slave narratives, documenting his experiences during his
time in bondage. The various forms of resistance applied by slaves differ extremely from each other.
This statement should present a specific angle or argument about slavery. Also, the fact that Ford
retained 40% of Northup after he had been sold to Tibaut is astonishing. Northup was found and
legally freed on January 4th of 1853. In the following section, important themes that are
recommended to be involved into the teaching unit of slavery are presented. In the paper “12 Years
as a Slave” the author discusses the story of Solomon Northup, who was born in a period when
slavery was rife, and most black people were slaves of the white population. When he is kidnapped,
he is taken away from his wife and children. The effects that slavery has had on the nation is
something many people still struggle to understand. Overall, it was an easy read and demanded my
attention throughout. Shortly after this incident, Tibeats still couldn’t control his anger and attacked
Solomon again giving him no other chance than to fight back and escape. In 1854, those who held
Northup as a slave were found and arrested. According to the fact that he is not only kidnapped and
enslaved but also locally taken away to a strange land it seems impossible to find a way back to his
own life. The title 12 Years a slave was about his 12 years struggle as a slave of different slave
owners. The book is so touching that a movie based on it has been released due to its authenticity
and also serves as a reminder of how far the black people have come in their struggle for fairness and
justice. Instead, Northup was saved by a nearby ally, Anderson Chafin. In the letter he described his
hopeless situation and that he needs help to be freed. At this time, his sense of security was broken
and was never to be restored again. As documented by Boyer (2014), “on average, any given slave
would witness the sale of eleven family members over the course of her or his lifetime”. Throughout
history several groups of people have been affected by racism. Some of those who try and explain the
fall of this empire blamed the initiation of Christianity. This is shown by the constant struggle for
survival shown throughout the novel and the dehumanization that the slaves have suffered. The film
also erases the fact that to settle a debt William Ford sold Northup to John M. Tibeats. Furthermore
McQueen also deliberately decided to erase valuable people from the memoir, like the slave trader
Goodin and Northup’s experience in his possession. Single camera shooting also provides few
images, unlike many cameras that offer very many images and increases the later work of finding the
important scenes to make up the final movie. Shortly after he arrived in Washington, D.C., in April,
he was drugged with liquor and fell unconscious, only to wake up in handcuffs in an underground
cell where he was held captive as a slave. He was shown as a man who was living a good life and
who life had been very kind to. Northup received some education at a young age and helped on his
father’s farm. Slaves encountered separatism from their families, rape, accusations of crimes that
they most likely had not done, brutal beatings, lynching, and etc. The first stage is the “social
negation” in which the free man is violently uprooted from his milieu but especially from his family.

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