12 Years A Slave Sparknotes

Vitoria Poejo
Extra Credit: 12 Years a Slave
Based on the autobiography of Solomon Northup written in 1853, 12 Years a Slave provides an undeniably gut-wrenching and raw look into the barbarous and atrocious American South in the late 1800’s. The film follows Solomon Northup, an African American living in Saratoga, New York. Northup enjoys a lavish lifestyle as a freeman who is both literate and a very talented musician. After falling victim to a scam by two white men claiming to want Northrup’s talents in Washington, he finds himself kidnapped and sold into slavery in the wetlands of Louisiana. While Northup, at first, is put in the hands of Master Ford who acquires a liking of Northup, his experiences take a turn for the worst when he is put into the hands of Master Epps and Northup is exposed to a whole new level of torture experienced by slaves in the Antebellum south. The whippings and abuse of Northup and other slaves is not the only atrocity, as the film also gives audiences an uncensored look into the sexual abuse experienced by Patsey, a young slave women. Northup’s twelve years as a slave in Louisiana, however, does come to an end when Northup’s letters that he had been sending back home finally reach his family and Northup is
12 Years a Slave does not shy away from the harsh realities that was once an American norm and thus should be watched by anyone willing to face the fact America was once as harsh and dark place as revealed in the film. While continuing to educate the population of what America once was, the film also provides an interesting narrative and plot to the famous book written over 150 years ago. Therefore, while an uncomfortable reminder of what was a core part of American society, 12 Years a Slave is a film that should be