Book Review 12 Years a Slave Essay Example
ShaTaylor Moore
March 11, 2013
History 1301 -02
Twelve Years a Slave: Solomon Northup
Book Review
Solomon Northup was a free African American man from Minerva, New York. In the novel Twelve Years a Salve, Northup composed a narrative about his life as a free man, and also his life as a slave. In the year of 1814 Northup was kidnapped and taken deep South, to the rugged life of slavery. After 12 years of being thrown into the slavery against his will, he rightfully regained his freedom in January of 1853 all because he came in contact with an abolitionist from Canada, who sent letters to his family about his situation. As you know slavery is not an engaging circumstance to be put through. I mean put yourself in a slave’s shoe, could you make it through that trying time as Northup and many others with through? This drastic change in Northup life had to be an emotional and challenging entity for him to suffer through.
Northup was drugged and sold into slavery by two Caucasian men who tricked him by saying they would pay him good money to play in a traveling band. He was then sold to a slave trader in Washington, were he protested that what he was doing was wrong, “I am a free man”. The fact that Northup spoke up about his freedom infuriated the slave trader. So Northup was whipped and shipped down south to New Orleans. Northup and many other African Americans were sent on a steam boat that was in horrible condition. Dieses and other appalling sickness affect the passers on this ride, but Northup found the will and strength to survive. Most slaves where giving their daily chores to perform by their physical abilities. A whole work day consists of 15 -16 hours of hard labor during harvest time, there were no days off for the slaves. Sex meant little to the slave owners. Women who where well along in their pregnancies still had to do field work. Typical food allowance was a peck of corn meal and three to four pounds of salt pork or bacon per week per
March 11, 2013
History 1301 -02
Twelve Years a Slave: Solomon Northup
Book Review
Solomon Northup was a free African American man from Minerva, New York. In the novel Twelve Years a Salve, Northup composed a narrative about his life as a free man, and also his life as a slave. In the year of 1814 Northup was kidnapped and taken deep South, to the rugged life of slavery. After 12 years of being thrown into the slavery against his will, he rightfully regained his freedom in January of 1853 all because he came in contact with an abolitionist from Canada, who sent letters to his family about his situation. As you know slavery is not an engaging circumstance to be put through. I mean put yourself in a slave’s shoe, could you make it through that trying time as Northup and many others with through? This drastic change in Northup life had to be an emotional and challenging entity for him to suffer through.
Northup was drugged and sold into slavery by two Caucasian men who tricked him by saying they would pay him good money to play in a traveling band. He was then sold to a slave trader in Washington, were he protested that what he was doing was wrong, “I am a free man”. The fact that Northup spoke up about his freedom infuriated the slave trader. So Northup was whipped and shipped down south to New Orleans. Northup and many other African Americans were sent on a steam boat that was in horrible condition. Dieses and other appalling sickness affect the passers on this ride, but Northup found the will and strength to survive. Most slaves where giving their daily chores to perform by their physical abilities. A whole work day consists of 15 -16 hours of hard labor during harvest time, there were no days off for the slaves. Sex meant little to the slave owners. Women who where well along in their pregnancies still had to do field work. Typical food allowance was a peck of corn meal and three to four pounds of salt pork or bacon per week per