Film Analysis Essay on Twelve Years a Slave (2013)

Introduction

Twelve years a slave is an incredible movie about a story of about the fight for freedom and survival of Solomon Northup from the upstate of New York who falls into the abduction and sold into slavery where he faces a cruel personality from a malevolent slave trader (owner). In addition, he faces kindness and struggles to stay alive and kicking besides retaining his human dignity. Under slavery, Solomon's name changes to Platt for twelve years. On the twelfth year, Solomon, now Platt encounters a disheartening situation of having a chance to meet a Canadian abolitionist who changes the life of Solomon. Therefore, this movie is based on the life of a black slave who survives slave related ordeals and stays alive that gives him a chance to be free again. In addition, Solomon Northup writes the book 12 years a slave as his memoir as told to David Wilson the editor published in 1853.

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The primary setting for the events was in the areas of Saratoga Springs, Washington DC, New York, New Orleans and finally Red River. The major themes in both the book and film include Slave as moral cancer, the injustice that leads to freedom, dignity to humanity and the positions of women in the American society. This work aims at analyzing the acts of slavery in the movie by giving illustrations that show empirically the acts and events of slavery on the main character Solomon and others ("US House Representative", 2008).

According to the American history, slavery and slave trade began to spread through the American states after 1619 when a ship belonging to the Dutch came with 20 slaves from Africa to Jamestown in Virginia. An approximated population of about six to seven million slaves was brought through importation to the new world in the 18th century that led to the economic growth of slavery in South America. This was after cotton gin invention in 1793 that increased the worth of having slaves in America. However, due to the American Revolution, the Congress banned international slavery and trade of slaves in 1804 due to the American Revolution from 1755 to 1783. This act of the Congress led to an acute shortage of workforce on the cotton plantations. However, the law enacted could not bar people from practicing domestic slavery that flourished three times the previous slave trade over the next five decades that led to an uptick of slavery and trade to about four million in the United State of America ("US House Representative", 2008).

Before the production of the book and film 12 years a slave by Solomon Northup, during this historic period that slave narratives documenting the life of slaves and slave trade in the Southern American were read trendily from an invaluable first-hand perspective. Solomon Northup considered this as a valid and authentic reflection that contained verifiable experiences on contemporary slavery and the slave treatments that formed one of the missions and plots of the film 12 years a slave.

Twelve years a slave movie is a life narration of Solomon's life of slavery in South Antebellum for 12 years. He had to bear miserable life as a nigger under harsh treatment from his employer until relief came from his friends and family that made him a free man again. The movie aims at criticizing one part of the American society (the white race) who included the slave traders, farm owners and politicians who supported this act with a blinding reason of economic expansion and growth ("Slavery in America, n.d). This movie shows empirically the life slaves passed through by one of the actors playing the part of a female slave.

According to Jeanne & James (2014), the production of the movie and the book on American slavery was a form of historic preservation of the Black Americans. This aimed at educating and informing the future African American generation the journey to the freedom currently enjoyed. This movie aimed at educating the current generation how two races came into existence in America, the journey endured by their ancestors and the events of slavery and trade of slaves to the white race. In Jeanne & James (2014), the main audience of this movie and novel are the Black Americans who value it as a form of history that indicated their main origin (Africa). In addition, the movie aims at informing the coming generation the journey to human rights like freedom of speech and equality that never existed between the blacks and white races.

The current privileges in the social, economic and political sectors came because of the struggle of the blacks against slave trade with the assistance of few white philanthropist and humanitarians. The events of slavery that included rape, torture, infringement of freedom shown in the movie by use of chains and whip on characters only shows an obvious political bias that exists. Political bias comes from the legalization of the slave trade with an aim of growing the South American economy that practiced slave trade due to the large plantation of cotton. However, despite passing a law by the congress banning international slavery, the southern part of America continues with domestic slave trade ("US House Representative", 2008).

The book and film on 12 years a slave show an empirical and balanced representation of the main themes, plots and ideas on slavery and slave events as they occurred. Since the main reason for the high importation of slave trade to the south of America was for economic gain on the cotton plantation, there is a clear indication of slavery not only on the main character Solomon but also to other female characters in the film. As the film shows form 29:17 to 32:10, both female and male slaves without clothes undergo checking whether they are healthy and fit for selling at high prices to where buyers could indulge into bargaining before buying the slaves. This did not exclude children from in the movie; Emily and Randall Berry were on sale like their mother (Jeanne & James, 2014).

According to Jeanne & James, 2014, in spite of William Ford's kindness to the mother and children, Theophilus Freeman, a slave trader separated the children (Randall and Emily Berry) from their mother covering the marketplace form slavery to be in bitter sorrow and separation. This shows that slave traders sold Africans into slavery as commodities exchanged for other goods. Another thematic scene for brutal events slaves encounter was in the film between 24:00 to 25:00 where James Burch kills a black nigger who tries to prevent him from sexually harassing a female slave. Solomon and other two male slaves take commands from their master to throw the corpse into the sea ("Slavery in America, n.d).

Conclusion

In summary, the movie 12 years a slave by Solomon is a depiction of a strict racial hierarchy of slave trade system and harsh inhuman treatment the Blacks underwent ("Slavery in America, n.d). This led to enormous loss and damage, loss of tangible human dignity that the black race has not had a full restoration. It is therefore of worth to study slavery and slave trade for further education and understanding on the freedom history of the US that continues to impact its social development.

Work Cited

"Slavery in America". (n.d). Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/slavery

Jeanne, M & James, E. (2014). A Teacher's Guide to Twelve Year a Slave by Solomon Northup. United States of America. Retrieved from http://www.penguin.com/static/pdf/teachersguides/twelveyears032014b.pdf

US House Representative. (2008). Resolution 194 "Apolozing for the enslavement and racial segregation of African- American". Retrieved from https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/110/hres194/text