Essay the movie 12 years a slave book twelve years a slave from its film counterpart. Based on the autobiographical narrative 1853 of solomon northup. See plot diagram summary editors preface solomon northups memoir, twelve years a slave, relates the story of how northup, a free african american man, was kidnapped, sold into slavery, and kept by owners for nearly 12 years before he was freed. In 1841, african american solomon northup, a free man, is kidnapped and forced into slavery under the name platt for 12 years. Twelve years a slave is a harrowing memoir about one of the darkest periods in american history. After being held for twelve years on a series of louisiana plantations, he is eventually freed and reunited with his family. Twelve years a slave is a roughlly 300 page book that once you pickup you just cant put it down. Here is a list of the key characters from the script in order of appearance.
Its the story of solomon northup, a free black man from upstate new york. Narrative of solomon northup, a citizen of newyork, kidnapped in washington city in 1841, and rescued in 1853, from a cotton plantation near the red river in louisiana. Animal pen day we are outside of a smallish animal pen. He lived, worked, and married in upstate new york, where his family resided. It continued because people got used to it and compartmentalized it.
We zero in on the major plot elements in 12 years a slave. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing 12 years a slave near you. Use of lighting in 12 years a slave eng225 film critique. The movie 12 years a slave by solomon northup is a movie that involves many different techniques to set the lighting throughout the movie. For his kidnappers it was strictly for monetary gain. Each slave picks about two hundred pounds of cotton each day, and they are punished if they don.
Promised one dollar for each days services and three dollars for every show that he played, northup travels willingly with the two con artists to. Northup, a black man who was born free in new york state, details his being tricked to go to washington, d. Born in july 1808, he was the son of an emancipated slave. Tone and mood theme setting tone is very factual, with slavery viewed in an. Get the entire 12 years a slave litchart as a printable pdf. Northups book was published in 1853, less than a year after his liberation. The 12 years a slave book shows slavery as even more. There were the highest expectations for the film 12 years a slave 20, the motion picture about the enslavement of africans in america by the black british visual artist and film director steve mcqueen. Slavery didnt persist for decades because every living free man and woman in the united states was an irredeemably evil person. The question and answer section for twelve years a slave is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. Twelve years a s lave has twice been adapted for film. Twelve years a slave is an 1853 memoir and slave narrative by american solomon northup as. Born free and illegally kidnapped, he spends 12 years in slavery before achieving his freedom. Wilson assures the reader that there is plenty of evidence to back up what.
What do you judge to be northups dominant purpose in retelling the narrative of his years as a slave as shown in the movie adaptation of his book twelve years a slave. He faces the hardships of being a slave under the hands of a few different slave owners. The book begins with an editors preface written by editor and transcriber david wilson. In the antebellum united states, solomon northup, a free black man from upstate new york, is abducted and sold into slavery. In it, he takes the reader on an unforgettable journey from the slave markets in washington, d.
As henry louis gates jr, an expert on slave narratives and consultant on the film 12 years a slave, has noted, literacy was the very commodity that. In the last analysis, the narrative deserves to be. The movie won the bafta award and the academy award for best picture as well as the golden globe award for best drama. Librivox recording of twelve years a slave, by solomon northup. Get all the key plot points of solomon northrups 12 years a slave on one page. Beaten and chained, he was transported by ship to a new orleans slave market and suffered more than a decade of servitude on louisiana plantations. Additionally, the accuracy of and factual detail in 12 years a slave have kept this book prominent as a reliable historical reference on slavery for more than 150 years since it first debuted. John ridley, the writer of 12 years a slave, had tremendous advantages and disadvantages in adapting solomon northups true story to film. Twelve years a slave 1853, i have a dream 1963 and 12 years a slave 2014. It is a masterpiece of history,of one man,one free mans life.
Through faith, will power, and courage northup must survive and endure those 12 years as a slave. Twelve years a slave, solomon northup 1808 1863 twelve years a slave is an 1853 memoir and slave narrative by american solomon northup as told to and edited by david wilson. Its the story of solomon northup, a free black man from upstate new. The film is based on the memoir written by solomon northup, which reveals what happened after solomon played by chiwetel ejiofor a free black man living in new york in precivil war america was kidnapped and sold into slavery, before he was able to. Over the next few months, the cotton is hoed, and by august, picking season begins. Analysis of the book 12 years a slave 1487 words 6 pages.
Most notable are the uses of both lowkey and highkey lighting, which are used to set the mood for each scene. Wilson assures the reader that there is plenty of evidence to. He was in bondage for 12 years in louisiana before he was able to secretly get information to. Subjected to the cruelty of one malevolent owner michael fassbender, he also finds unexpected kindness from another, as he struggles continually to survive and maintain some of his. Dec 23, 20 12 years a slave was actually a famous book, a memoir published in 1853. The title twelve years a slave represents the number of years solomon northup, a free african american man.
That collective gasp you hear is the audience jolted by intolerable cruelty in 12 years a slave. Code switch solomon northup, an africanamerican musician from new york, was kidnapped and sold into slavery in. Northrup was a free black man with a beautiful wife and two daughters living in saratoga,ny. In chapters i and ii, northup tells of his life as a free black man living in upstate new york. Revolution to the civil war 17831861 african americans biography. Jan 10, 2014 as henry louis gates jr, an expert on slave narratives and consultant on the film 12 years a slave, has noted, literacy was the very commodity that separated animal from human being, slave from. The movie was released in 20 starring chiwetel ejiofor as solomon northup, benedict cumberbatch, and brad pitt. His first owner, william prince ford, treats him fairly well, according to northup. Epps primary business is growing and harvesting cotton. To understand a historical development, however, a literary analysis of the works isnt sufficient to uncover all tendencies and reasons for before mentioned. Northups dominant purpose in retelling the narrative of his years as a slave as shown in the movie adaptation of his book twelve years a slave. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class. Screenplay by john ridley based on a twelve years a slave by solomon northup.
Solomon against clemens advice approaches ford with a novel idea to transport the. Twelve years a slave by solomon northup free ebook. Twelve years a slave is an 1853 memoir and slave narrative by american solomon northup as told to and edited by david wilson. My students cant get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof. In 1984, pbs produced a television movie called solomon northups odyssey, and in 20, an oscarwinning film titled 12 years a slave was released. Steve mcqueen, director of 12 years a slave, from the foreword. Find out where 12 years a slave is streaming, if 12 years a slave is on netflix, and get news and updates, on decider. The son of a liberated slave, solomon grows up hearing of the atrocities of slavery but. Introduction the movie 12 years a slave was released in 20, covering the precivil war period in america, this astounding award winning motion picture film, tells the story of a free man sold into slavery and regaining his freedom in the end. Twelve years a slave is the memoir of a freeborn african american from new york who is kidnapped and sold into slavery. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. It recounts how solomon northup, born a free man in new york, was lured to washington, d.
Oct 18, 20 in the years before the civil war, solomon northup chiwetel ejiofor, a free black man from upstate new york, is kidnapped and sold into slavery in the south. Solomon explains to the reader the way cotton is grown, noting that it takes two mules, three slaves, a plow, and a harrow to plant a single row of cotton. Feb 03, 2016 screenplay by john ridley based on a twelve years a slave by solomon northup. What evidence can you cite to support your conclusion. Characters and situations that solomon northrup wrote down were altered in the making of the film, and by dismissing some people as villains and idolizing others as angels, the. Solomon northups 12 years a slave recounts the authors life story as a free black man from the north who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in th. Jul 11, 2017 that collective gasp you hear is the audience jolted by intolerable cruelty in 12 years a slave. Ebook mobi and epub buy this on selz selz powering ecommerce websites. I am looking for volunteers to read a script and provide a scenebyscene breakdown for it to be used as part of our weekly series.
Northup was put to work on plantations in the state of louisiana for 12 years before being released. Twelve years a s lave is an 1853 memoir and slave narrative by american solomon northup as told to and edited by david wilson. It tells the story of soloman northrup, who actually is the writer, who was a second gen free black man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the south. To understand a historical development, however, a literary analysis of the works isnt sufficient to uncover all tendencies and reasons for before mentioned development. I hope my film can play a part in drawing attention to this important book of courage. Twelve years a s lave study guide contains a biography of solomon northup, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. The first two chapters of twelve years a slave relate the northup family history, solomons marriage to anne, his employment as a raftsman, a farmer, and a fiddleplayer, and his abduction. Cinematographer sean bobbitt went on record saying that he enjoyed the fact that they were not given strict instructions as to how each scene. The scene ends with shots of solomon and the slaves doing manual labor while tibeats sings the song run nigger, run. What happened was a national version of the personal denials shown in 12. Meets unscrupulous characters, is betrayed and kidnapped. This study guide for solomon northups twelve years a slave offers summary and analysis on themes, symbols, and other literary devices found in the text.
Through faith, will power, and courage northup must survive and. The narrative twelve years a slave is a mesmerizing memoir of the life of solomon northup. Solomon is chopping trees for timber with other slaves. Solomon northups 12 years a s lave recounts the authors life story as a free black man from the north who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the precivil war south the son of an emancipated slave, northup was born free. Solomon northup was a free black resident of new york state who was drugged on a trip to washington, d. Solomon northups 12 years a slave recounts the authors life story as a free black man from the north who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the precivil war south the son of an emancipated slave, northup was born free. In 1999, a historical marker was installed in saratoga springs to commemorate northups life. Learn the major plot points and story structure of 12 years a slave directed by steve mcqueen. Yet if you think the movie offers a terribleenough portrait of slavery, please, do read the book. I had not then learned the measure of mans inhumanity to man, nor to what limitless extent of wickedness he will go for the love of gain. They say some of them prominent writers that they do not want to.
Learn the major plot points and story structure of 12 years a slave directed by. Northup, a free black man in new york in the early 1840s, was kidnapped and lived though unspeakable abuse as a slave in the south. This harrowing true story of solomon northup was the basis for the academy awardwinning film 12 years a slave. There are many africanamericans today saying they do not want to see 12 years a slave, or in a similar vein, the butler.