What an experience. Let's use this space to reflect on Twelve Years a Slave as a sophomore class. After engaging in such an emotionally heart-wrenching depiction of real life as it was lived, we have to take a moment to take stock of what we have witnessed. Let's unpack the meaning, purpose, and utility of the film.
A trusting heart and promise
of work as a musician begins Solomon's journey from Saratoga, NY to the
Plantations of Georgia. Slavers lure him just below the below the Mason Dixon line in
Washington DC. Slavery was legal just beyond the capital's southern border. In
the first scene, he is beaten until broken: "you are a slave." This
illustrates an idea that we as a class know all too well: Slaves are not
born; they're created. The racism is virulent especially in the sale
of Eliza.
Twelve Years a Slave is an example of a slave narrative. The slave narrative is a literary form that grew out of the written accounts of enslaved Africans in Britain and its colonies, including the later United States, Canada and Caribbean nations. Some six thousand former slaves from North America and the Caribbean gave accounts of their lives during the 18th and 19th centuries, with about 150 narratives published as separate books or pamphlets.
I took some quick notes during the film of moments that struck me:
- Solomon referred to as Prized livestock.
- The entire plantation looks on as Solomon hangs from a noose after beating an overseer. The wait sends a resounding message to the entire plantation of the limitations on their humanity.
- Christian scripture is regularly twisted to support slavery.
- "The curse of the pharaohs is a small example of what waits for the planter class." (during teatime)
- Big houses. Agriculture. Plantation system. 500 lbs of cotton.
- "A man does as he pleases with his property."
- Fear drives the plantation system.
- At the end of the film the sound of freedom was deafeningly SILENT. The sound of peace.
Primary Source: Separation of Eliza and her Last Child (Historical Illustration).
Reflections from the cast.
Reflections from the Screenwriter.
For this discussion, comment on any or all of the following topics:
- Why is it important that Solomon Northrop writes this narrative? What do these enslaved give up to survive? What would you give up to survive?
- How are plantation managers affected by the violence used to gain compliance ?
- Consider or thinking in this course so far. We have read well beyond the textbook to get a deeper, more critical sense of this history (The Slave Trade, Capitalism and Slavery, Before the Mayflower). How does this film support or offer you deeper insight into our reading in class so far?
- We know that Trans-Atlantic Slavery will profoundly differ from Ancient slavery, in that, the seasoning process will be used to strip enslaved Africans of their human identity. What moments struct you as the most dehumanizing for the enslaved African's trapped within the Plantation system? How do the Plantation owners and Overseers justify their actions?
Let's take stock. Can't wait to see your discussion...talk to each other (1-2 paragraphs).
54 comments:
It was important that Solomon to write this narrative to tell people of what slaves went through. It was a story to make sure it would get people to stop it and to make sure it doesn't happen in the future. Enslaved people give up their names, their family and even their knowledge. I personally would die before I become a slave. I could not live in a world where I don't have rights because I am a person and no one is property.
It is important that Solomon Northrop writes this narrative because it provides a personal experience of the slave trade. It is not like reading statistics and facts; he is sharing his emotions and feelings. I feel it makes a bigger impact to see the experience of a single person, instead of knowing vaguely about the experience of many. I also think Solomon's situation is important. He was a free man who was captured and forced into slavery. Eventually he gains his freedom, but in the credits it says he was one of the few slaves who did. I think his narrative is important because it gives us a view of this specific and rare situation. In my opinion, the scene were he gains his freedom back and leaves the other slaves makes a big impression. I feel it shows even more how many of the people who were enslaved never regained freedom and continued to face cruelty.
Enslaved people give up many things to survive, such as freedom, identity, family, and dignity. They are dehumanized and forced to comply with what their masters want. A moment that struck me as very dehumanizing was when Solomon is first captured and gets whipped for saying he was a free man. Another moment was when Solomon does not reply to the name "Platt" and is hit. All of the violence was just a way for them to dehumanize the slaves and prevent rebellion. They felt it was okay since they slaves where their property, and that they had a right to do whatever they wanted to them.
I think 12 Years A Slave will help to give us a deeper meaning of what we talk about in class. Most of the pieces we have read were more factual and I think sources like this movie give us a better understanding of the class. Also, I think hearing personal experiences makes it more interesting and gives us a better insight to slavery.
One of the most dehumanizing moments for me was when the slave trader was calling out names and telling the people to stand up when they hear their name. When the slave trader called the name, "Platt" and Solomon didn't stand up, the slave trader slapped him. It just shows that they were disposable, and that whatever life they had before means nothing now. You were whoever your master wanted you to be. Another moment was the process of buying and selling the slaves. They were treated like cattle. During that time, a moment that sticks out was the separation of Eliza and her children. It was heart-wrenching to watch as she begs and pleads, but her desperate cries fall on deaf ears. The slave trader did not care that he was tearing a family apart, all that mattered was that he was getting paid. It was awful to watch.
Plantation owners and overseers justify their actions because the slaves are their property. They paid a pretty penny for them, therefore they can treat them however they want. They disregard the fact that the slaves are still human. It made me frustrated to sit there and watch the slaves being treated so horribly because they were not considered human. How could they sit there and convince themselves that their slaves aren't human? They feel, they think, and they have emotions just like other people with the only difference being skin color. Being human is so much more deeper than your skin color, to use that as an excuse is pathetic.
It is important that Solomon writes his own narrative to inform people of what it was like being a slave. It dealt with what he went through and how he was treated not just a fiction story. People who were enslaved gave up their name, their family, and their freedom.I personally would commit suicide. That would be more peaceful then living a cruel life and getting beaten almost everyday.
But is suicide the best choice to make. I think that we owe a lot of respect to those who made the much harder an more noble choice to live and thrive in the face of dehumanizations.
I think that it is super important that Solomon Northrop writes this narrative. I believe that it is important because, well for me, it gave me a much better understanding of what these people went through. So I agree with Eric Clark. Solomon and the others gave up so much for survival. I remember this one quote from the movie saying something like " I don't want to survive, I want to live." I thought that was very interesting. They gave up their freedom to survive. Solomon had to have hope and faith that he would make it out alive. To see his family again. For me it is pretty difficult to say what I would give up to survive. I think it is something I would have to decide when I was in the situation.
Also I do believe that this movie gave me not only a physically understanding, but a mental understanding of emotions and the things the enslaved people went through. Reading words off a page in a text book is one thing, but actually seeing those people being whipped and beaten brings me new emotions that I can actually feel.
It makes a huge difference knowing that Solomon Northrup wrote this narrative. It shows all the unimaginable hardships that he went through from his own perspective. No one understands what Solomon had to go through but Solomon himself. This movie goes to show that your life can change so quickly and that you don't even know how you got into a certain position and what's next. In the film, it was said that "If you want to survive, do and say as little as possible." Do what you are supposed to do and don't say anything you're not supposed to; you'll get something terrible in return. I agree with what Madison Milano said; they gave up their freedom to survive. Not only did he have to give up freedom, but also his family. I can't even fathom the thought of being forced away from my family for such a long period of time. To be honest, I don't know what I'd give up if I were put in this situation. Everything happens in the blink of an eye. Solomon was a free black man living in New York who was instantly captured and enslaved. You had to live knowing that you are now owned by someone who doesn't even think you're a human being. You didn't know whether you were going to be freed or you had to live in torture for the rest of your life. 12 Years a Slave was without a doubt a difficult movie to watch. The things that I witnessed, like the whippings and the hanging, were absolutely terrifying. The film gave me even more of an understanding of what the blacks suffered through during the slave trade.
Its important that he wrote his narrative because it shows how easily you can be classified as something because the color of his skin. It shows that if he told anyone his true story it could be really dangerous and for a while he didn't take that risk. It showed that there were some really good people then but also some really bad people. There were people that just had to go with it for their own survival. I can't really say that it shows that you should keep having hope and hopefully you get out of being a slave because his experience proves it's almost impossible to escape that life. If it wasn't for the man who didn't agree with making people into slaves and him agreeing to deliver Solomon's message he most likely would've still had to live that treacherous life. If i was in that situation to survive i would give up on having a close friendship to others because in their situation at the end of the day it's kind of like every man for himself. I would give up talking honestly. I wouldn't want to waist my breath on anybody. I wouldn't hardly communicate with anybody. I would only speak when i needed to do so.
This film offered me a deeper insight into slavery because it gives me more of a visual representation of how slavery really was. It makes me have more feelings for it and makes me more interested in learning. It showed how it was to be black & free compared to how it was to be black & a slave.
The most dehumanizing moments for me is when the slaves are whipped. They are treated like animals. It hurt me to see that, honestly while watching that I almost panicked. I had to turn away close my eyes and cover my ears. It must have been so painful not only for the victim but for the bystanders. I jumped at each and every whip.... That was the most scariest moment and most dehumanizing. Beating another human being without pity... or shame... for the littlest things
Its important that he wrote his narrative because it shows how easily you can be classified as something because the color of his skin. It shows that if he told anyone his true story it could be really dangerous and for a while he didn't take that risk. It showed that there were some really good people then but also some really bad people. There were people that just had to go with it for their own survival. I can't really say that it shows that you should keep having hope and hopefully you get out of being a slave because his experience proves it's almost impossible to escape that life. If it wasn't for the man who didn't agree with making people into slaves and him agreeing to deliver Solomon's message he most likely would've still had to live that treacherous life. If i was in that situation to survive i would give up on having a close friendship to others because in their situation at the end of the day it's kind of like every man for himself. I would give up talking honestly. I wouldn't want to waist my breath on anybody. I wouldn't hardly communicate with anybody. I would only speak when i needed to do so.
This film offered me a deeper insight into slavery because it gives me more of a visual representation of how slavery really was. It makes me have more feelings for it and makes me more interested in learning. It showed how it was to be black & free compared to how it was to be black & a slave.
The most dehumanizing moments for me is when the slaves are whipped. They are treated like animals. It hurt me to see that, honestly while watching that I almost panicked. I had to turn away close my eyes and cover my ears. It must have been so painful not only for the victim but for the bystanders. I jumped at each and every whip.... That was the most scariest moment and most dehumanizing. Beating another human being without pity... or shame... for the littlest things
The fact that the story was actually a narrative is important because, as other have said, we're being told what it was like to be a slave from a first person point of view. When apologists say nonsense like, "oh, slavery wasn't that bad," this narrative proves them otherwise. It's hard for anyone to imagine what it was truly like to be a slave, but narratives like Northup's give us a pretty good idea. In order to survive, these slaves gave up everything about themselves,their dignity, pasts, and even their own names. Giving up these things was essential for survival. When Solomon tried to say that "Platt" wasn't his name and that he wasn't a slave, he was just abused.
I guess I would give up everything to survive, but a slave life was not a life worth living. So, I really don't know if I would even want to survive if I was in that position.
I think it is important for Solomon to write this so that people can have better understanding and what the slaves actually went through. I think people would believe it when the person that actually experience it tells what happen and what he went through to survive. Solomon is a free man. But he was captured and put into slavery for so many years after some people actually on his side and take him back to his family. I think the scene that makes a big impression is when he got a new name and he tried to tell them that his name is not Platt.
It makes a huge difference knowing that Solomon Northrup wrote this narrative about his terrible experience. The movie that we attended provided a vivid visual of hardships enslaved Africans had to overcome. The movie we saw was a taste of what Solomon went through, however we will never quite understand like Solomon himself. This movie really opened up my eyes to how quickly things can change. In the film, it was said that "If you want to survive, do and say as little as possible." This really stuck out to me considering that Solomon was an intelligent man. He had to do what he was told and keep his mouth shut in order to survive. I agree with what Madison Milano said; they gave up their freedom to survive. Even by giving up their freedom, and doing what they were told they still were treated awful. Not only did Solomon have to give up freedom, but also his family. My family is a huge part of my life, so I cannot imagine life without them, especially for 12 years. Solomon was a free black man living in New York who was instantly captured and enslaved.He had a career, a wife, and children that were all snatched from him in a blink of an eye.12 Years a Slave was without a doubt a difficult movie to watch. I do not regret going to see the film. From what we read in class, does not do anything justice such as the whippings or the hangings.
I believe that it is important that Solomon would write this narrative. I think this because it shows us a personal experience with someone that was part of the slave trade. It’s not like reading about facts and stories and maybe even fictional stories that are made up about the slave trade its provides emotions, and Solomon’s thoughts and feelings. It makes it feel as if you connected more with the story. It’s also important because you get a firsthand look at how your whole life can change just by the color of your skin. It showed that there were some really good people then but also some really bad people. It shows how you have to play it ear-by-ear to survive. I would not really say that it shows that you should keep having hope and keep your head held high and hopefully you’ll get out of being a slave because his experience proves it's almost and it’s nearly impossible to escape that life. If it wasn't for the man who didn't agree with making people into slaves, Solomon's most likely would've still had to live that treacherous life of being a slave and never would have gotten to see/ reunite with his family again. If I was in that situation I would have no clue what to do. At first I would be devastated but then I would just go along with it to survive. I would never have the courage to kill myself, so I would just go along with whatever life had to give me. I wouldn’t talk to anybody unless they spoke to me or if I had to communicate with my master. I would give up on having friends and just go along with whatever I had to do to survive. The movie really showed me what it’s like to be a slave. I now have a deeper and much better understanding on slaves live. It’s absolutely horrible and I would never wish it upon anybody. I’m extremely glad I went and saw this movie.
It is important that Solomon wrote this narrative because not many people were as fortunate as him. He in the end got reunited with his family. Not many could tell their story of how much they went through and saw when they were a slave. When Solomon tried to say who he really was, he was whipped brutally. The person said Solomen was no free man, he was just another Georgian runaway. Solomen was even forced to be called by the name Platt. Solomon had to give up his identity to survive. Also he had to lie about his skills to read and write. The only thing he let the masters know of him was his violin skills. The masters just saw the Africans as property not people. They justified their actions by saying it’s their property so they could do anything they want with it. Mr. Tibeats automatically assumed that since Solomon was black he would be really dumb. Solomon proved him wrong when he sailed through that whole creek. The look on Mr. Tibeats face was priceless. He was in complete shock and must have felt embarrassed. The fact Solomon proved him wrong I think is fabulous. But Mr. Tibeats started trouble for Solomon. A horrific part to watch in this movie was the hanging. Even when the man on the horse stopped Mr. Tibeats from hanging Solomon, he didn’t help him down. The only reason he made Mr. Tibeats let go of the rope was because if Solomon died, the master would lose money. Solomon was hanging there for a very long time. Watching him being in that nature was hard to watch. One of the most horrific moments for me was Patsy’s whipping. The fact that Solomon was forced to whip her was terrible. Seeing all that blood and hearing all her screams made me cover my eyes. It was very intense to watch. This intensity I could not get from just reading words off a page. I admire when Solomen said" I will survive, I will not fall into despair! I will keep myself hearty till freedom is opportune!" Solomen's hope to not just survive but to live is what led him to a road other slaves could not go to. It was a big risk to confess his story to Mr. Bass. But Mr.Bass was trustworthy. Mr.Bass helped Solomen get his freedom. It was beautiful when Solomen was reunited with his family.
This was such a heavy, realistic movie and I'm not ashamed that I cried. This movie was, to be quite honest, painful to watch but I think that made it all the more powerful. The importance of Solomon's story is still relevant today, so the past does not repeat itself and we know the past with no frills or hidden passages. To think that a person, like you and I, born free with a family and passion can suddenly become nothing more than a living tool is horrifying. They didn't want you to think, because thinking means you're human. If you voiced opinion, you were an enemy and were punished. It's just terrible.
It's also very important that he wrote it so that free men at the time who did not own saves could understand what slaves are going through and how evil slavery is. In a way, slavery might still be around if this was not written.
It is so important for Solomon Northrop to write this narrative because he gives the general public a whole new meaning to slavery by doing so. Sometimes, because it is mentioned so often I believe, we can overlook slavery and the true intensity and realness of it all together. Solomon not only survived through slavery but escaped it which is a gift that many other slaves are not able to have. Going on to write about his journey, hardship, and experience really gives us a better understand about what slavery is all about and what enslaved peoples went through. The conditions shown in this movie were just plain awful. It was painful to watch at many moments which I believe was the factor that made this film do Solomon's story complete justice because those horrible conditions were his reality for 12 years of his life. Without Solomon and other slave's stories of what they went through during slavery we would have no insight to what slavery was like for the enslaved s so it is extremely important that Solomon wrote about his experience so we can understand slavery as a whole. The enslaved gave up almost everything to survive; their dignity, their loved ones, their pride, their values and morals, their liking and acceptance of their race, their rights as human beings essentially. I agree largely with what Gianna said about the dehumanizing scene in which Solomon was given a new name (Platt) and he fought to say that it was not his real name but in the end had to just accept it and move on in order to survive. This reminds me of another scene in this movie that occurred while in a boat. Solomon was sitting downstairs in a ship with two other enslaved africans and they were speaking about survival and all the things you had to do in order to do so. Solomon said something along the lines of "I don't want to just survive, I want to live." and that resonated with me. This statement acts as a meaningful theme of Solomon's journey as a whole and how he went about it.
Solomon Northrop was a free man just like any other. He lived with his family and did everything that he could to take care of them and protect them. He did not deserve to become a slave. No person deserves to become a slave. It’s important that Solomon wrote this narrative because it not only gave us a look at his personal experience, but it almost gave the audience a feeling of what it was like to be treated as a slave. Solomon had hope and faith that he would survive and live through the slavery, and he did. I agree with Elizabeth, seeing that Solomon’s life before slavery did not matter to the slave trader was just dehumanizing. Another moment that struck me was when the slave traders were choosing whether to take Eliza and her children, or separate them. The traders did not care. It was heartbreaking to see her beg to have her family with her no matter what she would go through, and in the end she was separated from her children anyway because all the traders cared about was getting paid. 12 Years a Slave was most definitely a hard movie to watch and witnessing with my own eyes the beatings, hangings, and whipping that these poor slaves had to go through were just terrifying.
I think it was very interesting and important that Solomon tell his story. From my point of view i always thought of slaves as black africans taken from africa but never free men in america being captured. It was a nice change to here about a story with opinions and experiences that a person actually went through rather than hearing just about the history of slavery.I probably would have given up anything to survive.Knowing myself i probably would not have survived because of a smart remark or something that went against the master . Even thought this was not a major event in the movie on striking moment was when the masters wife threw the glass bottle in the african girls face because she was jealous. I think this caught my attention so much because the girl was so defenseless and didn't even get to hit her back . Another striking moment was when the master let the white man go for only picking a small amount of cotton but solomon picked a mediocre amount of cotton and was still whipped. This stuck out to me because they express how much a slave is just a slave and they all receive no importance but in this case the slave was given a break because he was white. The masters seriously believe that the slaves are their property because they payed for them. In the end this was shown when Solomon's master did not want to let him go because he said he was his property .
I thought that 12 Years A Slave was a very powerfully and insightful movie. I admit that some parts made me feel uncomfortable but knowing that it's from the point of view of an actual enslaved person is really important. The movie gave a visualization of what Solomon Northrop really went through. The narrative provides personal examples and full of emotion. I couldn't imagine having to choose to live through slavery or committing suicide.I can't say whether suicide is the best decision or not because that's up to that individual. But it does say that enslavement was so bad it made people want to be dead rather than live.
It’s important that Solomon Northrop wrote this narrative because it gives us the real/true experience of slavery. We given facts instead of an opinion from textbooks of how badly enslaved peoples were treated. Real emotions and a solid image of the experience came from the narrative. No one truly understands the involvement of an enslaved person but to have one record his adventures enables people to have an accurate judgment of the slave trade. This film gave me a better vision of what we’ve been reading in class because it was a visual presentation. I was able to see hands off what our book was talking about while watching this movie.
The most dehumanizing moment in the movie was when slave trader was giving different names to the enslaved people before they were sold to merchants. This showed that the slaves didn’t obtain ownership of who they were or even being a part of their family because they were given a strangers name. When we talked of dehumanizing people in class, we discussed that family ties were broken create a more obedient slave. Eliza and her family were torn apart during an auction. The mistress of the house in which Eliza was assigned to told Eliza to stop worrying about her children because they would soon be forgotten. I felt anger towards the mistress because she had no sympathy for a woman who was separated entirely from her family.
I feel as though that it was important for Solomun Northrop to. Writ his narrative so that the world can see the struggle for blacks in that time period. With this said, This shows how even though he was a free man it took 12 years to become free again because of the color of his skin. The enslaved people give up to survive because they are tired of fighting for their lives when being abused by their master whenever something did not please him. If I was enslaved depending on the conditions that I had to live in and how I was treated would depend If I would fight to survive.However, if I was in Solomon's position I would fight my hardest for. My family and to hopefuuly see them again.
I think that it was important for Solomon Northrop to write this narrative because it shows the tragedies and the horrible things that slaves had to go through in an extremely personal way. This narrative is very affective because it depicts the story of a slave in a way that helps people to understand the struggles of African Americans. These enslaved people gave up a lot to survive. They gave up their families, their dignity, and their freedom. To survive, I would give up my home and my freedom. However, I would not give up my family, or my dignity without a fight. I realize that it is easy to say this when it hasn’t happened to me but these are the things that I can’t live without.
I agree with Gianna Fanelli when she said that one of he most dehumanizing parts of the movie was when Solomon was brutally whipped for saying that he was not a slave but he was a free man. It was like the more the man whipped him, the more he believed and stopped insisting that he was free and should not be treated in that way. Another part of the movie that I thought was very dehumanizing was when Epps made Solomon whip Patsy repeatedly. It was, in my opinion, one of the most emotional parts of the film. I think that this scene clearly showed the depths that slave masters would go to break a slave. The way the Plantation owners justified their behaviors was sickening to me. They twisted Bible verses to fit their needs. They said that the Bible said that slaves should be whipped and tortured when it does not. It was very offensive to me. Overall, this movie was one of the most emotional and powerful movies I have ever seen and I hope that other people got as much from it as I did.
It was extremely important for Solomon Northrop to write this book. Without it and similar literature it would be very difficult to visualize atrocities such as slavery. it allows engrossing depictions of past horrors like Twelve Years a Slave to exist. We need literature like this so that future generations, like ourselves, can see the wrong doings that were done and try prevent them from ever happening again. Without Solomon Northrop's journal than we would only see slavery from one viewpoint, and it would not be the slaves'.
I just want to say that I hated the wife of Solomon's second master. The hatred that emulated from her towards Patsy was sickening. The worst part about it was that Patsy had nothing to do with it. I'm sure she would rather be back in Africa than on that plantation where she was sexually abused. If the slave owner's wife was angry she should have been angry at her husband. I feel like the misplacement of hatred was a key theme in this movie.
It is important for Solomon to write this narrative because it is a real persons experience. This was an event that even after his 12 years as a slave affected the rest of his life. It was important because it gives the other side of the story. It is not told from a historian but a person who actually lived it. Enslaved people gave up many things to survive. In the end, what they had to give and do was something that haunted them forever. I don't think I could ever be as strong as them.
Plantation owners used their violence as a source of power. They made sure the slaves understood that THEY were in charge. Some used violence way to often, it was like they were carrying out an everyday chore. This film had many powerful moments that were really effective towards the audience. One was when his fellow friends were singing due to the death of a slave and all of a sudden Solomon started to sing too. To me this was the moment when Solomon finally excepted the fact that he was a slave and that he couldn't do anything about it. He was excepting the culture of slaves and transformed. Another powerful moment was when Solomon was on the verge of dying because he was hanging off of a tree. To other slaves it was just so casual, there were even children playing in the background.
Solomon lost his identity when they made his name Plat. This was a huge moment of dehumanization. He no longer existed as Solomon and he wouldn't dare say he wasn't Plat or else he'd be punished. Lines that really stuck out to me were "If you want to survive, do and say as little as possible" and Solomon's response, "I don't want to survive, I want to live".
The writing of Northrup's autobiography was an important task because this was the warning to those who were free and enslaved. Simply put, it described slavery in it's most ugliest form and it exemplified the erosion of
one's emotional strength, the separation of families (either
though sending them to different plantations or renaming someone) and in some cases,one's will to live. I know some people claim that they'd rather die than be enslaved and for many that may be true but I'm still unsure. I'd give up my name, my right to consent, my right to bear witness, my right to freedom of speech and even more if, necessary but, if I was able to conjure up the memories of those I loved and lived for, there is no doubt in my mind. I would not commit suicide.
The two things that struck me most were the often ignored states of psychosis that plantation owners or the managerial staff had to go through and the spirit of Black culture that was cultivated in times of sorrow and disparity. I was
surprised at the amount of sympathy I was able to have for the managers who oversaw the enslaved because before I saw this film I was sure that I would hate anyone who encouraged slavery like a legitimate business. But,
when I saw Master Ford I was convinced that many plantation owners were stuck in a system where maintaining the wealth that their family had worked for would have been extremely difficult had it not been for slavery. However,
I had to ask myself if Master Ford's level-headedness and friendly nature made
up for the cowardly, schoolboy antics of Master John Tibeats (he sang "run, nigger, run" if you don't know him by name) and all like him. In the end, my answer was no because the growth of everyone involved in the plantation system was stunted.
Breaking down others' spirit and being broken down are two really difficult processes and as long as slavery made money on no one could move on from a life of pain, guilt and treachery.
What struck me as the most dehumanizing for the enslaved Africans trapped in the plantation was the fact that black slaves were flogged and punished severely for not meeting the cotton picking requirements, but a white slave (like the one who used to be an overseer) can get away with nothing but a verbal reprimand. You would not whip a student for not doing their work, but you would (maybe) whip a horse if they do not do their required task and that's exactly what this signifies. That the whites saw the enslaved blacks in their plantations as nothing more than animals.
The plantation owners justify the cruel treatment they give to their slaves by viewing them as property. A quote in the movie that really struck me deeply was "Man does whatever he pleases with his property", uttered by a white overseer to Solomon Northrop. It seemed very scary to me, to know that at one point in time this was a logical argument used to oppress enslaved blacks.
I thought it was important that Northrop's narrative was written because it showed us a close-up point of view of how it is really like to be a slave. You don't get a better picture of what life was like back them from a textbook. The documentation showed what enslaved Africans have to do to survive. They must give in and fall to complete submission. They are forced into awful situations that strip their dignity and leave them to feel like complete animals. I don't think that I would want to survive under those conditions. I couldn't bare being taken from my family or be forced to lose my identity.
I was really upset when Solomon had to leave his first master. It would have been the better of two evils if he was able to stay. The second one was too power crazy and held no humanity. I agree with what Jamel said in his second paragraph.
There were three main things that struct me as the most dehumanizing for the enslaved Africans on the plantation. The first one was that when the enslaved people got off the boat and the slave trader was standing there. He started to read the names off the slaves out loud but when he said "Platt" Solomon didn't stand up. the slave trader slapped him because that was his new name and he had to accept it. That definitely showed a way they were tripped from their identity. The next event that happened was when Solomon was on the second plantation and he had to go pick something up for the masters wife. She handed him a tag with numbers on it. That was his identity. It showed that he wasn't considered a human he was just another piece of property. It reminded me of someone in jail because they are also identified by a number or letter. The last dehumanizing event that happened was was Eliza was separated from her kids. They didn't even consider the fact that these people had families and that it is so hard to have a loved one taken away from you. It was so hard to watch her cry and beg for her kids as the slave trader paid no attention to anything but the money.These were the most dehumanizing parts for me.
The sickening part was how the plantation owners and overseers justified their actions. They thought all the torture and pain the enslaved were put through was ok because they legally owned them and they were their property. They said themselves they could do whatever they wanted with them because they are not humans they are property. They didn't consider them humans and that is a terrible thing. They only considered them as a different colored skin, which made them property and slaves. Its hard to watch the movie and see that the slaves try to pick up for themselves but in return get killed or whipped because they had no rights and they belonged to the Whites.
I think that "12 years a slave" was a very powerful movie. I loved every moment of it. I know that it was a very gruesome and detailed movie but I think that it told the story very beautifully. I think that it was important that Solomon Northup wrote it from first person's point of view, the reason being as it gave more of an insightful look as to what could have really happened on a plantation. It also shows the brutality that some of the slaves faced with their "Masters". I also think that it shows how vulnerable Free Africans were to kidnapping and slavery. The movie was amazing. I was entranced by the true brutality that the slaves faced and how they were able to make it look so real. I absolutely love the film and would see it in a heartbeat again.
I feel that Solomon Northrop had to write down the narrative because he was a very talented man who was captured for the benefit of the greedy southern plantation owners. We only know about this because he wrote it down. People wouldn’t believe that this kind of greed was real without stories like this.
These people who were slaves had to give up the comforts of the common human person. They gave up their life because they were separated from their families. They were so strong. If I had to survive in that case I would have to give up everything except my feelings and my pride as an individual. I would only hope for the best and wish someday I would be a free man Like Solomon. Plantation managers are affected by this is because when they abuse those slaves they are hurting themselves, right in the heart. That hate and pain becomes bigger and bigger until you can’t control it. It’s like Solomon says in the movie: Slavery is evil and no true happiness can be obtain while doing it.
I think it was important for Solomon Northrop's story because it gives a real life affect on what slavery actually was. In the textbook were just given facts about slavery not an actual story, experience , or opinion. This film really moved me, it gave me a better view of what slavery really was.
The moment in the mobile that really affected me was when Solomn was chained up and when he was beaten for saying that he was a free man. He didn't know what was happening he believed that he was a free man because he once was.
This was a very powerful film, and I have to say that after watching it I had a much better understanding of life on the plantation. Solemn Northrup's narrative was very important to help understand what slavery was like on American plantations. This film did a very good job of capturing what life was like for the slaves, overseers, and plantation owners. In the film we really got a close look at the emotional and physical toll slavery took on the slaves. Actually I thought it was interesting to see how slavery had ruined the own plantation owners marriage in a sense. I really had an understanding of different point of views throughout. I think Solemn's experience in slavery was a particularly interesting one as he was very intellegent, and I found the way some valued his intellegence and skill while certain overseers envied it in a sense. The one who had attempted to execute Solemn was furious that Solemn was a slave with intellegence and skill. We also got a look at the dhumanization that would take place. A very powerful scene for me was when Solemn was forced to whip his fellow slave and you could see how that emotionally hurt him to do something so brutal to his friend. Overall this film gives us a lot of information, and a very detailed look at life on the plantation and how that worked.
I think it is important that Solomon Northrop writes this narrative because it shows the experience of the slave trade in detail, through emotions instead of statistics. Sometimes we do not always believe what we hear until we actually see it for ourselves. Solomon was a free man, and then one day he became a slave for 12 years. It is scary how easily your life can be changed because of one simple action. Enslaved Africans give up there freedom and humanity in order to survive. After seeing the harsh and painful conditions Solomon went through, I would honestly rather be dead then have to experience that. The most heartbreaking part of this film for me was actually seeing the enslaved Africans get whipped. To me, that takes a huge part in dehumanizing.
I feel that Solomon wrote about his journey for confidence and strength. If I went through everything he went through and made it out of it I would be proud. Slavery is life changing like when Solomon sees his family 12 years later and there is just silence because it is awkward not seeing someone for a long time.I would not kill myself instead of being a slave I would just do what I was told. This was a very powerful movie. It captured the essence of how harsh slavery was. At the end of the movie as Solomon was driving away the girl slave was looking at him which reminded me of towards the beginning when the other slave did that to him and he was really mad.
I think that it is important that Solomon Northrup writes this narrative. This is because it came from a first-hand experience of a man that went through a life of slavery. We get to see and almost feel how the enslaved lived. I personally could almost feel the pain and suffering that Solomon felt. I struck me with sadness how this free man was tricked and tortured. The enslaved people lost hope and were forced to accept the life. They willed themselves to only care about themselves for the betterment of their survival. When Solomon was stuck on the noose, the other slaves turned the other way in order to not get themselves in trouble. They were forced to turn against their own. Another instance was when Solomon was forced to whip Patsy. It killed inside for him to do that to his friend, and showed how the slaves were also broken mentally. The plantation owners used horrid tactics in order to keep their slaves in check. They were always reminding them of their dominance by whipping them for the smallest of things. This film surprising changed my view on slavery. I used to think that it was bad and horrifying, but looking at this story where there was a man who was free and respected changed to having torturous things done to him made me feel the evil. I also never knew how bad the whippings could get until the scene with patsy getting whipped I had to almost close my eyes in shock.
It is important for Soloman to write this story because he wanted to put to paper his tragedys, expirences, and life. I think he wanted it to show how slavery really was, how he survived, and the hardships he had to go through to gain his freedom. He probably felt as though people should hear and understand his experience.I think if I had gone through so much and had still been able to over come it then I would also share my story. I don't think I would have the strenghth to kill myself before I became a slave so I think I would have to just stay as strong as I possibly could and just do what I had to do in order to survive.
It is important that Solomon Northrop wrote this narrative because he was someone that experienced slavery firsthand, and actually lived through it. He lived 12 years of his life as a slave, and through his narrative, we can get a feel for what he experienced then. Along with the facts of what happened, we felt what he felt, emotions and all. This is completely different from someone who only witnessed it and was not a part of the slave trade directly. It gives a point of view that we do not usually see in narratives of the slave trade, one of being the slave and victim. Solomon Northrop, along with many of the enslaved Africans, had to give up their previous identity, and held on to whatever pride, dignity, and hope they had left. Some, however, fell into despair and had lost everything they cared about.
For me, one of the most dehumanizing moments for the enslaved Africans was when they had to accept some name given to them by their captors.
Solomon attempted to tell them what his name was, only to be slapped and forced upon the name "Platt", stripping him of his identity as "Solomon Northrop". Another dehumanizing moment was how they sold and treated them like livestock. After being captured, they were put for sale and were forced to stand there as people determined who they wanted to buy. A woman named Eliza was separated from her two children after they were sold to different people. The enslaved were also frequently whipped if they did not listen to their "masters". What made it worse is that these captors and slave owners justify their actions using Christian beliefs and twisting them. Since they saw slaves as "property", they believed they could treat their "property" however they liked.
It is important that Solomon Northrop wrote this narrative because it explained in depth what slaves went through. The slaves had to give up their identities and all forms of self respect to survive. If I was enslave I would also give up these things to survive. I don't think I would be able kill myself or take the risk of running away.
The plantation managers aren't affected at all by the violence needed to gain compliance. They don't feel one bit of guilt or remorse. They just see it as business. The film shows a much more personal and visually informing view of what the slaves went through. The reading didn't really go into extreme detail.I think the most dehumanizing moment was when the plantation owner made Solomon whip Patsy several times and then he took it upon himself to continue whipping her until she was on her knees. I can remember this moment so vividly. The blood spraying and the cuts appearing on her back with every lash was an incredibly realistic and gruesome effect. The plantation owner justified this by saying a man does whatever he chooses to do with his property. On a side note I think the movie itself was very well written and the actors were amazing. Every moment of pain I felt. The only flaw I would say is that they depicted New York as this non racial safe haven when in reality racism was still present.
I think it is important that Solomon wrote this narrative because we get to experience the emotions, expressions, and thoughts that he goes through. It's not a fictional story and the fact that he wrote it, makes it even more effective. It gives me a different perspective and helps me understand what the slaves went through. The enslaved people gave up their identity, freedom, and etc. I agree with Elizabeth when she said "One of the most dehumanizing moments for me was when the slave trader was calling out names and telling the people to stand up when they hear their name." Solomon did not respond to being called "Plat" and it made me cringe when he got slapped. It just shows that they were cruel and did not care for you. Whatever they said was the way it went.
Throughout the whole film as Solomon Northrup draws closer and closer to become enslaved, one thing he belived to survive was to not fall into despair, to never give up hope or hope will give up on you. Solomon Northrup wrote this narrative to both inform the readers the horrors of what happened during his 12 years of enslavement, and pursuade the readers to never give up on life and freedom no matter how far away it is.
He sacrificed alot of his own willpower to work for the overseers and the white folk. he also was forced to use his musical skills to survive from a daily beating.
If i were enslaved and had to sacrifice on one thing, i would sacrifice my own willpower of whats right and wrong to survive from cracking whips, nasty overseers, hartless wives, and brutal environments of the plantation world. Willpower is the ability of individual thought and freedom. In the world that Solomon lived in, there was no room for willpower.
It was important for Solomon Northrop to write this narrative because it was important to make the cruelty of slavery known. Reading or seeing a person's true personal experience gives off a much different vibe than the ones from just reading a recorded observance. My thoughts are in agreement with Gianna DeSimone.
The enslaved gave up their titles as individuals, gave up their freedom of expression, and gave up their pride in order to survive. Giving up those things is something that I can not imagine. Individuality and expression is something that I consider very important. I don't think that I would last even a year being a slave. Watching slave owners dehumanize those people by beating them near or to death like useless objects would be something that I would not bear to watch.
It very important for Northrop to write this story to show the emotional and true way that slave had to experience during that time period. In the story show how the "owners" of slave used violence to control a slaves lifestyle and reactions towards what is done to other slave. Also showed how the mentality of as slaves or property not human was used to justifying what they were doing to the slave . If I was put in this situation in don't know what I would do, I would be able to take my own life ,but I think would try to escape from the enslavement or die trying. Also in I was originally a freeman I would wait until I saw an to prove who I am.
I believe that it is important because it gives people a look in what slavery was like and Solomon's experiences. After I saw the movie, I felt different..having built up emotions. The movie was very powerful and horrifying at the same time. Its amazing how the world has changed over the past years and how far African Americans have got. Slaves gave up many things like their identity, freedom, and separated from their family. If a slave had any type of knowledge then they would be looked at as being suspicious and would punish by getting whipped or worse.
I think it was important that Solomon wrote this narrative. It was important because it was basically a story of how everything happened and what all the slaves were put through, how they were brutally tortured. It was a good way to try to get as many people as possible to hear about what was happening so it could be stopped and innocent people wouldn't have to go through this pain any longer. these slaves gave up everything, they were stripped of their identities. Most said they would rather die then stay a slave. After watching 12 years a slave I would sadly agree, I would rather be dead then have to suffer the way those innocent people did.
It was extremely important that Solomon Northrup wrote this narrative because the textbook can only teach us so much information, and I feel that some of the information in the textbook is written in a way that cannot convey the emotion that makes up a large part of the slave trade. Northrup’s narrative helps to express some of the trauma, fear, loss and horrific events that happened on plantations. It’s important that we get to see slavery from the varying viewpoints of the time. Slaves had to give up everything to survive. They lost their belongings, families, humanity, everything. The slaves showed an extraordinary amount of courage and strength. I could not imagine going through what they did and surviving. For African Americans in the colonies, that was an extremely harsh reality to face.
I feel that one of the most dehumanizing moments in “12 Years A Slave” was, as Mariah said, the whipping scenes. The slaves were treated horribly, and when they didn’t work as well as their masters believed they should, they were brutally abused and treated without mercy. The fact that a human could lack the conscious to do that to another living, breathing creature made me sick. They preached to each other and their slaves, trying to justify what they did to the slaves. They tried to justify all the things in the eyes of God… They tried to justify it for themselves…
One of the most dehumanizing moments for me, was in the beginning when Solomon "platt" was getting harshly beaten when he didn't say that he was a slave. That moment for me personally was very terrifying, and unimaginable . Even in the theater, I couldn't even really look at the scene all the way, because it was so discouraging. To see someone have freedom today, and have it all gone tomorrow. I mean Solomon was tortured/brainwashed that he was a slave. And for a human to have to go through that pain, words can't even describe .
I think it's very important for Solomon Northrop wrote this narrative because he said that "he didn't want to survive, he wanted to live" and I feel as though the other Slaves gave up their right to humanity just to survive and they didn't die trying, while Northrop did.
It was important for Solomon to write this narrative because it gives people a clearer and more vivid picture of the experience of living as a slave. People never know how harsh and cruel black slaves were treated until they see it for themselves. The enslaved Africans give up their pride and self-respect in order to survive. I don’t blame them, If I was in their position I would give up everything to just to survive. But, in reality there really isn’t much enslaved Africans have to give up. Everything is taken from them without a choice. Also, for those who were born into slavery, aren’t even aware of the rights they are supposed to have. It’s a sad that African children were born into a world full of racism at the time. I feel like this narrative just made people have a more emotional reaction towards slavery.
i think its important to know the victim express himself. yes we do need facts but its pretty much boring if all we read and analyze are only facts. to hear the experience of what he went through is sad and an eye-opening journey.i think hearing an personal journey of enslaved people is more heart felt moments and has a bigger impact on the viewer or reader. i can't see myself in Solomon shoes, to be captured and have to put on a different identity and live another life. one minute he was a free man and another he's a "Georgia runaway slave"
It was such an amazing journey to have gone through. For me I thought I'd be crying into my box of popcorn. Like Theresia said it was eye opening for the lots of us. The enslaved Africans went through many trial and tribulations. They were stripped of there whole identity, told to be forgotten if the life they had lived, the kids they birthed, put to work for the "Big Man". I loved how the movie showed all the aspects of life on the plantation and the shipping of slaves. How the women would sacrifice their lives not to bring life onto the boat and into the life they were about to pursue. It was a great movie to see for all of us.
while i just want to said about this movie was very deep and very to much for me to watch and it had a lot of stuff on there that show me what can happen to people who still going through this stuff today . there some stuff that i never seen before that was in this movie. i cry because it was so touching and that i had to cry
It is important that Solomon wrote this to show people what slaves has been through. Especially it is a true story so people would feel more connected to it. Solomon was a free man but he was captured and he was forced into slavery. I think one of the most dehumanizing moment for me is when the slave trader gave him a new name "Platt" but he was like my name is not "Platt" and the slave trader said that now your name is Platt.
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