12 Years a Slave
Director: Steve McQueen
Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong’o, Benedict Cumberbatch, Adepero Oduye, Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender, Alfre Woodard, Scott Michael Jefferson, Garret Dillahunt, Andy Dylan, Sarah Paulsen, Paul Dano, Liza Bennett
Inspired by a heartbreaking true story, “12 Years a Slave” follows the journey of Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man, from upstate New York, who is taken from his home and family, and cast into the darkest chasms of hell, when he is abducted and forced into slavery for twelve years. The film illustrates Solomon’s faith and determination to hold onto his humanity, as he faces malignant cruelty at the hands of some masters and sincere compassion at the hands of other masters, on his twelve-year journey to finding his freedom.
Suffering plays a significant role in the movie. The physical and emotional suffering that the slaves endure, as their lives are stolen from them, is excruciating to witness. But even in the darkest moments of agony, there is also joy, even though it is borne in stolen moments and predominantly rendered in silence. One illustration of this is the silent joy Solomon finds when he plays the violin. The music he creates in these quiet moments is the only connection he has to his life as a free man, and even though his music is played in silence, the connection to his old life through his violin still brings him comfort.
Solomon’s time at both plantations is spent with Solomon serving one good master and one evil master. When Solomon is at Master Ford’s plantation, Master Ford is Solomon’s good master and Tibeats is the cruel and evil tyrant.
One moment which illustrates Solomon’s humanity perfectly comes when speaks to Master Ford, not as a slave, but as a man, and proposes a different method of hauling timber, which would prove much more efficient and would bring a much better yield to his master, both for time and the amount of timber that is transported. Solomon shows his master respect by making this proposal in private, so that his master could save face and reap the reward of Solomon’s wise advice, without losing the respect of the other slaves. Master Ford recognizes this act of respect on Solomon’s part, and he presents him with a most appreciated gift, when he gives Solomon the violin to show his gratitude. As a master, he could have just exploited his slave’s technique and taken all the credit for himself, but Ford chose to respect Solomon by honoring him with this gift in hopes that it would bring them both joy in years to come. While he was unwilling to help Solomon regain his freedom, Master Ford’s concern for Solomon is still illustrated when he brings Solomon into his own home and gives him a pillow to rest his battered head on, as he stands guard over Solomon, after freeing him from Tibeats cruel trap. Ford also sends Solomon to a new master, hoping that doing so would protect Solomon from Tibeats’ wrath.
In spite of the depth of suffering he endures as a slave, Solomon Northup is also a tower of strength. He never relinquishes his humanity, even in the darkest moments of his suffering. His love for his family and his determination to live, instead of merely survive, are what give Solomon the strength that keeps him alive. This is illustrated when he carves the names of his family into his violin, keeping them close to his heart as he plays. Solomon also acts as a silent comforter to the other slaves. He comforts a mother, named Eliza, whose children have been torn from her arms when she is sold into slavery. Even though his words are not gentle, his compassion for her pain is clearly conveyed.
Solomon’s humanity is also demonstrated in the kindness he shows to Patsy. Solomon recognizes that their new master – the vile and cruel Jonathan Epps – has a deeply rooted, sexual obsession with a beautiful, young slave named Patsy…and Solomon does his best to protect Patsy from her master’s toxic lust. When Master Epps sends Solomon to fetch Patsy home from visiting the neighbor’s plantation, Solomon tells Patsy to go directly to the slave’s quarters and not speak to Epps. Solomon protects Patsy in this moment by distracting Master Epps from his lustful pursuit of the poor girl…and while he is powerless to protect Patsy from her master when Epps seeks Patsy out during the night, Solomon remains awake with Patsy, sharing this moment of shame and degradation with her.
Another moment that proves what a vile and evil coward Epps is and shows Solomon’s kindness comes when Epps flies into a rage when Patsy goes missing from the plantation. His rage stems not from the fact that Patsy was innocently returning from the other plantation to get soap from her friend. Although it was Master Epps who was raping and terrorizing Patsy, Mistress Epps was so jealous of Patsy that she tortured and humiliated Patsy in front of her husband and the other slaves. She would not allow Patsy any soap to bathe with, and when Patsy tried to get soap from her friend, Jonathan Epps’s rage and determination to subject Patsy to the sting of the whip came because he believed that Patsy had run away from him, and he is angry that his prize is lost to him. It is only when Mistress Epps pipes up and tells her husband to use the whip to end Patsy’s life, so the evil wife would FINALLY be free of her husband's insatiable lust for this innocent girl, that Epps forced Solomon to use the whip on Patsy. Solomon tries to ease the sting of the whip when his master forces him to execute the punishment. Afterwards, he remains with Patsy to comfort her; his own tears falling silently, as he shares her pain in the aftermath of the beating.
Another moment of Solomon’s humanity, as Platt, is shown when he is attacked by “Master Tibeats” when the man accuses Solomon of not following instructions on building a wall correctly. This moment is an act of revenge on the part of John Tibeats because Solomon had proven him wrong with his proposal to sail the timber down the river, rather than haul it over land, and made him look foolish in front of Master Ford. When Tibeats attacks Solomon after Solomon defends his craftsmanship against his master’s false criticism, this is one moment when Solomon’s control is broken, and he releases all his rage on Tibeats…and for just one moment, Solomon gets the satisfaction of holding the man accountable for the suffering and humiliation that Solomon has endured, and we hear Tibeats apologize.
In a life filled with darkness and despair, the faintest ray of hope can bring comfort to the hopeless. For Solomon, that ray of hope is found in a carpenter named Bass (Brad Pitt) who Solomon confides in when he hears Bass confront John Epps on the moral wrongness of slavery. Solomon desperately pleads with Bass to write to his family in New York, revealing the truth about his identity and abduction and pleading with Bass to help him regain his freedom. Hoping to save Solomon from the shackles of slavery and restore to Solomon the freedom that he so desperately longs for, Bass risks his own life to stand as an advocate for the voice of freedom.
© 2023 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.
Director: Steve McQueen
Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong’o, Benedict Cumberbatch, Adepero Oduye, Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender, Alfre Woodard, Scott Michael Jefferson, Garret Dillahunt, Andy Dylan, Sarah Paulsen, Paul Dano, Liza Bennett
Inspired by a heartbreaking true story, “12 Years a Slave” follows the journey of Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man, from upstate New York, who is taken from his home and family, and cast into the darkest chasms of hell, when he is abducted and forced into slavery for twelve years. The film illustrates Solomon’s faith and determination to hold onto his humanity, as he faces malignant cruelty at the hands of some masters and sincere compassion at the hands of other masters, on his twelve-year journey to finding his freedom.
Suffering plays a significant role in the movie. The physical and emotional suffering that the slaves endure, as their lives are stolen from them, is excruciating to witness. But even in the darkest moments of agony, there is also joy, even though it is borne in stolen moments and predominantly rendered in silence. One illustration of this is the silent joy Solomon finds when he plays the violin. The music he creates in these quiet moments is the only connection he has to his life as a free man, and even though his music is played in silence, the connection to his old life through his violin still brings him comfort.
Solomon’s time at both plantations is spent with Solomon serving one good master and one evil master. When Solomon is at Master Ford’s plantation, Master Ford is Solomon’s good master and Tibeats is the cruel and evil tyrant.
One moment which illustrates Solomon’s humanity perfectly comes when speaks to Master Ford, not as a slave, but as a man, and proposes a different method of hauling timber, which would prove much more efficient and would bring a much better yield to his master, both for time and the amount of timber that is transported. Solomon shows his master respect by making this proposal in private, so that his master could save face and reap the reward of Solomon’s wise advice, without losing the respect of the other slaves. Master Ford recognizes this act of respect on Solomon’s part, and he presents him with a most appreciated gift, when he gives Solomon the violin to show his gratitude. As a master, he could have just exploited his slave’s technique and taken all the credit for himself, but Ford chose to respect Solomon by honoring him with this gift in hopes that it would bring them both joy in years to come. While he was unwilling to help Solomon regain his freedom, Master Ford’s concern for Solomon is still illustrated when he brings Solomon into his own home and gives him a pillow to rest his battered head on, as he stands guard over Solomon, after freeing him from Tibeats cruel trap. Ford also sends Solomon to a new master, hoping that doing so would protect Solomon from Tibeats’ wrath.
In spite of the depth of suffering he endures as a slave, Solomon Northup is also a tower of strength. He never relinquishes his humanity, even in the darkest moments of his suffering. His love for his family and his determination to live, instead of merely survive, are what give Solomon the strength that keeps him alive. This is illustrated when he carves the names of his family into his violin, keeping them close to his heart as he plays. Solomon also acts as a silent comforter to the other slaves. He comforts a mother, named Eliza, whose children have been torn from her arms when she is sold into slavery. Even though his words are not gentle, his compassion for her pain is clearly conveyed.
Solomon’s humanity is also demonstrated in the kindness he shows to Patsy. Solomon recognizes that their new master – the vile and cruel Jonathan Epps – has a deeply rooted, sexual obsession with a beautiful, young slave named Patsy…and Solomon does his best to protect Patsy from her master’s toxic lust. When Master Epps sends Solomon to fetch Patsy home from visiting the neighbor’s plantation, Solomon tells Patsy to go directly to the slave’s quarters and not speak to Epps. Solomon protects Patsy in this moment by distracting Master Epps from his lustful pursuit of the poor girl…and while he is powerless to protect Patsy from her master when Epps seeks Patsy out during the night, Solomon remains awake with Patsy, sharing this moment of shame and degradation with her.
Another moment that proves what a vile and evil coward Epps is and shows Solomon’s kindness comes when Epps flies into a rage when Patsy goes missing from the plantation. His rage stems not from the fact that Patsy was innocently returning from the other plantation to get soap from her friend. Although it was Master Epps who was raping and terrorizing Patsy, Mistress Epps was so jealous of Patsy that she tortured and humiliated Patsy in front of her husband and the other slaves. She would not allow Patsy any soap to bathe with, and when Patsy tried to get soap from her friend, Jonathan Epps’s rage and determination to subject Patsy to the sting of the whip came because he believed that Patsy had run away from him, and he is angry that his prize is lost to him. It is only when Mistress Epps pipes up and tells her husband to use the whip to end Patsy’s life, so the evil wife would FINALLY be free of her husband's insatiable lust for this innocent girl, that Epps forced Solomon to use the whip on Patsy. Solomon tries to ease the sting of the whip when his master forces him to execute the punishment. Afterwards, he remains with Patsy to comfort her; his own tears falling silently, as he shares her pain in the aftermath of the beating.
Another moment of Solomon’s humanity, as Platt, is shown when he is attacked by “Master Tibeats” when the man accuses Solomon of not following instructions on building a wall correctly. This moment is an act of revenge on the part of John Tibeats because Solomon had proven him wrong with his proposal to sail the timber down the river, rather than haul it over land, and made him look foolish in front of Master Ford. When Tibeats attacks Solomon after Solomon defends his craftsmanship against his master’s false criticism, this is one moment when Solomon’s control is broken, and he releases all his rage on Tibeats…and for just one moment, Solomon gets the satisfaction of holding the man accountable for the suffering and humiliation that Solomon has endured, and we hear Tibeats apologize.
In a life filled with darkness and despair, the faintest ray of hope can bring comfort to the hopeless. For Solomon, that ray of hope is found in a carpenter named Bass (Brad Pitt) who Solomon confides in when he hears Bass confront John Epps on the moral wrongness of slavery. Solomon desperately pleads with Bass to write to his family in New York, revealing the truth about his identity and abduction and pleading with Bass to help him regain his freedom. Hoping to save Solomon from the shackles of slavery and restore to Solomon the freedom that he so desperately longs for, Bass risks his own life to stand as an advocate for the voice of freedom.
© 2023 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.