The Narrative Of The 1853 Slave Narrative By Solomon Northup

Northup found it necessary to do so when a slave dealer told him he was a slave. After his slave dealer rejected the fact that he was free, Northup explains, “I was no man’s slave, and insisted upon his taking off my chains at once,” (Northup 17). Northup refuses to fall into the slave dealer’s lies knowing that if he did not try there would be no way in succeeding. Throughout the book he continues to stand up for himself and his other workers, refusing to follow the orders of his overseers. Similarly, Douglass was not the most obedient slave either. Upon being sent to Mr. Covey, a man known for breaking in slaves, he did not come to best terms with him. One morning as Douglass was called in to feed the horses Mr. Covey followed along with a whip. Douglass anticipating what would happen, sprung onto Mr. Covey, engaging in a wrestle with him. Mr. Covey asks if he meant to resist and Douglass replies, “I did, come what might; that he had used me like a brute for 6 months, and that I was determined to be used so no longer,” (Douglass 42). Douglass, who was tired of being treated this way decides to stand up against his master. He even goes as far as to attack him, though Douglass had full knowledge of the severe consequences. Being aware of what masters could do to slaves, both Douglass and Northup refused to be treated that way.They

However, slaves told a different story. Fredrick Douglass and Solomon Northup’s experiences show how brutal and violent

Platt was at auction with other black slaves, Northup was a show pony. (Someone who shows of and does tricks) This was so because the auctioneer was trying to sell the Slaves to rich white men who were trying to buy the slaves. What does this remind people of? How about going to Pet Smart and buying a dog or going to the circus and watching the trained animals do tricks. Slaves were just like animals. At Auction Slaves were the circus animals or the cute puppies in the windows. For example Eliza’s son was made to do high knees to show off his great endurance so that he would better appeal to the rich white men. Soon because of the Showing off, Slaves prices were offered to buy them. Life can’t have a price because it’s priceless, yet in the south since Slaves were dehumanized and seen more like animals therefore property this could be done. For Solomon, the auctioneer Freeman was offered “one thousand dollars for the purchase of me, seven hundred for Eliza, nine hundred for Harry, he announced his acceptance of the offer” (Northup 54) Just like that lives of Human beings were bought, sold, and made to do tricks. Nothing of humane acts, for Slaves are not human, but animals in the eyes of rich white

Solomon Northup’s Twelve Years a Slave gave incomparable insight to the horrors forced upon enslaved Africans and African Americans in the pre-Civil-War American south, particularly in Louisiana. In this essay, I will use numerous examples from the novel to describe the conditions and culture in which enslaved peoples lived.

The ability for an individual to withstand the crushing hand of slavery was nothing short of miraculous; to expect a slave family to remain together and unite despite distance, death, and sale is to expect the impossible. Through slave narratives and fictionalized accounts of life during and after slavery, as well as research based on real black families, the outstanding pressures on African American families are shown, and the visible effects of reducing humans to chattel give rise to debate on post-slavery black families. The slave narrative, made famous by African American writers like Frederick Douglass and Solomon Northup, is one such account of life for blacks during slavery that demonstrates the fragility of slave family life. The slave

In the slave narratives, some of the insights that they offered were of what the slaves went through in their daily lives. In Henry Bibbs’ story, he explains how he endured his masters’ abuse, for example, “I received striped without number, the object of which was to degrade and keep me in subordination” (208). This shows how their “masters” were so immoral towards African- Americans. Not only did he encounter abuse, but also his wife and daughter. In comparison to Solomon Northup’s narrative, Northup was more specific about the mistreatment towards him and other slaves. Northup also shared his biggest fear which was turning in the tote of cotton at the end of the day. If the slaves didn’t meet the quota, they would be punished. Lastly,

I watched the movie called “12 Years a slave” written by himself, Solomon Northup and directed by Steve McQueen. “12 years a Slave” is an award-winning movie and a true story movie about a free black man who was kidnapped and got sold by two con men to the slavery in the South. He survives and fought for his freedom; after 12 years, gain his freedom back. Solomon Northup who was a free man in upstate New York where he lives, work and created a family. Northrup is educated, loves his family and passionate in playing a violin; however, two con men take these away from him and sold him in to the slave catchers who sells him in the South. Northup was given a new identity and forbid himself not to say anything about his life, especially that he is educated. Northup met other slaves such as Eliza who was captured with her children. He has seen the inhumane treatment that slaves get. When Eliza was bought by the same master that Northup, Eliza begged not to be apart with her children during the auction. He also lived with different master for the past 12 years with cruelest master he had, Mr. Epps where he was tortured, lynched and beaten; he was also asked to whip his fellow slave, Patsy.

survive and comply the master’s orders, beaten and labored until their bodies just couldn’t take it anymore, the conditions that a typical slave would experience on a daily basis. When you hear these conditions being depicted, you’d instantaneously think of an animal that is being captivated. However, in this situation, slaves are often seen as livestock, sometimes even less than that. Slaves weren’t considered humans, even though they shared the same characteristics of being human as a slave master. Slaves were property, and if they were lucky enough, they were considered very expensive livestock. Solomon Northup’s experience, which is depicted in Twelve Years a Slave, written by himself, demonstrates the daily lives of subordinates. Solomon Northup was an American abolitionist, prior to that, a free-man-turned slave. Being a slave stripped Northup of his identity. Solomon Northup was a freed family-man, violinist, living the typical life of a freed African American man in the 19th Century. According to Girogio Agamben, bare life is ____________ and Northup was deprived of that. Solomon had self-emancipation, to be a free man, self-empowerment, to be able to have power, and self-enlightenment, to be able to convey knowledge. All of that was torn from him, as the fellows who’d kidnapped and enslaved him, gave him a new identity as Platt.

Common issues with abuse are illustrated throughout “12 Years a Slave”, slaves were emotionally, physically and psychologically abused every day; others were forced to perform tasks that were irrational and inhumane. Many slave owners were born into the business of owning slaves, however, for a certain slave owner known as Edwin Epps, the act of slavery or owning Negros as property came just as natural as breathing. Epps treaded his slaves as if they were inanimate objects, like a garden rake for instance, rather than human beings. Edwin Epps’ feeling on the issue where brought to light when he was having a conversation with Mr. Bass, a hired hand from Canada, Epps stated, “If something rubs you wrongly, I offer you the

The book starts with Solomon Northup explaining the story of his father as a slave and the story of his youth. Solomon’s father, Mintus Northup, was born into slavery and was a slave for a long time, until his master died. He was then free from slavery and moved on with his life. Mintus kept the last name “Northup”, to honor the people who freed him from slavery.

The backgrounds of the narrators of these novels are an important factor that could influence reactions of northern white readers. The plight of Northup, a free black man living in New York captured and sold into slavery, would be more persuasive to those on the fence about the abolitionist movement than Jacobs’s background. To white readers living in free northern states, Northup represents friends and neighbors, a man that any of them could have lived next to or worked with. The idea that this could happen to someone they know at any time is a very persuasive element of Northup’s story.

Throughout this novel, Northup describes the atrocities he encounters as a slave on his journey to and while trapped in Louisiana. Right after he is kidnapped, he wakes in a cell with no memories and is promptly whipped after he insists he is a free man. He calls his experience as “nothing else than the burning

What the audience sees is the terror of slavery. Director Steve McQueen shows the hardships slaves had to endure on a daily basis. Early in the film a fellow slave Eliza has her small children taken away from her at a slave auction. The anguish of the mother is constant after that point. During a meal she sits clutching the cabin pillar as Solomon eats. He screams at her to stop her crying, while the other slaves look on from their cabins. She retorts that she can’t stop crying because her children are gone and ask why he doesn’t cry for his kids. The camera does not shy away from her sorrow and intimately zooms in on the pair as they argue. It is jarred for the audience because we are forced to watch this woman’s suffering. What we see is a helpless woman trapped on a plantation. It’s a gloomy day and there is food for her to eat, but she is completely lost. This scene is like many in the film, each slave is victimized in their own

Solomon’s Northup ‘12 Years a Slave’ is an autobiography book that narrates his life journey in regaining his freedom as a freeman. He emphasizes the concept of racism and freedom in his ‘12 Years a Slave’. This essay explores the research question “How does Northup portray the concept of racism and freedom in the novel ‘12 Years A Slave’?”. This essay begins with an introduction that outlines the background of racism and freedom in the novel and how the novel has provided detailed information that helps in analyzing. The essay continues with outlines of racism that occurs during 1840’s. The main analysis is included in the body; racism during Solomon’s abduction, how were they treated by his masters, what were his thoughts and

Before the Reconstruction which took place after the Civil War, many slaves began to acquire their freedom by many things, including escaping plantations, buying their freedom, or being granted freedom from their former owners. Once slaves entered the North, they were able to finally be seen as a free African American. The thing that scared African Americans the most, frequently happened, being sent back to the South into slavery. 12 Years a Slave by Solomon Northup gives a recap of how his life, filled with joy and freedom one day, became a living nightmare the next. Northup, a self-taught, master violin player is fooled into traveling with “gentlemen” to share his talents for a small fortune. Leaving his family behind, he decides to go with the men and once he reaches New York City, the men convince Northup to travel to Washington D.C. Solomon soon began feeling sick and one day wakes up chained in a cell. Next thing he knows, he is being sold into slavery. He lives a life of a slave for twelve years until he is rescued by Henry B. Northup, who saves Solomon while he was working in the field. Once back in his own home, Solomon writes an autobiography of his experiences. After many decades, a historical movie retelling Solomon’s autobiography was released. Throughout the movie, many differences are present. For example, the wife of Solomon’s master was portrayed to be an evil woman in the movie, but in the book not so evil. Another example is while slaves did not fight back