12 Years a Slave

Solomon Northup was a free man who worked as a carpenter and fiddle player to provide for his wife and two children in New York. Once, couple of men lured him to a touring a circus. They drank a lot; after it, Northup found himself chained to a floor. He realized that he was affected by drugs and will be sold as a slave. Northup was transported to New Orleans on a ship, where he got a new name – Platt. Eventually, the plantation owner William Ford bought him. Bearing his new torturing life, Northup was in good relations with Ford. Northup helped him to construct a rapid, cheap, and effective waterway for transporting logs downstream. When Northup revealed his gift of a musician, Ford granted him a violin. However, Northup had ill-wisher John Tibeats, a racist carpenter, who hated Northup for his intellect and close relationships with the master. Thus, Tibeats started variously insulting him. The hatred between Tibeats and Platt was growing gradually and became stronger as Tibeats tried to beat Northup, who opposed him. Together with his friends, Tibeats decided to take vengeance on Northup lynching and hanging him. Consequently, Ford wanted to protect Platt and sold him to cruel Edwin Epps. Despite Northup claiming to Ford that he was a free man, Ford rejected his words and said that Northup’s kindness would destroy his life. At Epps’ plantation, Northup had to pick at least 200 pounds of cotton each day during the harvest time. In the other case, he would be beaten. Patsey, a young female slave, picked more than 500 pounds each day. Epps’ wife noticed that Epps paid a special attention to Patsey, including raping; so she started to beat her.

Usually, the slaves take care of those who were beaten. Once, an old man died in the cotton field and was buried on the slave cemetery by the slaves. Northup present among them as well was. Eventually, Epps concluded that there was a plague in the fields sent by God and brought by his new slaves. Therefore, he sold them to the plantations of his neighbors. There, Northup also gained a good reputation. His new master asked him to play the violin at his friends’ celebration. Thus, Platt earned some money, which he tried to spend for a letter to his friends in New York. He asked for help a field hand form Epps’ plantation who betrayed Platt to Epps. Epps continued to abuse Patsey, and she asked Northup to help her to commit suicide, but he refused. Once, Epps discovered that Patsey was not present on his plantation. When the girl returned, Epps forced Northup to beat her and eventually beat her himself. Disappointed Northup accidentally tore his violin to pieces. Then, Northup began to build a pavilion together with a Canadian worker named Bass. He rejected slavery that displeased Epps. However, due to it, Northup asked Bass to send a letter to New York.

Once, the local sheriff arrived with another man in the carriage and called Northup. He started to ask the slave about his past life. Eventually, Northup recognized that the sheriff’s friend came from Saratoga to set him free. Consequently, Northup left though Epps was against it and Patey was disappointed. After the 12 years of slavery, Northup returned to his family as a free man.

I find the movie 12 Years a Slave terrific and powerful and my

powerpoint presentation project for students

was created especially about this one. To a great extent, it shows the reality of slavery of that time, which cannot be perceived easily. This movie forces people to think over the plot, characters, and their fate. The sympathy to the main character Northup and hatred to the owners of plantations are evident while watching the film. Again, the story teaches us that Good conquers Evil.