12 years a slave reading response

In 1841, the Afro-American violinist Solomon Northup was a free man, living with his wife and children in Saratoga Springs, New York. He is hired by two men for a two-week tour in Washington with their theatrical company. However, Solomon is kidnapped and sold as a slave in New Orleans with the nickname Platt. Over twelve years, he works in the plantations and has an abusive treatment of his masters, until the day he meets the Canadian abolitionist Bass that promises to send a letter to his family and change his life forever.

One of the characters that really stood to me was Solomon Northup because of his deep and touching story. Born as a free black man and living a happy life with his wife and kids. One day he is unexpectedly led into a trap. He travels to washing ton DC with his acquaintance who sadly betrays him and sells him into slavery. Solomon lives as a slave for 12 years as three different masters.in these 12 years, Solomon goes through intense physical and emotional pain. This book has a powerful and serious meaning to it not only it teaches about the slave trade and segregation it shows us how hard it was to be a colored human at that time. 

The only negative I had about the movie was that some of the scenes left me feeling so uncomfortable I had to skip forward. The scenes were intentionally drawn out by the director to emphasize the brutality and wrongness in them – he wanted to make the viewers uncomfortable! Although I do see it’s the purpose it was too much for me.

We see Solomon entrapped in this building before the camera moves up to show Washington DC. This shot in particular shows how helpless the situation is. A man is being unlawfully held prisoner right out of the capital, the one place where any real substantial change could and did come from yet despite that nobody seems able or willing to help. how intense this movie was both Physically and emotionally.

I would definitely recommend this movie to the older age group because this movie was an emotional rollercoaster this movie was shocking, thought-provoking, educational, and gripping. The movie artistically portrays the brutal and dark truth of slavery.