12 Years A Slave Thesis

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While several films about slavery in America contain adequate portrayals of slave life, 12 Years A Slave does so most proficiently. This movie offers a new perspective, putting the audience in the shoes of Solomon, a captured and subsequently enslaved freeman, rather than teaching the facts. The movie also provides a very real and meaningful character: John Epps. Epps, a cruel and unstable slave owner who purchases Solomon, allows for the viewer to experience the inner workings and thoughts of a southern slave owner. As a character, he is a representative of the cruelty of American slavery. The wonderful performances from the actors, specifically Sir John Epps, enhance the characters message throughout the film, making the film come to life. After watching 12 Years A Slave, I believe that this movie’s insight to the moral and emotional aspects of slavery in the 1840’s furthered my knowledge within our curriculum. This movie teaches the audience far more than a traditional history text or a slavery film: it allows students to grasp the struggle and pain of the slaves. …show more content…

It tells the story of Solomon, a freeman who is kidnapped and enslaved for 12 years. By familiarizing us with characters the movie helps lend a more emotional tone to the struggle of slaves and freeman. This helped me sympathize more with the plight of African Americans during the Antebellum period because it added a more personal feel to the horrors of slavery and drew me in more. Although I always knew that they were treated horrendously I could never truly grasp just how extreme their oppression was. It also illustrates that even freemen were always in danger of being enslaved and abused. 12 Years A Slave should remain a part of the United States History curriculum because it brings an even stronger emotional connection to the struggle of African Americans in the

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