Twelve Years a Slave: The Life of Solomon Northup, Monografías, Ensayos de Literatura inglesa

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LITERATURE´S SEMESTRAL PROJECT

BOOK REPORT: TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE

LITERATURE CLASS

HIGH SCHOOL

The story happens in this setting because Louisiana was a slave state during almost all the 19 th^ century, it was a place where slaves were exploited in cotton and sugar cane plantations. The setting is important because it is framed in a specific historical context of slavery, it also provides the Ambiental elements like ecosystems such as swamps and a humid and cloudy weather.

CHARACTER ANALYSIS

Protagonist: -Solomon Northup / Platt: He was born a free black man in Minverva, New York, in July 10 1808. He is known for his book “Twelve Years a Slave” where he talks about his experience while being a slave during 12 years, and for being a black American violinist and abolitionist. He married Anne Hampton on December 25, 1829 and they had three children: Elizabeth, Margaret and Alonzo. He was kidnapped by two white men named Merrill Brown and Abram Hamilton, he was sold into slavery in the south in 1841 to James H. Burch, he lived as a slave for twelve years for three masters: William Ford, John M. Tibeats and Edwin Epps. He was named “Platt” by a slave trader known as Theophilus Freeman. After 12 years, he was freed in January 4 1853. Physically, he was a black man, when he was kidnapped, he was 33 years old, so he can be described as young. There is a lot to say about his personality, he is a very sensitive and kind hearted man, he showed to be brave and hardworking through the days he lived as a slave. He was a man who trusted in God and prayed in difficult times, he always kept in his heart the hope of seeing his family again, and he did it. Antagonists: -James H. Burch: He was a slave dealer who kept Solomon in a hidden slave pen in Wahington D.C., he was a business partner with Freeman of New Orleans. He was described as a white man, with a chestnut hair, around forty years of age. He was brutal, cruel and prepotent, this is evident when he whipped Solomon because of saying that he was a free man. He was also a liar, he lied when criminal charges where pressed against him and his accompliance, Radburn. -Merrill Brown: He was one of the two men who, along with Hamilton, convinced Solomon to travel from New York to Washington D.C. to be a fiddler in their circus. Physically, he is a white man, apparently forty years old, short and thickset, he looked like an intelligent man. He is a dishonest person and a liar, for he tricked Solomon and sold him as a slave. -Abram Hamilton: He, along with Brown, convinced Solomon to travel from New York to Washington D.C. by offering him to be a fiddler in their circus. He was a young man (approximately of 25 years old or less), of fair complexion and light eyes, he was a tall man and well dressed. His appearance, as described in the

sold Solomon to Tibeats. He was a white man, described as a “quick-tempered, spiteful man”, he was a cruel and erratic master. He quarreled with Northup and then tried to kill him several times, he even tried to hang the slave (who was rescued by Mr. Chapin and master Ford), he was vengeful and wrathful. -Mr. Chapin: He was a white overseer who worked for William Ford in the Bayou Boeuf plantation. He was a kind man, he rescued Solomon when Tibeats tried to hang him and then called master Ford so he could give aid to Northup. Dynamic characters: -Solomon Northup: He went through a lot of changes during the development of the story, at first, he was a free man who lived a happy life with his family and friends but, when he was sold into slavery, everything around him changed and so did him, he was not anymore a free man, but a slave, the way he thinks, talks and acts became influenced because of that. He had to adapt to his new life as a slave but, also, he kept in his heart the hope and desire of seeing his family again. Although Solomon appears to be strong and keep his hopes during the story, he changes because of the circumstances and the people that surrounded him and also because of the treat he received. -Edwin Epps: As said before, he was the third and final owner of Solomon. At the beginning he was presented as a merciless and cruel character who treated his slaves like animals and had no consideration on them, but later, this character went through a transformation, where he found himself in internal conflicts and reflexions about slavery and its consequences for both the people that were enslaved and their oppressors. -Eliza Berry / Dradey: She was a fellow captive in Burch´s slave pen in Washington D.C., she was a friend to Solomon Northup. She was the moter of two children: Randall Berry and Emily Berry. Described as a black young woman, she was the slave and then mistress of a rich white man named Elisha Berry, who was kind to her and her daughter, Emily. Elisha promised emancipation for Eliza and Emily upon his death, but his heirs did not keep that promise, they sold her into Burch´s slave pen, where she arrived well dressed, in company of her daughter Emily; later she was sent downriver and Freeman separated her from her children (even though she cried and begged not to be separated from them). She was sold to William Ford in Louisiana. Eliza Berry is a dynamic character because she underwent big changes. At the beginning, she was presented as a woman that had a plush life, mistress of Elisha Berry and mother of two children, everything changed when Theophilus Freeman separated her from her children, since that day,

she became a person full of grief, who suffered and missed her children for the rest of her life and lived with a great sadness until she died because of this. -Patsey: She was the black slave of Edwin Epps, she was 23 years old, by nature “a laughing lighthearted girl”, over the years she became discouraged and had suicidal thoughts due to frequent beatings and abuse. She was a victim of the repeated rapes of Edwin Epps and the cruelty of Epps´ wife. She was the most productive cotton picker in master Epps´ plantation, so despite Epps wife´s constant demands, Epps refused to sell her. The abuse and mistreatment she received, marked and changed her life. Static characters: -Theophilus Freeman: He was a slave dealer in New Orleans. From the beginning until the end of the story, he was described as insensitive, inhumane, greedy and wicked, for example, when he separated Eliza Berry from her children since he decided not to sell Emily because he could make money with the girl due to her beauty.He did not change his personality through the development of the story. -William Ford: Solomon´s first master. He is a static character because he did not have major changes during the development of the story, he was always shown as a good-hearted man, who treated his slaves with respect and tenderness, a devotee of Christianity and a loving person who protected his slaves instead of abusing them. Patsey (from the movie “Twelve Years A Slave”) Solomon Northup (from the movie “Twelve Years A Slave”)

Middle: Solomon had such a tough time working for Tibeats, the slave's talents as a handyperson and his ability to do various tasks saved him from some of Tibeats’ abuses. Tibeats and Solomon quarreled two times, the former tried to kill Solomon by hanging him, fortunately, Northup was rescued by Mr. Chapin and master Ford. Tibeats sold Solomon to Edwin Epps, a man who owned a cotton plantation and was known for being cruel and abusive. Solomon was a slave of Epps for about ten years, during this time Solomon encountered and witnessed various physical and psychological atrocities, particularly directed to Patsey, a young female and talented cotton picker who suffered because of constant raping and whipping from Epps. Despite all the hardships, Solomon managed to maintain his dignity and to keep his faith. A Canadian carpenter named Samuel Bass arrived at the plantation, Solomon noticed that man was an abolitionist, then he decided to take a risk and ask him for help, he told him about his story and his free status also he asked him to contact his family in New York. Bass accepted in helping Solomon, he sent letters to the Northups, starting a mission that would later end Solomon´s slavery. Of course, they had to act guardedly to not raise any suspicion. End: The Northups had never given up with Solomon, when they received the letter that Bass had sent them, they immediately looked for legal help. Despite all the legal difficulties that Solomon´s friends and family faced, they finally managed to secure Solomon´s freedom in January 1853. Solomon was able to reunite with his family after a very long time and he found them safe and sound. At the end of the book, a reflection is offered on the cruel system of slavery, as well as the difficulties and traumas suffered by the people who are victims of said system, that is, the enslaved African Americans. William Ford, a pious master who treated his slaves kindly, and Solomon Northup (Platt)

Samuel Bass, who helped Solomon in his liberation of slavery

BOOK REVIEW

Themes used in the story:

1. Truth and justice The book “Twelve Years A Slave” says that telling the truth is good, because it is a manifestation of a person´s integrity, however, it also describes how difficult and dangerous telling the truth was in the 19 th century in the United States of America. In this aspect, racism is involved, because the truth coming from a slave was considered useless and worthless, so it was not easy for slaves to seek for justice. In the book, Solomon points out that lying for security reasons can be appropriate but lying in order to hide a crime or trick someone is immoral. Also, in the unjust and cruel society where they lived, telling the truth was dangerous and in some cases mortal, Solomon realized this while working for master Epps, during his time as a slave of Epps he realized that telling the truth or contradicting Epps could be dangerous. Excerpt: “It is not safe to contradict a master, even by the assertion of a truth.” (-Solomon Northup in “Twelve Years A Slave”)
2. Family Solomon Northup was a slave for twelve years, during which he lived away from his family. Although the protagonist´s family is very little mentioned, it plays a very important role during its development. The book points out that family is more than being related by blood or marriage, it is about those people who show affection, understanding and support to each other. During difficult times, Solomon found motivation, solace and strength in the hope of seeing his family reunited again, showing that family can give purpose and reasons to continue despite of hardships. Excerpts: “Dwelling upon the unspeakable happiness it would be to clasp them to my heart once more before I died.” (-Solomon Northup in “Twelve Years A Slave”) “Why had I not died in my young years—before God had given me children to love and live for?” (-Solomon Northup in “Twelve Years A Slave”)

Background information about the circumstances that led to the creation of the book: “Twelve Years A Slave” is a slave narrative by Solomon Northup. It was written in 1853, the same year when Solomon became free again. During the 19th^ century, slavery was a common practice in many places of the USA. A brief look at the origin of slavery in the USA: Slavery in the United States has a very remote origin, however, it is documented that the start of the slave trade occurred in 1619. After the first captives were forced by a Dutchman on to Virginia´s shores in that year, almost all the population of the country remained white, the labor was mainly made by Native American slaves and white European indentured servants. In the end of the 17th century the transatlantic slave trade impacted on the American colonies. By the end of the American Revolution, slavery became unprofitable in the North. Even in the South it was becoming less useful to farmers as tobacco prices began to drop. Because of this decline of the tobacco market in the 1760s and 1770s many farmers started to produce wheat instead of tobacco, which required less labor leading to surplus of slaves. In 1793 Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin; making possible for textile mills to use the type of cotton most easily grown in the lower South. The invention of this device brought about a big internal slave trade. In 1808, the United States banned the international slave trade, this increased the demand for domestically traded slaves. White southerners became more defensive of slavery, they claimed that black people, like children, were not capable of caring for themselves and that slavery was a benevolent institution that kept them fed, clothed, occupied, and exposed them to Christianity. Northerners doubted the benevolence of slavery. The voices of Northern abolitionists, such as William Lloyd Garrison, became more and more violent. Educated blacks such as escaped-slave Frederick Douglass wrote attacks on the institution and spoke about their experience enslaved. Anti-slavery proponents organized the Underground Railroad to help slaves escape north to freedom. Although fictionalized, Harriet Beecher Stowe’s 1852 novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin opened northerner’s eyes to some of the horrors of slavery and refuted the southern myth that blacks were happy as slaves. The reality was that slaves were treated in a cruel and sadistic way, families were separated, punishments by whipping were very common. In 1857 the United States Supreme Court in the decision

Dred Scott v. Stanford ruled that all Black people (free or enslaved) lacked the rights to citizenship, it also ruled that sovereignty, where new territories could vote on entering the union as a free or slave state, lacked constitutional legitimacy. So, slaves had no legal means of protesting the treatment they received. The Civil War began as a struggle to keep the Union, but soon, President Abraham Lincoln realized that the best way to force the seceded states into submission was to undermine their labor supply -the slavery. On September 22, 1862, following the strategic Union victory at the Battle of Antietam, President Lincoln presented the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. This document decreed that all slaves in states that were still in rebellion one hundred days after January 1, 1863, would be "thenceforward and forever free." On December 6, 1865, the U.S.A adopted the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, outlawing slavery.

PERSONAL OPINION AND POINT OF VIEW:

I really liked this book, even though I only read fourteen chapters, I enjoyed it more than I expected. I think I underestimated this book before reading it. However, when I continued reading and got a little more involved in reading, I realized that it is a very good book, as it recounts, as a testimony, some of the abuses that African American slaves suffered due to a cruel and racist system; in addition to being a testimony with great historical importance, it reveals the author´s feelings and allows us to empathize with some characters, so we can see not only the documentary side but also the more human and sensitive side of this story. At the beginning of the reading, I felt a little bored because it began with an explanation of the protagonist´s origin. As I progressed in the reading process, I was able to experience various emotions, such as tenderness when Solomon talked about his wife and children; repudiation of slave owners who enjoyed mistreating the slaves; I felt especially sad when Robert died of smallpox and when Eliza was separated from her children forever which led her slowly to death; I also felt empathy for slaves who constantly suffered physical and psychological abuses; and of course, while doing the relevant research for this project, I was happy that Solomon received help after all the difficulties he went through and was finally able to reunite with his family. I think that I would not change anything in the way the story is narrated or in the development of each of the characters. I would definitely recommend this book, especially for those who are interested in learning more about the slave period in American history.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

12 years a slave summary of key ideas and review: Solomon Northup. Blinkist. (n.d.). https://www.blinkist.com/en/books/12-years-a-slave-en 12 years a slave. CliffsNotes. (n.d.). https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/t/twelve-years-a-slave/character- list A brief history of slavery in the United States. American Battlefield Trust. (2023, November 21). https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/slavery-united-states Goodreads. (n.d.). Twelve Years a slave quotes by Solomon Northup. Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/160246-twelve-years-a-slave Guardian News and Media. (2019, August 16). 400 years since slavery: A timeline of american history. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/news/2019/aug/15/400-years-since-slavery-timeline Hall, S. (2019, August 28). Beyond 1619: Slavery and the cultures of america: Folklife Today. The Library of Congress. https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2019/08/beyond-1619/#:~:text=It%20was%20the %20beginning%20of,to%20be%20the%20United%20States. Kiffel-Alcheh, J. (2022, September 29). Louisiana Pictures and facts. Geography. https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/geography/states/article/louisiana LitCharts. (n.d.). 12 years a slave characters. https://www.litcharts.com/lit/12-years-a-slave/characters Northup, S. (1853). Twelve Years A Slave.