7/17/2019 12 Years a Slave Summary

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Shaisa Pittman 11/2/14

History 1041 Dr. Huda

12 Years A SlaveThe movie 12 Years A Slave, follos a youn! "la#$ musi#ian from %re&'ivil (ar

 )e Yor$ named, Solomon )orthu%. Durin! a %erforman#e tour, Solomon is for#i"ly

entered into the slave trade and ta$en aay from his family due to $idna%%in! "y a %air

of hite slave #urators. *n#e in the #lut#hes of slavery, Solomon is for#ed to ado%t the

alias, +Platt. Platt-s first master durin! his "onda!e as aster ord. ord as a $ind

man and as ell aare that Solomon as far more intelli!ent than the maority of his

other slaves. (hile or$in! for ord, Solomon #ame into #onfli#t ith one of his

overseers named, ohn Ti"eats. (hile ord had "e#ome very fond of Solomon, the %rior

as unillin! to set the latter free "e#ause of southern #ustoms and a de"t to another

slave oner. To save Solomon-s life, aster ord de#ided to transfer him to another slave

oner named, %%s. aster %%s as infinitely more malevolent toards his slaves than

aster ford. a#h slave on %%s- %lantation is re3uired to %i#$ at least 200 %ounds of

#otton every day. f that 3uota !oes unrea#hed "y any slave, they are "rutally hi%%ed.

(hile on %%s- %lantation, Solomon "efriends a youn! !irl named Patsey, ho has

earned favor ith %%s- "e#ause of her %hysi#al %roess in the fields and his lust for her.

Due to %%s- ealousy, Patsey is "rutally "eaten hen he thin$s that she is seein! another

man hen she leaves the %lantation. (hile this is ha%%enin!, Solomon fre3uently tries to

rite a letter to his family "ut is una"le to send it. (hen a 'anadian man is hired to hel%

%%s- "uild a !a5e"o, the man #alls the institution of slavery into 3uestion. Seein! this,

Solomon as$s the man to send a letter to his family to %rodu#e his free %a%ers. The

endeavor is su##essful and Solomon is reunited ith is family, "ut is una"le to re#eive

 usti#e a!ainst his $idna%%ers in a #ourt of la.