Topic > ""Twelve Years a Slave": Dissimilarities between book and film ” as “a person who is legally owned by another person or entity and is forced to work or obey him.” It is the most frightening condition a human being can find himself in, where the right to freedom, liberty, etc. . are denied by law and is seen as property that can be owned. This heinous activity has been part of many societies and cultures from the earliest civilizations until the 20th century widely practiced and a thriving business, a slave's status is lower than that of a pet cat or dog and tragedy, a feature of society that can never happen again. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayIt is difficult to fully ascertain from what time period or civilization slavery grew as a business practice, as it is believed to have existed from the cradles of human society and preludes to recorded or written history. The "Code of Hammurabi", one of the oldest written architectures written during the 18th century BC in Mesopotamian civilization, contains a code dedicated to slavery, establishing it as an established institution. Slavery can therefore be traced back to Egyptian civilization, Persian civilization, etc. Unlike other ancient civilizations where the foundation was the fertility of the land and the availability of water, Roman civilization was formed thanks to the flourishing slave trade. This continued until the Middle Ages. Emperor Charlemagne's campaigns allowed him to capture large numbers of people and sell them into slavery to the highest bidder. This popularized the slave trade in Europe which gradually spread to Asia, particularly the Middle East. The Crusades also played a role in this, where the victors captured and enslaved the people of the vanquished. Slavery in America began after the discovery of the Americas and the founding of the colony in the late 15th century and early 16th century. It was especially popular in the Caribbean and Spanish America. Slavery in what is now the United States of America can be traced back to August 1619, when 20 Africans were brought to Jamestown, Virginia. The records of the "Royal African Slave Company" tell us that in the 17th century the slave trade was a very profitable business in the Americas. Out of greed for profit, many Africans were kidnapped, captured and forcibly shipped across the Atlantic. The journey was so harsh that many couldn't even survive the journey. It is estimated that between 10 and 20 million Africans were captured to be sold into slavery in the Americas. Slavery in the United States seemed to be of another breed. Although slavery was prominent in other parts of the world, Europe, Asia, and Africa saw slaves of every race and culture due to the warfare so frequent in those parts of the world. In the United States, only Africans were slaves as they were captured and forcibly migrated, the slave status having been institutionalized as a racial caste associated with African ancestry. Slavery is a dehumanizing and brutal practice that has existed throughout human history. From ancient civilizations until the 20th century, slavery was legal and widely practiced. Many societies viewed slaves as property andthey denied them the rights of liberty and freedom. While it is difficult to determine the exact period or civilization in which slavery originated, it is possible to trace it back to early civilizations such as Mesopotamia and Egypt. Roman civilization, founded on the thriving slave trade, popularized the slave trade in Europe and Asia. The discovery of the Americas and the founding of colonies led to the introduction of slavery in the New World, which soon became a lucrative business. Millions of Africans were captured and forcibly migrated to the Americas to be sold as slaves. The United States institutionalized slavery as a racial caste associated with African ancestry. The practice of slavery has left a lasting impact on the world, from the exploitation of millions of human beings to the social, economic, and political consequences that continue today. Slavery left a legacy of inequality and discrimination, and its effects are still felt in many parts of the world. It is important to remember the atrocities of slavery and work to build a more just and equitable society. By acknowledging the history of slavery, we can begin to address the systemic inequalities that continue to exist in our world today. Abstract The main purpose of this research paper is to identify the differences between the book "Twelve Years a Slave" written by Solomon Northup, published in 1853 and the film adaptation of the book "12 Years a Slave" published in 2013 and directed by Steve McQueen . For the purpose of this study, the book and film with the above-mentioned names were carefully studied and observed. The book is edited by David Wilson, to whom Solomon Northup tells his life story. The book contains detailed events from Solomon Northup's life experiences and also his knowledge, opinions and understanding of the cause and effect of these events. The film, although it revolves around Solomon Northup, failed to preview all these events and since it was produced for profit, it is dramatized and edited, which failed to fully capture the wisdom of Solomon Northup, who can be obtained by reading the book. The film, however, accurately predicted the gruesome conditions and treatments slaves received in the United States of America. support for the movement. Harriet Beecher Stowe's best-seller Uncle Tom's Cabin, published the previous year (1852), had an influence in the United States and Great Britain, energizing anti-slavery forces in the American North, while provoking a widespread anger in the American South. The book was a key in the growth of the abolitionist movement but it was a work of fiction. Solomon Northup's "Twelve Years a Slave" provided real facts about the harsh lives of slaves and solidified that the conditions of slaves depicted in "Uncle Tom's Cabin" were accurate although it was a work of fiction. In fact in her rebuttal, "A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin," Harriet Beecher Stowe cites "Twelve Years a Slave" regarding the accuracy of her work. Additionally, Solomon Northup dedicated his book to Harriet Beecher Stowe. In the 1960s, two historians, Sue Eakin and Joseph Logsdon, separately researched and retraced Solomon Northup's accounts and edited a historically annotated version and ascertained that Solomon Northup's account was indeed true and accurate. In those days, accounts of many freed and escaped slaves were published. . Solomon Northup was unique in this regard. He was the only one who was born a free man, then kidnapped into slavery and then freed again. This is why Solomon Northup was not only able to describe the living conditions and treatments of the slave, but he was also able to compare life as a free man and that of a slave. He also shared his perspective offree man and African American on the society that legalizes slavery. Analysis The book “Twelve Years a Slave,” narrated by Solomon Northup, is divided into twenty-two chapters. Each chapter is dedicated to different events in Solomon's life. The book also contains Solomon's philosophies and understandings that characterize Solomon's wisdom and literacy. The film lasts more than two hours and is edited so that the most important aspects of the book can be filmed and shown to the public. That's why you can see many differences between the book and the film. This document is dedicated to identifying such differences. The article will also explain why the absence of certain events in the film made it difficult for audiences to understand Solomon's struggles and wisdom that could otherwise have been achieved by reading the book. It is important to note that the book as written after the narration is in the first person. The film revolves around Solomon as the main character. This is why less importance was given to the other characters in the film, even those who played an important role in Solomon Northup's life. Early life The first chapter of the book is dedicated to Solomon's life before the kidnapping. Solomon provides a brief history of his ancestry and his father's life. It includes how Solomon Northup was born a free man. Solomon's father, Mintus Northup, was actually born and raised as a slave, but upon his death he was emancipated by his owner's will. Northup was actually the owner's last name; slaves had to adopt their owner's name. Mintus Northup is responsible for Solomon's upbringing and also the growth of Solomon's strong character and resonance that we can learn about in the book and film. Solomon also learns to play the violin since his youth. The chapter also includes Solomon's married life, which is of utmost importance. It is difficult to express in words the love and affection that Solomon feels towards his family from which he was separated for twelve long years. These feelings for his family allowed Solomon to endure his years of slavery and continue to live so that he could see his family again. Solomon married Anne Hampton after his father's death and entered professional life. Solomon was engaged in several professions in his life which developed his skills. These skills were especially important and useful to Solomon during his years as a slave as they helped Solomon gain favor with his owner and earn a few coins. Solomon achieved good navigation and carpentry skills, along with his ability to wow his audiences with the violin, made Solomon very desirable as a slave. During his time as a shipping business owner, Solomon was able to visit several places in Canada. This information is very important since they played a very important role in the liberation of Solomon. Solomon and his wife later moved to Saratoga and both practiced various professions. In Saratoga, Solomon and his wife met Mr. Cephas Parker and Mr. William Perry, who owned their own stores. These gentlemen were the recipients of the letter written in Solomon's name. Solomon also recounts his encounter with the slaves who accompanied their master from the south, and his conversation and dealings with these slaves. Solomon and his wife lived in Saratoga until Solomon's kidnapping in 1841. The film provides a brief demonstration of Solomon's early life. They are completely ignorant of Solomon's father and how he became a free man. By demonstrating Solomon as an independent person, the film depends on the viewer's wisdom that Solomon was able toacquire his education, various skills and character because he was independent. However they introduce Mr. Parker. The film also shows Solomon as the father of two children, while in reality Solomon had three children; two girls and a boy who is the youngest. Margaret and Alonzo were with their aunt and Elizabeth was with her mother when Solomon was kidnapped. These differences are however very negligible in terms of book and film. Abduction The second chapter of the book recounts Solomon's abduction and the preceding events leading up to it. While his wife and children were gone for a good number of days, Solomon was introduced to two unknown gentlemen, Merill Brown and Abram Hamilton. These gentlemen were in the circus, which was now located in Washington. They offered Solomon a job as a violinist and a nice salary, which made Solomon accept it immediately. Solomon was to accompany them to New York and perform with these gentlemen along the way. He was supposed to return to Saratoga after reaching New York. Solomon did not inform his wife thinking that his journey would be short and left with them. Arriving in New York, Mr. Brown and Mr. Hamilton asked and flattered Solomon to proceed to Washington with them, which prompted Solomon to agree. At this point Solomon talks about one of their performances and the process of acquiring free documents from customs. Merill Brown, Abram Hamilton and Solomon Northup reached Washington ahead of the funeral of recently deceased President William Henry Harrison. Solomon stayed with them for a day, enjoying the parade for the late president. In the afternoon, Solomon's companions indulged in drinking and insisted that Solomon take some. At this point in his story, Solomon forcefully remarked that he was not intoxicated by it. After this Solomon's health began to fail. As the night progresses, Solomon begins to lose consciousness but for a time is able to understand his surroundings. He remembered two or three people telling him that he needed to see a doctor and then he went with them because his health and senses continued to deteriorate. When Solomon awoke, he found himself chained. He was kidnapped. In the film, Solomon is introduced to Merill Brown and Abram Hamilton by a Mr. Moon, and they offer Solomon to accompany them to Washington, with the next scene transcribing the trio arriving in Washington and having dinner. In the narration, Solomon claims that he is unable to remember the person who introduced him to Mr. Brown and Mr. Hamilton, but that he first met them near a tavern run by a Mr. Moon. They also at first offered Solomon to accompany them to New York. The film also ignores the trio's journey and performances on the road. One of the major contrasts between the book and the film is that in the film Solomon is seen getting drunk by drinking wine with Mr. Brown and Mr. Hamilton, vomiting in a dark alley, and then being put to bed by his employers. In the memoir, however, Solomon strongly suggested that he had not gotten drunk but had been poisoned, with his symptoms clearly matching those of one. He also remembered being called from his room to be taken to a doctor who is not seen in the film. Burch and the Journey South Solomon Northup was now a prisoner in a slave pen in Washington, which greatly amazed Solomon; a slave pen established in the heart of the capital. Solomon also gives a very accurate description of the slave pen. This particular slave pen belongs to James H. Burch, a man whom Solomon Northup blames entirely for his misery that followed in the next decade of his life. According to Solomon, no man could equal Burch in terms ofcruelty. This is why the description given by Solomon in his narrative is slightly biased, with Solomon citing "Burch whose whole appearance was sinister and repugnant". Solomon, though, may not have been very wrong about Burch. At their first meeting Burch completely dominated Solomon such that Solomon did not reveal his identity as a free man to anyone for about twelve years. Burch tortured Solomon with two slave torture devices: the paddle and the cat o' nine tails. Burch initially began beating Solomon with the paddle. When Solomon once again claimed his status as a free man, the beatings would immediately resume more vigorously than ever. This continued until the paddle broke. Burch then continued to torture Solomon with the cat o' nine tails, which incredibly was more painful than the paddle. Burch persisted with the torture until Solomon was completely speechless with pain. Solomon was heartbroken. As Solomon recovered from the wounds he sustained during the whipping, he met several other slaves. They were Clemens Ray, John Williams and a child Randall. Randall's mother, Eliza, is another interesting character. She, along with her seven-year-old daughter, Emily, joined Randall after two weeks, the day before the move. Eliza was a slave to a man Elisha Berry. But the man treated Eliza as his wife and promised her freedom upon his death. But Elisha Berry's daughter was jealous of Eliza and enslaved her by deception upon Elisha Berry's death. He didn't even think about his half-sister Emily and sold her too. The day before Solomon and the other slaves began their journey; John Williams was redeemed by his master. They were moved in the dark of night so as not to arouse any suspicion. They were handcuffed and then forced to cross Washington, reach a steamboat, and begin their journey south. They first went to Virginia and stayed in a slave pen owned by Mr. Goodin. Solomon accidentally passed the information he had received from New York to Mr. Goodin who was surprised to learn such information. This prompted Burch to threaten Solomon very severely by promising to kill him if he ever told anyone anything about his previous life. Solomon was chained with a man called Roberts, who like Solomon was a free man but was enslaved by deception. Solomon also met other slaves in Mr. Goodin's slave pen. The next morning, Clemens Ray was informed that he would not travel south with them but would instead return to Washington. Solomon later learned, after being freed, that Clemens Ray had escaped and on his way to Canada he stayed with Solomon's brother-in-law, stating his meeting with Solomon. The slaves were then placed in a cell, the number of slaves being forty. During their journey into the cell, Solomon meets other slaves, particularly Arthur. He was a free man like Solomon and Roberts, but he was also kidnapped. Solomon, Roberts and Arthur began planning a mutiny. They put a lot of thought into their plan and took some precautionary measures to increase the success rate. This plot failed however as Roberts fell ill and was confirmed to be suffering from smallpox. Roberts ultimately died shortly thereafter. Solomon, despondent, then met a sailor named Manning, who promised to write a letter on Solomon's behalf to Sandy Hill. The letter reached its destination but, as information on its whereabouts was lacking, it was unable to free Solomon. When he reached New Orleans, two men, acquaintances of Arthur, came to free him. Solomon, although happy for Arthur, wondered if he would ever see his family again with great sadness. In the film, Burch tortures Solomon alonewith the paddle. The language spoken by Burch is not the vernacular one narrated by Solomon. Solomon and the others from William's slave pen are taken by carriage to the steamboat as seen in the film, but in reality they walk in chains to the steamboat. You can notice big differences in the journey. The film only covers their journey on the steamboat by showing them reaching New Orleans on it. The picture also ignores most of the journey and the other characters Solomon encounters, for example the journey where Solomon and Clemens Ray meet Roberts during their steamboat journey. The trio plans to mutiny and take over the prison so they can gain freedom, with Roberts instigating the passion and Clemens fearful of the consequences if they fail. One night, a sailor goes down and takes Eliza with him. Roberts attempted to stop him by stopping the sailor, who without hesitation stabbed Roberts, killing him. Clemens Ray was not part of the trip to the cell Solomon narrated after having trouble with Burch. Furthermore, Arthur and Manning, two men who are close friends to Solomon, are not introduced. Solomon, Arthur and Roberts also take some actions to carefully plan their mutiny which also wasn't in the movie. Another difference is the cause of Roberts' death. Roberts was stabbed according to the film, but in the memoirs he is said to have died of smallpox. This difference also initiates another, which will be discussed later in this article. Having failed to mention Arthur, Clemens Ray is described as being stated by the owner as having been previously kidnapped, rather than Arthur having been freed. The beginning of life as a slave Solomon is collected by Mr. Theophilus Freeman. He calls Solomon by the name Platt, threatening Solomon with harsh action if he ever doesn't respond to the name Platt. In New Orleans, while steps were being taken to sell slaves, Randall was sold by a planter, thus separating him from his mother. A painful scenario is recounted by Solomon when Eliza was separated from her son. Eliza, Emily and Solomon subsequently fell ill and were hospitalized. They had been in hospital for more than two weeks. Solomon remembered that he was extremely ill, almost at the point of death. After recovering and returning to the slave pen, Solomon and Eliza were sold to Mr. Ford. As Eliza was being sold, another touching scene occurred when Eliza held Emily to her chest, saying she wouldn't leave without her. For Solomon, even in his future slavery, it was one of the saddest things he has seen in his life, as a mother begs not to be separated from her child. However, Eliza's fight proved fruitless. She, Solomon, and another slave named Harry were sold to William Ford in Great Pine Woods, Louisiana. Solomon was employed in a sawmill. For Solomon, he has never seen a kinder and more benevolent man than his first owner. This is why Solomon noted that a slave who loves his master will work harder than the slave who is driven by fear. According to Solomon, Mr. Ford was loved by his slaves and every Sunday he read the Bible to his slaves and encouraged slaves who became interested in religion. Looking back, Solomon suggested that if Mr. Ford had grown up in a different society where the inherent wrong of slavery had not fallen on deaf ears and blindness, he would not have been a slave owner. Solomon also began to care for Mr. Ford, to the point that he wanted to work harder and bring profit to his owner. His idea of ​​using the stream to transport wood was very successful. Solomon connects this to his experience as a navigator and carpenter. Solomon also describes his meeting and thehis interactions with the Indians. After a while, Mr. Ford, to pay off a debt, sold Solomon to a carpenter named John M. Tibeats. Solomon by then gained some reputation as a carpenter among slave owners, which consequently prompted John M. Tibeats to settle for Solomon. Solomon also states that because his price was higher than the debt, Mr. Ford still owes a debt to Solomon. The new owner of Solomon was completely opposite to his previous one. As stated by Solomon, it was his grave misfortune that he met John M. Tibeats. He was a short-tempered and spiteful man and saw slaves as nothing more than a dog. At first they went to Mr. Ford's plantation to complete some unfinished work. There Solomon reacquainted himself with Eliza and met Mr. Ford's overseer, Mr. Chapin. Under the new owner, Solomon worked from dawn to night, and very hard, but was never able to satisfy his owner. One day Solomon received a task from his owner. Solomon completed it as instructed. However, Tibeats was not satisfied and, getting angry, began whipping Solomon. In this case Solomon became very angry having done nothing wrong. Blinded by rage, he used his reflexes and strength to overpower his owner and began whipping Tibeats. After landing several blows, Solomon stopped, and just then Mr. Chapin appeared. Mr Chapin insisted Solomon had made no mistake. In response, Tibeats vowed revenge and left. The overseer insisted that Solomon not run away. Solomon then fell into the utmost despair and despair. He had committed the most sinful crimes that can be committed in the state of Louisiana, striking a white man even though he was black. This feeling of regret was so strong that Solomon remained still for at least an hour. Tibeats returned with two other companions. They tied Solomon up and then hanged him. As Solomon was about to be hanged, Mr. Chapin, armed with both hands, came to save him by stating that Mr. Ford still holds the debt to Solomon. Tibeats and his companion ran away, but Mr. Chapin did not release Solomon and he remained standing, but tied a rope hanging around his neck and tied it to a tree. Mr. Chapin then sent for Mr. Ford. While Solomon was hanging on the rope, he was exposed to the scorching sun. He couldn't move and was in pain all day. Solomon was finally shot down by Mr. Ford as soon as he arrived. Tibeats and his companion arrived again and had a long conversation with Mr. Ford. That night, Mr. Chapin insisted that Solomon sleep in the big house, as Tibeats might try to kill him in the middle of the night. The next day arrived, Solomon was still cursing from his wounds from the previous day, he was warned by Mr. Chapin to look after himself when around Tibeats. Solomon stated that in those moments he wished he had no children to love and live for. Solomon was then hired by Peter Tanner, to work as a carpenter. Peter Tanner, like Mr. Ford, was in the habit of reading the Bible to his slaves every Sunday. But he didn't do it to preach to his slaves. He used Bible verses to inspire fear among the slaves that if they did not do what he commanded, they would commit a sin and that God gave the owner power to punish his slaves. After working for Peter Tanner for a month, Solomon returned to his owner, Tibeats. Solomon was careful this time not to give anything that might spite Tibeats. This would put Solomon's life in danger. However, one unfortunate day when Mr. Chapin was absent from theplantation, the ever unpleasant and poisonous Tibeats unreasonably found a reason to punish Solomon. Solomon defended himself well and, having no intention of killing Tibeats, decided to flee. Soon Solomon found himself running and being chased by slave hunters and their hounds. Solomon managed to lose them by entering the swamp. In his escape, Solomon eluded several snakes and alligators. After putting some distance between him and his pursuers, Solomon decided to turn to Mr. Ford, the only person who can offer him protection, and acted accordingly. He reached Mr. Ford's house the next day. The kind and benevolent William Ford gave him refuge. Three days later, Mr. Ford and Solomon met with Tibeats. Mr. Ford insisted that Tibeats, being an inhuman slave owner, must sell or at least hire Solomon, as they cannot be together. Solomon was thus hired by Mr. Eldert. After working for a few weeks with Mr. Eldert, Tibeats sold Solomon to Edwin Epps. The movie depicted Eliza, Randall, and Emily being separated from each other in a single day. But this separation happened gradually, as mentioned above, Randall was sold two weeks before the sale of Eliza. Furthermore, the film completely ignores Solomon's negotiations with other interested buyers and his subsequent falling ill. Solomon, Eliza, and Emily contracted smallpox from Roberts during their trip to prison. The journey from New Orleans to Great Pine Woods is not shown. Solomon said they walked the final stretches to its owner's house, but were seen arriving at their destination in a horse-drawn cart. John M. Tibeats is introduced as Mr. Ford's chief carpenter. This is not adequately represented as Tibeats was a carpenter for hire, not seen as a very respectable figure in those areas, even by slaves. Tibeats also orders the slaves to applaud him during his introduction as he sings a song implying his madness and unpredictable nature; this segment was also not mentioned by Solomon. The man who rejected Solomon's idea of ​​using the creek as a means of transportation was named Adam Taydem. He was a superintendent in William Ford's mills. Solomon is also seen presenting his idea to Mr. Ford and Mr. Tibeats and then revealing some information about his past life when he was in the transportation business to convince Mr. Ford. In response Mr. Ford appears to be very impressed. This scene was actually unthinkable as it would have raised questions about Solomon's past life and the threat of it manifesting. Solomon's success is seen to infuriate Tibeats, who continues to hold a grudge against Solomon. As a reward, Mr. Ford gives Solomon a violin, which will be used by Solomon for the rest of his life as a slave. This is also not narrated by Solomon in his book, but is shown in the film to suggest Mr. Ford as a kind and benevolent slave owner. The film also provides further information about Eliza, who falls out with Solomon over her grief over the loss of her children, and is subsequently sold to another owner. This information also does not align with the book, as Solomon states that he has always been sympathetic towards Eliza. Solomon learned that Eliza, after failing to please Mrs. Ford, was moved to her plantation and later traded to another owner, where her health gradually declined, and eventually separation from her children rendered her impotent and she died . One of the most crucial pieces of information is left out in the film; the sale of Solomon to Mr. Tibeats. While rescuing Solomon fromTibeats, Mr. Chapin briefly mentions the debt Mr. Ford holds on Solomon. Mr. Chapin also suggested that the accident was Tibeats' fault while saving Solomon, which was also omitted from the film. According to the film, Solomon after being saved by Mr. Ford took refuge in Mr. Ford's house, where William Ford armed himself with a rifle to protect Solomon. Mr. Ford also informs that since Tibeats is intent on killing Solomon, Mr. Ford has transferred his debt to Edwin Epps, as he has been unable to find any other owner willing to take Solomon. Solomon tries to inform Mr. Ford of his status as a free man; Mr. Ford refuses to listen to this plea as he has a debt to be aware of. Big changes can be seen in this segment of the film. Solomon, after being rescued by Mr. Ford, remained on the plantation under Mr. Chapin's overseer and overnight and is also protected by Mr. Chapin. Additionally, Solomon continues to be a slave to John M. Tibeats for two more months before being sold to Edwin Epps. Solomon's enslavement under Peter Tanner and Mr. Eldert is not shown in the film. Likewise, Solomon's second fight and his escape from Tibeats are ignored. It is also important to note that Solomon never revealed his freeman status to Mr. Ford, as seen in the photo. Life under Edwin Epps Solomon hoped any owner except Tibeats was a positive sign. He was soon proven wrong. Edwin Epps enjoyed a reputation as a tough master and prided himself on being known as the "nigger wrecker." Edwin Epps was a shrewd and unpredictable owner. He drank often and enjoyed casually whipping any servant in his drunken state. He sometimes called his slaves late at night to dance without worrying about the tiredness the slaves felt after a long, hard day's work. During these "dance sessions", Solomon was ordered to play the violin, which Mr. Epps convinced Epps to buy one for Solomon. Edwin Epps' main business was cotton picking. He introduced a system on his plantation, where slaves lived under constant fear of being whipped. Epps cared not for his slaves but only for their productivity, whipping any slave at the slightest sight of delay or error. Edwin Epps had no drop of kindness or justice in his heart, a hard, cruel and unjust man as Solomon recounted. Under him, Solomon labored for ten years before he was finally released. Solomon recounted that slaves were forced to work from the first sign of light until dawn. Sometimes during the cotton picking season they continue to work until midnight. In those days, a slave had to choose the middle cotton number and was whipped if he didn't. This depended on the skill of each slave. Someone who is new or unskilled has lower quota requirements, but someone who is highly skilled should bring the same amount every day. A smaller amount of harvest means that he or she has been lazy in the field. Solomon described it as the "ginhouse," a building that is part of the plantation where the amount of cotton harvested is measured. Solomon describes the plight of a slave in front of the ginhouse. Every day, no matter how hard a slave has worked and how tired he is, he must first enter the ginhouse and huddle in prospect of it. If a slave has not filled the usual quota of cotton, he is whipped according to the missing amount. If the slave collects more than usual, from the next day he will be judged for that amount. Solomon established that there should not be a single day during the cotton harvest seasonwhere no slave was whipped. Even after returning from the field, their work was not finished. They must then store the cotton, feed the farm animals, cut the wood, and then allow them to eat the food they are given just to sustain themselves. Overall, the life of the slaves described by Solomon is nothing short of pitiful. Some time after Solomon was sold to Edwin Epps, he began to show symptoms of illness. This disease became very serious, and Epps, not wanting to bear the losses resulting from the loss of a slave, called for a doctor. Solomon survived after following the doctor's instructions but was very weakened. Solomon was not yet allowed to fully recover as he was sent into labor by Epps. Solomon soon discovered that he was not gifted at the work of picking cotton. Regardless of the practice or the lashes he received, Solomon failed to produce the required quantity. Epps eventually gave Solomon up on cotton picking and employed him on other jobs. In his third year under Edwin Epps, a great famine ruined the cottons. To reduce losses, the owners of that region hired their slaves in other areas. Solomon was also hired by Judge Turner, on a sugar plantation. Solomon found himself to be extremely skilled on a sugar cane plantation and was praised by Judge Turner. Sunday was a holiday for the slaves and all the work done on that day was looked after by the slaves. Solomon was in great demand for his talent on the fiddle on Sundays and earned quite a bit of money for being a slave during his time under Judge Turner. Upon his return he discovers that Patsey, another of Edwin Epps' slaves, has been subjected to frequent torture by her master. Patsey was a young, energetic, friendly girl who had always been a favorite of her master. She was light and extremely skilled at picking cotton and was known throughout Bayou Beouf as the best cotton picker. While she looked upon Epps favorably, Mrs. Epps looked down on her with jealousy and anger. This feeling of jealousy and hatred was unusual for Mrs. Epps, as according to Solomon she was an elegant and charming person who treated her husband's slaves kindly. His hatred was aimed only at Patsey. Mr. Epps, unable to afford to displease his wife but also unable to bear the loss by selling Patsey, continued to whip Patsey to calm his wife. This is why, despite picking more cotton, Patsey was whipped more than the others and despite being the most carefree and joyful character, she cried the most. Solomon's obvious lack of skill prompted Epps to hire him out during the cane cutting season. Otherwise he was employed in the camp, where he worked as a driver. A driver, in addition to his duties, also had the responsibility of whipping other slaves when they showed signs of laziness. If this job was not done well, the driver himself was whipped. Solomon has been a pilot for most of his time with Epps and has gained excellent experience and accuracy with the whip. He claimed he could whip at "a hair's length" from anyone. Solomon used this skill to spare his fellow slaves by making it appear as if they were being whipped, when in reality the whip did not even touch them. The other slaves cried and acted painfully as if they had been whipped, to make the ruse believable. On one occasion, while they were working in the field, a drunken Epps was making faces at Patsey, which distressed her greatly. Noticing this, Solomon quietly suggested that Patsey continue working as if she didn't see her owner.Epps was not fooled and, in his drunken state, became enraged. He took out his knife to stab Solomon and Solomon, fearing for his life, began to flee. Epps chased Solomon several times around the cotton field, but failed to catch Solomon. Catching a glimpse of Mrs. Epps outside the house, Solomon ran towards her. Epps, noting that she acted innocently, nothing happened. Edwin Epps then entered his house and Solomon went into the field, and the incident was never repeated. Solomon, though in slavery, never forgot his family. His goal was always to write a letter to his family or friends about his whereabouts. The obstacle was that he had no pen or paper and no shop would sell these things to a slave. Thanks to great luck, Solomon managed to acquire a sheet of paper. He experimented with making ink, eventually making his own using boiled white maple bark and a feather plucked from a duck. At night, when everyone was fast asleep, he would stay awake and secretly write a letter. Now the problem was to send it, because a slave was not allowed to post any letters. Solomon kept this letter hidden for a long time, without being able to send it. Later, he met a white man named Armsby who came to work as an overseer on the Epps plantation. He later moved to the nearby plantation, where he failed to obtain the job of overseer and began working as a laborer. Solomon cautiously approached this person and losing patience asked Armsby to post a letter for him the next time he went to town, without revealing that the letter was already written and giving him all the money he earned from playing the violin on Sundays . Armsby promised not to blow the whistle and took the money. Solomon not trusting him informed him that he would write the letter in a couple of days. His suspicion was well-founded, as Armsby revealed everything to Epps the next day. That night Epps approached Solomon and asked for the details Armsby had told him. Solomon, fearful of future punishment, took the path of ignorance and surprise, denying the entire affair. He convinced Epps that Armsby was lying so that Epps will think that all his slaves will escape by hiring Armsby as an overseer. Epps believing Solomon was gone while making descriptive comments about Armsby's character. Solomon immediately burned the letter much to his desolation, reconnoitring the possibilities of his freedom, which were growing dimmer and dimmer. Having escaped the whip before, Solomon was not always so lucky. At some point in his life as a slave, a tanner came to Bayou Beouf and asked Mr. Epps for the chance to purchase Solomon and bring him into the tanning business. Overhearing their conversation, Aunt Phebe, another slave, told Solomon about it. Solomon wanting to get away from Epps then replied that he couldn't wait. Mrs. Epps overheard the conversation and confided in Edwin Epps. This made Epps very angry as the prospect of a slave wanting to leave was highly frowned upon by Epps. For this he flogged Solomon with thirty lashes, demonstrating how little was enough to anger Epps. These punishments are small compared to those Patsey received. Constantly harassed by Epps, she was despised by Mrs. Epps. On Sunday, when the servants were free, Epps went to call Patsey. No response came; apparently he was not on the plantation. Patsey went to the nearby plantation to see the owner's wife who was very kind to Patsey. Epps, however, thought she was the one visiting the owner instead. When Patsey returned, she begged to bego get some soap because Mrs. Epps doesn't provide any for Patsey. This plea fell on deaf ears, as Epps, blinded by jealousy, ordered Solomon to tie Patsey up and undress her; then, giving the whip to Solomon, he ordered him to whip Patsey. Mrs. Epps watched, with absolute satisfaction on her face. Solomon, despite himself, had to obey his master, because if he had refused he would have been whipped. After forty lashes, Solomon declared that he will not whip her again. At this point, Epps grabbed the whip and began whipping Patsey himself, more severely than ever. Epps only stopped when he felt exhausted. Only then was Patsey allowed to be released. The ever joyful Patsey was never the same again. Solomon's life under the ownership of Edwin Epps in the film begins with Epps reading the Bible to his slaves. This is completely at odds with what Solomon narrates in the book. Because Edwin Epps never read the Bible to his slaves. He saw no need to preach to slaves because he did not consider them human beings. To him the slave is a piece of property, no better than a horse or a cow. According to Solomon, Edwin Epps would torture his slaves in every way possible if he profited from it. In the film, Edwin Epps is seen reading the same scriptures that were actually read by Peter Tanner, who uses the scriptures to keep his slaves in line. Edwin Epps is also believed to own more than a dozen slaves, which is also false. Solomon mentioned in his memoir that there were nine slaves under Edwin Epps, including Solomon. Epps was actually considered a small planter and hired slaves from other plantations if additional help was needed. The film then continues to show life on a cotton plantation and the ginhouse infestation, ignoring Solomon's illness. Patsey is also seen receiving favor from Mr. Epps and absolute hatred from Mrs. Epps. On one of the nights when the slaves are forced to dance in the middle of the night by a drunken Epps, Mrs. Epps throws a decanter of whiskey at Patsey and then demands that Mr. Epps get rid of her. Mr. Epps replies that he will get rid of his wife before he gets rid of Patsey. Epps' forcing the slaves to dance on a whim is entirely true, as is Mrs. Epps' hatred of Patsey; but Mr. Epp never told his wife that he would get rid of her before Patsey. He seemed to love his people and tried to satisfy every whim they desired. In the next scene, Mrs. Epps asks Solomon to purchase some items from the town, handing him a list that invites Solomon to take a look at it. This causes Mrs. Epps to ask if Solomon can read; expressing it forcefully did not matter since Solomon was bought to work and not to read. The character of Mrs. Epps is completely opposite. Solomon described Mrs. Epps as a kind and elegant person, who was looked upon fondly by the other slaves except, of course, by Patsey. On the way to the city, Solomon feels the need to escape but unfortunately he arrives before a group of patrols who were about to hang two slaves who tried to escape. This greatly discourages Solomon. This section is used to show that Solomon constantly planned escape but never attempted it, as he could not successfully form a flawless plan. Society in the state of Louisiana, particularly in the area where Solomon was a slave, was also designed in such a way as to nullify any possibility of escape for a slave. The patrollers seen in the film are exactly as Solomon described, but he never saw any hangings during his time as a slave. As mentioned above, Solomon's pursuit asideby Edwin Epps occurred while Patsey and Solomon were working in the field. In the film, Epps sent Solomon to retrieve Patsey from Mr. Shaw's plantation where Patsey regularly visits Mrs. Shaw, as mentioned in the book. When Solomon returned with Patsey, Epps called Patsey. Solomon whispered to Patsey to act as if nothing had happened and act accordingly. This infuriated Epps and he then went after Solomon. Patsey also asks Solomon to kill her because she can't do it alone. He tries to bribe Solomon for doing this. In his chronicle, Solomon often hoped that Patsey would die from the endless whippings she received without healing each time, but he said nothing about Patsey asking him to kill her. This scene is used to show the audience Patsey's pain, the constant agony and fear she lived with on the Epps property. The next big difference that can be seen is in the segment with Armsby. In the film, Armsby works as a laborer in the Epps cotton field. He then tends to Solomon's wounds after the latter is whipped. During this time Solomon conversed with Armsby, getting the idea to have Armsby deliver a letter to him. In reality Armsby never worked in Epps' film. He came to Epps to be hired as an overseer, but was rejected by Epps. Armsby ten moved to the adjacent plantation owned by Mr. Shaw, where, failing to get hired as an overseer, he began working as a laborer. Solomon also had his letter written long ago, which was also not depicted correctly. In the photo, Solomon writes the letter after confirming that Armsby will send it. In the photo, Uncle Abraham is seen fainting while working in the field and subsequently dying. It was proven that the driver also attempted to resuscitate him. In fact, Uncle Abraham was still alive when Solomon was freed from slavery. Solomon also worked as a designated driver for Edwin Epps. This fragment of the film is used to reveal Solomon's fear of never experiencing freedom again and never seeing his wife and children again. In June 1852, Edwin Epps built a new house. The carpenters were hired for the purpose and knowing Solomon's experience as a carpenter during his time with the previous owners; was selected to assist carpenters. Mr. Bass was one of the carpenters working for Epps that time. He was a kind and liberal guy, happy to discuss politics, religion and slavery with anyone who wanted to, but never arousing any feelings of resentment with his interlocutor. He was the man who enabled the process of Solomon's liberation. Solomon was working nearby when Bass and Epps were engaged in a conversation about slavery. Bass supported nothing right in this system and supported the abolition of slavery. Epps, amused by this, laughed and said that there was no difference between a baboon and a black man. Epps used to converse often with Bass as the latter amused him with his ideologies. As Solomon learned more about Mr. Bass, he found the courage to reveal the truth about him to Mr. Bass. However, Solomon was hesitant to confide in Bass after Bass learned that Solomon had visited Canada, his birthplace. After Bass sincerely assured Solomon that he would keep Solomon's secret, they agreed to meet secretly during the night where Solomon revealed everything he has suffered since agreeing to accompany Abram Hamilton and Merill Brown. Amused by Solomon's story, Bass promised to write a letter on his behalf to his acquaintances in New York. The next night, Bass wrote down all the names of acquaintances to whom he could send a letter. Trusting completely in Bass,Solomon began to reveal all his sorrows from his life as a slave. Bass wrote one letter to the collector of customs in New York, where Solomon issued his free papers, another to Judge Marvin who employed Solomon in his hotel, and the last to Mr. William Perry and Mr. Cephas Parker. Solomon and Bass continued their midnight meeting the entire time Bass remained on Edwin Epps' plantation. Although Bass assured Solomon of the time it would take for the letter to be duly delivered, the prospect of freedom made Solomon impatient and disappointed him when much time passed. Bass left the plantation as soon as the house was completed, but promised Solomon that he would come to visit him during Christmas. Solomon gradually began to lose hope as he received no response. His desperation soon became visible to the other slaves, who regularly asked Solomon if something was wrong. True to his words, Bass visited the plantation during the Christmas season. Having received no response, Mr. Bass decided to travel to New York and find Solomon's family, informing them of his whereabouts. This however proved to be unnecessary as; Solomon was rescued eight days later, January 3, 1853. He was working in the field when a carriage arrived, containing the sheriff and Mr. Henry B. Northup. After answering some questions from the sheriff about his true identity, Mr. Henry B. Northup and the sheriff met with Edwin Epps to show him proof of Solomon's freeman status. Solomon then gathered his things and said goodbye to his fellow slavers. Mrs. Epps was actually in tears as she said goodbye to Solomon. Subsequently, Solomon was produced before the Marksville court. All the evidence was presented to the judge and Epps had to grant Solomon's freedom. After Mr. Bass mailed the letters from Marksville, he effectively set off a chain of events narrated by Solomon. These events lasted nearly five months and ultimately led to Solomon's freedom. William Perry and Cephas Parker received the letter in early September. They immediately forwarded it to Anne Northup, Solomon Northup's wife. He then requested the assistance of Henry B. Northup. Being a lawyer and a respectable man, Henry Northup managed to gain support from the area where Solomon was born and, as suggested by New York law, was appointed agent by the governor of New York for the purpose of freeing Solomon. Henry then went to Washington. There he gained the support and sympathy of Louisiana's congressional senator, the secretary of war, and a Supreme Court justice. They produced open letters for Henry Northup with which Louisiana officials were required to help him. While searching for Solomon Northup in Marksville, Henry fortunately met Bass. Insisting that he came to free Solomon, Henry urged Bass to tell him that Solomon's position failed to do so as Solomon was known as Platt. Bass hesitated for a moment but eventually revealed that he was the one who wrote that letter and told Henry that Solomon belonged to Edwin Epps, thus allowing Solomon to be freed. Solomon and Henry B. Northup began their journey to New York almost immediately. First they went to Washington. Such was Solomon's grief instead of returning immediately to his wife and children; she sought revenge by taking legal action against her captor, Mr. Burch. This ultimately failed as Burch hired false witnesses and, being a black man, Solomon's testimony was ignored in court. However, Solomon left for New York after the lawsuit failed. The following narrative describes Solomon's sad reunion with his family, a scene which.