Setting

The setting of the film 12 Years a Slave directed by Steve McQueen takes place in the US, beginning in 1841, when Solomon is kidnapped and sold into slavery, and ending in 1853, when Solomon regains his freedom. The action, therefore, spans twelve years, which can be noted from the title.

The historical context is important for the plot. The action takes place during a time when slavery was legal in the South of the US, although the northern states had abolished it. The contrast between life in the North, where black people can be free and the plantations in the South, where they are enslaved and treated cruelly is seen through Solomon’s eyes as he experiences the realities of slavery first-hand.

The plot is told through various time jumps. I...