Structure

The film 12 Years a Slave directed by Steve McQueen follows a mostly chronological plot structure. The action of the film takes place over the course of twelve years, starting right before Solomon’s captivity and ending when he is reunited with his family.

The film can be said to be divided into three acts, each representing a major stage in Solomon’s journey. Act 1 begins with Solomon as a free and respected black man in Saratoga and ends when he is sold to William Ford. Act 2 presents Solomon’s life as a slave as he works first on Ford’s plantation and then is sold to Epps after his conflict with Tibeats reaches a high point. Act 3 starts when Epps sends Solomon to judge Turner, ending when he is finally freed and reunited with his family.

The film also shows a pre-title sequence. Text on a dark screen lets the viewers know that the events are based on a true story (00:01:01). Then, we have a flashforward that presents a sequence of events from Solomon’s life as a slave. Most notably, we see him realizing that he can use blackberry juice to write. The flashforward will later be reintroduced in the context of the story in Act 3, during the years Solomon is working for Judge Turner. The flashforward of Solomon writing bef...