Message

The film 12 Years a Slave directed by Steve McQueen is based on a true story about Solomon Northup, a freeborn black man who is kidnapped and sold into slavery in the Deep South. The film could be said to have several important messages.

First, the film raises awareness of the realities of the enslavement of black people at the time. The viewers are offered a brutal and clear picture of slavery and how it affected people. Through Solomon’s story, the audience can see how life could be uncertain for black Americans at the time, as even someone who was born free, like Solomon, was in danger. Solomon is kidnapped and sold into slavery and although many people suspect this, no one is willing to help him. The film also shows how slave-owners abus...