blog-3

• Does the film support James R. Bradley's contention, from the letter we read in class, that slaves desired freedom but kept it to themselves to avoid harsher treatment?

                James. R. Bradley's contention from the letter we've read in class, supported that slaves desire freedom, but they keep it to themselves to avoid harsher treatment from their owner/master. When he is first put in the room with black men, they were talking how they want to be free. Remember when Solomon was trying to fight for his right saying that he was a free man? He got beat up by those white men. All slaves desire freedom and if their masters know that their talking about being free, they will receive harsh treatment. An example is getting whip, beat up, hung on the tree etc.. So they must keep their mouth closed and keep it to themselves. Just like in James R. Bradley's letter to his friend where it mentions about slaves that desire freedom, but they can't do anything. One day Solomon got called from master Epps' wife to do her a favor and Solomon thought it was a chance he could escape. He ran to a jungle and seen 3 to 4 African American men that got hung by white men. Solomon got so scared when they called them and asked where he's going. Luckily, Solomon got permission from his master's  wife otherwise he will end up getting beat or even hung on the tree like those slaves. Lastly, when an African American woman name Sabbath Patsey went to get soap, Master Epps got so angry because he thought she ran away.  Patsey (A young African American ) told her master the reason she went there, but he didn't listen to her and whipped her until she bled. That was why they kept their desire of freedom to themselves because they want to avoid harsher treatment by their masters.

                                                  

 

Master Epps, a slave, and Solomon

                 

                      
      

after getting whipped

                                     

Solomon and men were talking

              


                                 
                                         

blog-2

• How does gender shape the experiences of the slaves in the film?

  

               In this film we see how it didn't matter who they were male or female, fat or skinny,  they still tended to do the same amount of work because they were slaves. Everybody had to pick at least more than 200 pounds of cotton. Their experiences are almost the same, but their individual internal conflicts are different from one another. Solomon was trying to find a way to be free. He got beaten up very often by his master Epps. Only Solomon actually fought for his rights, others just did whatever their masters told them to do. A young African American woman had to face with master Epps' wife. His wife was very jealous when she knew that her husband had feelings for her. This resulted in she being treated harshly by master Epps' wife. Also, the mother that got separated from her children had face lots of obstacles. She did not want to leave her children. When those white men  sold them into slavery she was pleased the master to buy her and the children. She cried and cried when her children had to get separated from her. Solomon told her to be strong and stop crying. The mother didn't care she said it if he were her, he would've cried, too because she loves her children so much. Genders shape the experiences of the slaves in the film. 



               

African American woman, master Epps and Solomon

Master Epps' wife and African American woman

blog-1

• How do changes in ownership affect working and living conditions?

    In the film " 12 Years a Slave " we see the way people lived which very difficult. Only black people got sold to become slaves. They were living in a nightmare for 12 years. The slaves got beaten up by their owner and were forced to do hard work. The changes in ownership have affected working and living conditions of a slavery because in the film, Solomon was treated a little bit differently than other slaves. First, once Solomon got sold he was trying to tell the white men that he was a free man. He got beaten up more than anybody else. Also when they gave him his new nickname (Platt), Solomon could not accept that he is going to be a slave. So he was pretending that was not him because he was stubborn which was why his living conditions contrasted from others. No one deserves to beaten up until they bleed. It was an unfortunate because they were slaves. Once he tried to get along with his owner or master, he didn't get beat up as often as before. Solomon knew that Mr. Ford was a kindhearted master. His master ( Mr. Ford ) was more easy going on Solomon and trusted him. This way Solomon could ask his master (Mr. Ford) to do him a favor which is to send a letter that says he wants his freedom back. However when he got sold again to different master (master. Epps) Solomon's life as a slave was totally different. He got heated up because he didn't not pick the cotton, over 200 pounds and almost died from the punishments. So in this film working and living conditions were affected by ownership. 
      


                                    

Mr. Ford and Solomon

Master Epps and Solomon