Name______

12 Years A Slave Viewing Guide

As you view the film, please write responses to prompts and keep a double-entry journal. Some time will be provided during the film, while some notes should be recorded as the film continues.

This is a serious and mature film. If you have objections to viewing it, please voice these to me and you have the option of not viewing the film and completing a different assignment instead.

That said, the value of the film to our Social Justice course is obvious: How do we avoid repeating historical injustices, and how do individuals actions contribute to ending injustice? This is one such true story.

1) Describe the motives for the men who sell Solomon into slavery. How is it even possible to sell a free citizen? How do they convince Solomon to come with them?

2) What experiences discourage Solomon from repeated attempts to explain his situation, and to try escaping slavery?

3) Describe the variety in treatment that Solomon and other slaves receive from different masters, and note what details are most surprising to you.

4) Describe some aspects of slave culture that you find interesting or surprising (religion, relationships, behavior, dress, labor, etc.)

5) Describe your reaction to the end of the film. What feelings are you left with? How else could the film have ended? Why would the director choose to close the film as he did?

Going Further

1. The director Steve McQueen provides commentary on a clip from his film “12 Years a Slave” in “The Anatomy of a Scene.” Watch the clip, then discuss the following questions:

  • What happens in this scene?
  • What does this short scene show about the relationship between slave and slave master?
  • Why does Mr. McQueen choose to portray the scene in this way?

2. Watch the full movie “12 Years a Slave,” then read ManohlaDargis’s film review. Iidentify three or more assertions that Ms. Dargis makes about the film, and decide whether you agree with her points or not.

3. ManohlaDargis opens her film review with the following statement:

“12 Years a Slave” isn’t the first movie about slavery in the United States — but it may be the one that finally makes it impossible for American cinema to continue to sell the ugly lies it’s been hawking for more than a century.

  • What movies have you seen about slavery? For example, have you ever watched “Gone With the Wind”? What “lies” is Ms. Dargis referring to?

4. Read this Jan. 20, 1853, Times article detailing the kidnapping and rescue of Solomon Northup (misspelled “Northrop” in the article). What does this newspaper story add to our understanding of Mr. Northup’s case?