Narrative of solomon northup, citizen of newyork, kidnapped in washington city in 1841, and rescued in 1853, from a cotton plantation near the red river in louisiana, is a memoir by solomon northup as told to and edited by david wilson. Whatever audiences and oscars voters take away from it, the movie dream, or nightmare, thats 12 years a slave is complex, powerful, and dark, and deserves to be seen. Narrative of solomon northup, a citizen of newyork, kidnapped in washington city in 1841, and rescued in 1853, from a cotton plantation near the red river in louisiana. Did black audiences prefer to see light films rather than deep history. Literary analysis of solomon northups twelve years a slave. What was the target audience intended for the movie 12 years a slave. A testimony of personal strength and a telling portrait of american slavery in the precivil war south.
What was the target audience intended for the movie 12. Jan 01, 2014 12 years a slave is a remarkable and emotive biographical account that begins in the year 1841, when solomon northup, a black africanamerican freeman of the state of new york, is forcibly taken into slavery and transported to the cotton fields and sugar plantations of louisiana. True story behind brutal film that has shocked cinemagoers the film is based on a book written by solomon northup which describes. I could not believe that i had never heard of this book. In defense of the brad pitt 12 years a slave posters. Film 12 years a slave years a slave is the true account of solomon northrups life. Northup, a black man who was born free in new york state, details his being tricked to go to washington, d. After 12 days of wide release, david o russells latest has. Solomon northup was a free black resident of new york state who was drugged on a trip to washington, d. I hope my film can play a part in drawing attention to this important book of courage.
Since winning the peoples choice award at the toronto international film festival, the positive response to the film has since been met with criticism and dissatisfaction. Firth and nicole kidman have proved much more enticing to the target audience. Editions of twelve years a slave by solomon northup. What was the target audience intended for the movie 12 years. It turns out that kids are a trickier group of people to establish target audiences with because they require additional specificity. Additionally, the accuracy of and factual detail in 12 years a slave have kept this book prominent as a reliable historical reference on slavery for more than 150 years since it first debuted. After being held for twelve years on a series of louisiana plantations, he is eventually freed and reunited with his family. You know, the reader who buys every single one of your books. The book was published in 1853 and according to documenting the american south, the book sold over thirty thousand copies. After his marriage to phebe, buford agrees to buy wiley. Apr 30, 2019 solomon northup was a free black resident of new york state who was drugged on a trip to washington, d. He was born on the estate of william tassle and worked for tassle for many years as a ferryman over the big black river in south carolina. He was in bondage for 12 years in louisiana before he was able to secretly get information to. Are there secret book clubs, films, tv commercials and educational curricula.
Its the story of solomon northup, a free black man from upstate new york. In many cases, this category best answers the question, what are you in the mood for. The item 12 years a slave, solomon northup represents a specific, individual, material embodiment of a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in indiana state library. The film 12 years a slave is an adaptation of northups 1853 memoir.
Sep 08, 2015 it seems safe to say the movie was made for a general audience. Tone tone is the feeling that a book evokes in the reader. Determine what audience you think northup was primarily trying to influence and analyze the arguments that he made towards that group. Jan 14, 2014 the arrival of 12 years a slave pushes american hustle down to second place, but with a decline from the previous weekend of just 18%. Google digitizing the worlds books seems like an excellent idea, but if the results are as poor as this, the project is pointless. The new york times 1853 coverage of solomon northup, the. What really became of solomon northup after his 12 years a slave. With the growth of cotton production, the slave population nearly doubled. Twelve years a slave is the story of solomon northup, an african american who was born free in new york in the early 1800s.
Chiwetel ejiofors northup was right on targetejiofors extreme close ups. The film is based on the memoir written by solomon northup, which reveals what happened after solomon played by chiwetel ejiofor a free black man living in new york in precivil war america was kidnapped and sold into slavery, before he was able to. He lived, worked, and married in upstate new york, where his family resided. How to find your books target audience and your author. Mar 07, 2014 haas brought young sue to the library on the second floor my mom was a bigtime bookworm, frank says, where he handed her a dusty copy of twelve years a slave, first published in 1853. Jan 10, 2014 as steve mcqueens oscar favourite 12 years a slave opens at cinemas, sarah churchwell returns to the 1853 memoir that inspired it one of many narratives that exposed the brutal truth about. Here are a handful of additional examples, comparingcontrasting scenes from 12 years a slave the movie vs. Dec 23, 20 12 years a slave was actually a famous book, a memoir published in 1853.
The reader who signs up to your newsletter, pays attention to every word you write, and who knows your. Revolution to the civil war 17831861 african americans biography. And thats when i made it my passion to make this book into a film. Solomon northups twelve years a slave is intended to. When solomon northup, born a free black man in saratoga, new york, was offered a shortterm job with a circus in washington, d. The historian who unearthed twelve years a slave the new. Facebook is showing information to help you better understand the purpose of a page. Just think back to the time that you were two or three. The third phase is represented by his low rank, as a slave. Black free men became a prime target, because they were simply assumed to have. Label 12 years a slave, solomon northup instantiates. This item is available to borrow from 1 library branch. I meant to write this blog post several months ago when i saw the movie 12 years a slave, but my trip to ethiopia in december and the stress of the new semester in january kept me so occupied that i never got around to it.
In the precivil war united states, solomon northup chiwetel ejiofor, a free black man from upstate new york, is abducted and sold into slavery. Whether or not audiences relate with one hero in slavery versus the. May 08, 20 solomon northups twelve years a slave is on the onehand a personal story about one mans encounter with slavery and his return to freedom, but it is also an explicitly political document, intended to persuade an audience towards a particular point of view. Theres no doubt that oscar nominations and possibly some wins lie ahead for director steven mcqueens acclaimed drama, 12 years a slave. Spoilers given the graphic violence and the rape scenes, and the extended hanging scene, i assume some parents would want to keep younger kids away from the movie, but theres also. This past weekend the film 12 years a slave, based on the 1853 slave narrative of the same name, opened in theaters, and so we chose to pair an excerpt from the original text by solomon northup with a recent times article that discusses mr. Twelve years a slave is a slave narrative as told to the editor david wilson, by solomon northrup, a free black man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841. Thats a simple way to waste your book marketing efforts. Solomon northups twelve years a slave is on the onehand a personal story about one mans encounter with slavery and his return to freedom, but it is also an explicitly political document, intended to persuade an audience towards a particular point of view. That collective gasp you hear is the audience jolted by intolerable cruelty in 12 years a slave. Dec 31, 20 but the posters were technically intended to get italian audiences to buy tickets to 12 years a slave, a film that should be seen by every single human being over the age of 10. As steve mcqueens oscar favourite 12 years a slave opens at cinemas, sarah churchwell returns to the 1853 memoir that inspired it one of many narratives that exposed the brutal truth about. Twelve years a slave by solomon northup free ebook.
A free africanamerican living in saratoga springs, new york, with his wife and two children, solomon was kidnapped and sold into slavery as an escaped slave named platt. What was the target audience intended for the movie 12 years a. Oct 24, 20 the film 12 years a slave is an adaptation of northups 1853 memoir. The historian who unearthed twelve years a slave the.
The 12 years a slave book shows slavery as even more. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. As an author, the secret to finding your target audience is not to list everyone who might be interested in your book. The book is detailed in its account of life on a cotton and sugar plantation and the daily routine. Im going to focus on what i didnt like about the movie so it may seem like im ignoring its obvious merits. Twelve years a slave is a captivating narrative of the life of freedom and slavery experienced by one african american man prior to the american civil war. American hustle and 12 years a slave wrestle for oscars. Nov 18, 20 12 years a slave has only been in theaters a couple weeks, but critics who applaud or shun the film are both left with a common reaction when the credits rolledstunned. The intended audience for the slave narrative was, undoubtedly. Historian says 12 years is a story the nation must. Librivox recording of twelve years a slave, by solomon northup. When i first thought of writing about the film twelve years a slave, my primary angle. It seems safe to say the movie was made for a general audience.
Like sailor twain is a book for adults and nothing can possibly go wrong is a book for teens, giants beware. It felt as important as anne franks diary, only published nearly a hundred years before. Bobbitt shared similar thoughts about the take during which the slave patsey lupita nyongo is whipped. Steve mcqueen, director of 12 years a slave, from the foreword. Haas brought young sue to the library on the second floor my mom was a bigtime bookworm, frank says, where he handed her a dusty copy of twelve years a.
See actions taken by the people who manage and post content. The online edition has duplicate pages and is missing several pages e. Twelve years a slave is the memoir of a freeborn african american from new york who is kidnapped and sold into slavery. The former slaves who wrote the narratives wanted to dispel false ideas, such as the idea that blacks were well treated, well fed, and content to be. The item 12 years a slave, solomon northup represents a specific, individual. Text to text twelve years a slave, and an escape that.
The second period of 12 years, told in chapters iiivi reveals how northup was a captive, finding himself a prisoner in the slave pen of james h. Northup was put to work on plantations in the state of louisiana for 12 years before being released. Beaten and chained, he was transported by ship to a new orleans slave market and suffered more than a decade of servitude on louisiana plantations. The arrival of 12 years a slave pushes american hustle down to second place, but with a decline from the previous weekend of just 18%. Northups narrative in the context of the antislavery literary genre. In 1841, solomon northup was captured and forced into slavery for a period of 12 years. Twelve years a slave is an 1853 memoir and slave narrative by american solomon northup as told to and edited by david wilson. Let me first say i think 12 years a slave is something america needs to see. Jul 11, 2017 that collective gasp you hear is the audience jolted by intolerable cruelty in 12 years a slave. But the posters were technically intended to get italian audiences to buy tickets to 12 years a slave, a film that should be seen by every single human being over the age of.