The movie paints william ford benedict cumberbatch as a hypocrite, contradicting his. The timeline below shows where the character william ford appears in 12 years a slave. He worked as a slave for 12 years before the government was able to locate and free him. He is the first of solomon northups two slave owners, and though he is kinder than the second owner edwin epps, he is nevertheless a coward who refuses to listen to solomon when the latter tries to convince him that he is in fact a free man and not a slave. I am currently reading twelve yea rs a slave by solomon northup. During his time as a slave, he keeps journals outlining everything he experienced, making the faithfulness to. The son of an emancipated slave, northup was born free. With his new master, platt goes to work on ford s bayou boeuf plantation, 27 miles away. The 12 years a slave quotes below are all either spoken by william ford or refer to william ford. The movie won the bafta award and the academy award for best picture as well as the golden globe award for best drama. According to northup, there never was a more kind, noble, candid, christian man than william ford. Twelve years a slave was recorded by david wilson, a white lawyer and legislator from new york who claimed to have presented a faithful history of solomon northups life, as i received it from his lips p.
William ford is a fictionalized version of the historical figure of the same name who appears in the 20 film 12 years a slave. The only thing that lets this film down is the rather odd beginning and the at times lessthanclear dialogue. Twelve years a slave study guide contains a biography of solomon northup, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Twelve years a slave is an 1853 memoir and slave narrative by american solomon northup as. The book, which is set to release as a feature film next month, is powerful. Twelve years a slave is an 1853 memoir and slave narrative by american solomon northup as told to and edited by david wilson. Its an autobiographical account of how solomon northup, a free black man in new york in 1841, was deceived, kidnapped, and sold into slavery in louisiana. He was my master, entitled by law to my flesh and blood. The scene ends with shots of solomon and the slaves doing manual labor while tibeats sings the song run nigger, run. He worked on plantations in the state of louisiana, where he remained for 12 years until he was released. 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. In 1984, pbs produced a television movie called solomon northups odyssey, and in 20, an oscarwinning film titled 12 years a slave was released. When they reach the ford plantation, they are greeted warmly and treated kindly by both william ford s wife and by his slaves. A farmer and a professional violinist, northup had been a landowner in hebron, new york.
The book twelve years a slave is wonderfully written and sadly hundreds of stories that are true and need to be written. You may copy it, give it away or reuse it under the terms of the project gutenberg license included with this ebook or online at. At first, northup found himself in the comparatively benign hands of william ford, a minister who never questioned the slave system he had. Twelve years a slave the original book from which the 20 movie 12 years. 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. Everyone matters or no one matters, adam carter declares during an episode of the bbc show, mi5, which i happened to rewatch in the midst of reading twelve years a slave.
This image, from northups book 12 years a slave, depicts the scene which took place on william fords plantation. I remember being struck by the line when i saw the episode the first time, but in the light of solomon northups real life struggles, its truth. Born free and illegally kidnapped, he spends 12 years in slavery before achieving his freedom. Theres no doubt that oscar nominations and possibly some wins lie ahead for director steven mcqueens acclaimed drama, 12 years a slave. The 12 years a slave book shows slavery as even more. Descendants defend 12 year s a sl ave plantation owner. In his book, the real solomon northup refers to eppss lewd intentions toward patsey.
Solomon northups book twelve years a slave covered the story of northup himself as he was kidnapped and forced into slavery. Yet if you think the movie offers a terribleenough portrait of slavery, please, do read the book. Solomon describes his legal relationship with tibeats. There were the highest expectations for the film 12 years a slave 20, the motion picture about the enslavement of africans in america by the black british visual artist and film director steve mcqueen.
More than once, he tried to kill solomon out of anger but was prevented each time. Solomon northup is the author of twelve years a slave. Northups book was published in 1853, less than a year after his liberation. Born a free man in new york in 1808, he is kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841. Solomon is fortunate to meet people like william ford, miss mary mccoy, and. Solomon northups 12 years a slave recounts the authors life story as a free black man from the north who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the precivil war south. Narrative of solomon northup, a citizen of newyork, kidnapped in washington city in 1841, and rescued in 1853, from a. Solomon northup, born july 10, 1807, schroon now minerva, new york, u. William ford character analysis in 12 years a slave. A new book, the last witness from a dirt road which takes place in 1946, was given to me after commenting about solomon northups narrative, and it could almost be a sequel to twelve years a slave, written a 100 years later by the son of an overseer on a plantation along the banks of bayou bouef in the same location in louisiana. Study 32 terms twelve years a slave flashcards quizlet.
Louisiana historian frank eakin said its entirely possible ford. Platt and eliza now named dradey are transported by their new owner, william ford, to his home in the great pine woods, on the banks. If you recall, during the earlier years of his captivity, solomon had a bad dose of near incurable optimism. Descendants defend 12 years a slave plantation owner. Chapin william fords white overseer on the bayou boeuf plantation. Director steve mcqueen and stars chiwetel ejiofor and benedict cumberbatch examine the character of william ford, the. In 12 years a slave, solomon northup asserts that god is a loving, caring god of all people, and that race plays no part in gods affections. Twelve years a slave has twice been adapted for film. Chiwetel ejiofor portrays solomon northup and brad pitt is a canadian carpenter who befriends northup.
As pictured in his 1853 memoir twelve years a slave. Read contents of twelve years a slave by solomon northup. In the precivil war united states, solomon northup chiwetel ejiofor, a free black man from. Solomon northups 12 years a slave recounts the authors life story as a free. The narrative twelve years a slave is a mesmerizing memoir of the life of solomon northup. I basically made it my passion to make this book into a film.
Twelve years a slave 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. He wants you dead, and he will attempt to have you so. A freeborn african american from new york, he was the son of a freed slave and a free woman of color. In one passage of 12 years, northrup wrote of ford, there never was a more kind, noble, candid, christian man than william ford. William ford character analysis in 12 years a slave litcharts. Introductory ancestry the northup family birth and parentage mintus north up marriage with anne hamp ton good resolutions champlain canal eafting ex cursion to canada farming the violin cooking removal to saratoga parker and.
That collective gasp you hear is the audience jolted by intolerable cruelty in 12 years a slave. William ford character timeline in 12 years a slave. In 1841, he was offered a traveling musicians job and went to washington. When they reach the ford plantation, they are greeted warmly and treated kindly by both william fords wife and by his slaves. John tibeats, however, could not have been more different. For twelve long years solomon was a slave, and then thankfully due to a canadian helping him his friends from new york were able to locate him. In 12 years a slave, solomon northup tells us that william ford was a kind master.
I believe tibeats is skulkin about the premises somewhere. After four days, william ford accompanies platt back to tibeats and the plantation in bayou boeuf. He is sold to william ford, a kindly minister with a small plantation in the great pine. Northup is purchased by a baptist preacher named william ford, and is put to work. Twelve years a slave why does northup call ford a good.
Apart from that, it is a very good film, but be prepared to be shocked by some of the violence. Described as a quicktempered, spiteful man, tibeats was northups archenemy. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one. He would become less optimistic about the whole of the institution of slavery. In 1999, a historical marker was installed in saratoga springs to commemorate northups life. Northup found himself in the comparatively benign hands of william ford, a minister who never questioned the slave system he. There, ford lectures tibeats on the proper treatment of slaves, urging him to treat platt humanely.
Bad luck comes to the ford estate, and as a result of financial missteps, william ford is forced to sell platt to his carpenter, john m. Masters such as william ford and edwin epps, although very different characters. Birch spelled burch in the book and movie that he was a free man. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance. Northups first owner was william prince ford, who ran a lumber mill on a bayou of the red river. Shortly after his kidnapping, solomon did try to tell the slave dealer james h. After about two years of enslavement, northup was sold to edwin epps, a notoriously cruel cotton planter. Epps is married to mistress epps, and the two have at least two children, although only one, young master read full character analysis bass is a kindhearted white carpenter from canada who works on a construction project for edwin epps. Solomon northup born july 10, 1807 or 1808 was an american abolitionist and the primary author of the memoir twelve years a slave. Northup, a black man who was born free in new york state, details his being tricked to go to washington, d. This post was corrected to suggest a scene from the movie 12 years a slave was drawn from the book. Eventually, he sold solomon to the cruel cotton planter, edwin epps.
At william ford s plantation, platt is given shelter and treated with kindness, which he tries to repay by working in ford s wifes garden. Northups book was published in 1853, less than a year after his. Twelve years a slave, slated for a fall release, is director steve mcqueens adaptation of the 1853 autobiography of solomon northup, an africanamerican who was born a. In 1842, he took possession of solomon northup as payment of a debt by william ford. Epps is solomon s third and most inhumane master, whom solomon serves for ten years. Solomon is chopping trees for timber with other slaves. Narrative of solomon northup, a citizen of newyork. Ford is solomons first master, as well as solomons only kind and compassionate master. Narrative of solomon northup, a citizen of new york, kidnapped in washington city in 1841, and rescued. In spite of kindness of master named william ford towards children and the woman, a slave trader named theophilus freeman purposely separated the mother from her children, covering the trading warehouse of slavery with bitterly crying for. Because of this, northup frequently turns to his christian faith as a source of strength or comfort in the midst of his suffering. Twelve years a slave by solomon northup free ebook. Born in july 1808, he was the son of an emancipated slave.