US HISTORY – Writing about 12 Years a Slave

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US HISTORY – Writing about 12 Years a Slave

Some people might be skeptical of the idea that students can learn about history from a film. They might argue that the format of a film (2 hours) and the realities of the film industry (A movie has to be entertaining enough that people will pay to see it) will inevitably distort historical facts and conditions. Evaluate the validity of that point of view, using your own experience watching 12 Years a Slave.  To what extent is it possible to learn about history from watching a movie?

 12 Years a Slave (Movie Poster)
On your blog, write a response to the prompt above.  It should take the form of an essay.  It should include both research and your own opinion and reflection.  Meeting the additional requirements described below will require that you find at least two outside sources, including a film review and an article that includes an interview with someone associated with the movie.  At the conclusion of your essay, provide hyperlinks to your sources.

Essay:
To what extent is it possible to learn about history from watching a movie?

 To my extent, movies are a very capable and potentially an even better source to learn history. Learning from actors and well crafted scenes are much more memorable and great for historical knowledge to be shared on a more global scale. If the movie is created with all accurate historical intent and realistic envisions of the era and life its portraying, the movie is very learnable. Looking in-depth into 12 Year's a Slave, it shows the audience the brutally honest depiction and true story of Solomon Northup. As a movie, one really sees both literally and figuratively, in this, one might learn even more than by reading the scenes.

 In the New York Times Review of 12 years a slave, Dargis explains what and why one should admire the "clear-eyed, unsentimental quality of its images". This is said about a movie where trees are covered in beautiful moss against the rising sun with hanging black bodies. The performance given by Chiwentel Ejiofor as Solomon Northup gives the audience something to hold on to during his pivotal scenes showing an accurate portrayal of what agony slaves alike Solomon went through, truly leaving the audience a much deeper realization of this import lesson of history.

    From reading the novel 12 years a Slave, I have learned about the life of Solomon Northup before he was stolen and forced into slavery, his life as a free man for a little over 30 years. Solomon was born on 1808 in New York. Solomon speaks of his father and his journey in becoming a free man. He speaks of his wife and children and the endless love he shares for them. He worked several different jobs, drove as a hack and played his violin in the winter for money. The better side of learning history from books includes more in depth looks in to people's lives and a less driven and more realistic narrative. "I can speak of Slavery only so far as it came under my own observation—only so far as I have known and experienced it in my own person. My object is, to give a candid and truthful statement of facts: to repeat the story of my life, without exaggeration, leaving it for others to determine, whether even the pages of fiction present a picture of more cruel wrong or a severer bondage.", this quote from Solomon's own 12 year's a slave show why and how books (personal narratives) show less as movies can show a more complete or filling version of the events involved.

     In conclusion, with both pros and cons of both learning history from film or text, learning from films is still a very viable version to learn history from. Micheal Fassbender claimed as speaking upon his own character Epps "I wanted the audience to catch glimpses of themselves in Epps, even for a millisecond, and not have the luxury of keeping themselves at an arm’s distance from him.". This helps the audience really understand and appreciate what they have.


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