2 Years A Slave is a memoir written by Solomon Northup in 1853. Solomon Northup was a free black man living in Saratoga County, New York. His father was a slave who was later freed.
This memoir is available in many formats, including e-book and paperback ranging from 240 to 300 pages. The memoir has also been adapted into a famous movie made in 2013 with the same name. The film won 3 Academy Awards in 2014.
This book is weaved around the year 1841. Solomon Northup lived a good life and had a prosperous family. In 1841, he was deceived by two white men who kidnapped and drugged him.
Opening his eyes, he saw himself in handcuffs and in a small cell. He knew that he was enslaved. The two men sold him and warned him not to talk about his past as a free man.
Solomon kept that secret for almost a decade. He made many friends and saw many enslaved families separated. He witnessed the extent of cruelty towards enslaved people. Some of his masters were kind to him. Yet some were absolute slave-blood-thirsty savages.
Interestingly, his father was enslaved, and he sheltered Solomon from the shady life of slavery. Even though it was unlikely for Solomon or his family to be enslaved, destiny had other plans. But how did he escape and become free again? Read the book to find out.
This memoir appears very plodding and monotone. It was written by Solomon shortly after he was freed. But there is no emotion in the narrative.
The memoir has captured the first-hand record of an enslaved person but fails to portray the sentiments of an enslaved person, which is ironic because a slave is the author of this book.
It seems selfish of Solomon Northup to free himself and forget about all those people and friends he mentioned in the book.
He just moves on without thinking about them. Also, the memoir gets a bit boring after some time because it sounds too technical to leave a long impression on a common reader.
This book becomes quite bland in many places. It seems less like a memoir and more like a statement one would give in a court of law.
Howbeit, I must say the movie 12 Years A Slave has done a great job capturing emotions and leaving a strong effect on the audience.
The movie has filled the emotional gap that the book left for years to come. And frankly, I think the movie has been able to keep the story alive after 160 years of the memoir’s original release.
The book is good in one way because it is a first-hand account of a slave. I think no one can describe slavery better than a slave. Apart from the news and documentaries, this book is from a straightforward source. And I believe this is the distinctive feature of the book.
We know slaves were illiterate, and their offspring were put on plantation farms and not in schools. Hence, they were largely ignored and could never go to a court of law and venture into any legal procedures. But Solomon Northup was a literate free man whose parents were also free. He wrote a book and challenged his enslavers in court. That is what separates him from other famous formerly enslaved people.
Moreover, this book depicts the hardships and problems faced by a slave in day-to-day life.
A particularly staggering instance is when Solomon starts beating one of his masters and getting away with it. It felt like Solomon became a volcano waiting to spew out immense feelings while having no control over his actions—just a pure outburst.
Imagine what his master would be thinking when his slave was beating him! Solomon writes, “They are deceived who imagine that he [the slave] arises from his knees, with back lacerated and bleeding, cherishing only a spirit of meekness and forgiveness. A day may come—it will come, if his prayer is heard—a terrible day of vengeance, when the master in his turn will cry in vain for mercy.” (Chapter 17).
12 Years a Slave is an absolute no-brainer for someone interested in Black History. This powerful memoir provides a vital perspective on the brutality of slavery and the resilience of the human spirit. And you would love this book if you want a break from everyday literature.
This book is a solid 4/5. Nice read.
(Student of DPS Srinagar, Abdullah is the author of “No Place For Good” and a Fellow Young Leaders for Active Citizenship (YLAC). Besides being shortlisted for UNESCO International Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads Photo Contest, he also got an opportunity to recite his poem at Pulitzer’s Fighting Words open mic.)
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author.
The facts, analysis, assumptions and perspective appearing in the article do not reflect the views of GK.