A Historical Criticism of Mga Ibong Mandaragit

Janice T. Ocol

Historical context refers to the social, economic, political, and religious events that influenced
the writing of a text. Knowing the historical context of a text can help the reader better
understand the overall meaning of the text and its details.

Mga Ibong Mandaragit (Birds of Prey) was written by Filipino writer and social activist, Amado V.
Hernandez. It was written between 1951-1956 while the author was imprisoned for crimes of
rebellion. It took thirteen years before he was acquitted of all charges in 1964 by the Supreme
Court of the Philippines. He declared in the preface to Mga Ibong Mandaragit, "My involvement
in the labor movement and in politics was a direct fulfillment of my principles and beliefs. Mga
Ibong Mandaragit published in 1969.

This novel symbolizes the discrimination of the people in society and the atrocities committed
against the Filipinos of those times. The problems of society are discussed in this novel, such as
social-political issues, discrimination, and the status of rich and poor people in society. These
events took place at a time when the Japanese occupation was about to end during the Second
World War. As we go back in history, we really see what the novel is about and its importance.
How does it help to change the bad system before? What is the writer’s life connected to his
works? Through this novel, they show us the experiences of our Filipino ancestors during that
time period, when we see in the novel of Mga Ibong Mandaragit how the characters reflect the
lives of Filipinos through discrimination, suffering, corruption, poverty, etc. Today's Filipinos are
fully aware of the persecution experienced by the Philippines throughout its history at the hands
of other countries. As a result, some Filipinos learned to use their intelligence as a weapon
through writing to speak out against the ruthless exploitation of other countries by us. They can
reveal the events through their writing to show the harsh reality of their life in society.

This novel deals with the social and political situation of a country. The story of the novel is
presented based on the sequence of events in the life and journey of Mando and other
characters It can be noticed that the author's writing style is deliberately compared to that of
Rizal to convince the readers that this is the next chapter of the novels of the national hero. The
events are presented one after the other based on the course of Mando's experiences. The
summary of the novel did not fail to highlight courageousness of Mando Plaridel to stand with
the truth and emphasize his aspirations for significant changes that would elevate Philippine’s
society in regards to concerns about the Philippine Revolution and neocolonialism.

This novel is based on the true life and experience of our Filipino ancestors. It contains the fact
that many Filipinos suffered during that period and needed to change the corrupt system in
order to achieve justice, freedom, and the unjust oppression of people in society. Many Filipinos
experienced cruelty during the time of the Japanese. If we look back at our history during the
Japanese occupation, many Filipinos became slaves and were not treated well. This novel
describes the life of every Filipino who is faced with many problems in society, which also
becomes the way to unite, to be heroes for the sake of the people, and for the good of many
Filipinos. The group was formed with the purpose of serving the people, to which they dedicated
themselves so that they could achieve peace like the main character in the novel. Because of
these problems, we can see in the context the struggle of said characters like Mando and his
companions to uphold the dignity of the oppressed and end the problems facing our people.
Furthermore, the truth prevailed when Mando discovered that Don Segundo Montero, a greedy
businesswoman, and former boss, was a he was eventually arrested and sentenced to prison.
As a result, it suggests that if everyone makes an effort to fight for justice, the day will come
when the truth will prevail. On the other hand, Mando grabbed the chance to use the treasure
they had found to grasp education in other countries, showing us that we should not waste our
privileges. He experienced rampant racial discrimination while traveling, showing that a society
can still face societal problems despite how developed it is. If we look back at the periods of
history where many Filipinos have sacrificed their lives, especially those who are recognized as
heroes today, they sacrificed their lives for the sake of the many and with love for the country
where they are born. It has become a force to achieve peace, justice and order. This also
became the way for other Filipinos to become aware of the reality they are experiencing.
Because of this, many Filipinos have the courage to fight and have the courage to defend their
rights due to various problems and rampant corruption. Like Mando, we should be open to
reality and fight for our rights so that no matter our status in society, we should be treated
equally in society.

In this novel, the role of the author is very important because, through his novel, many were
inspired and became aware of what happened at that time. And most of all, it is easy to
understand by the readers because it is based on what he saw and observed and experienced
in those times when he wrote it to change the rotten system of the past and not to experience it
in the present time. Through the historical approach, which gave way to connecting or
examining the Philippines’s past, but its message resonates with the real and present struggles
in societies around the world to have a better understanding of the important historical parts of
this novel where important events in history are shown, such as the status of politics, society,
culture, and behavior, and gives a link to the real life of the author and his written novel. The
author gave voices to the oppressed peasants and laborers, rendering them powerful verses
and plots that should have gone down as a compelling chronicle of the struggle of a people, but
still prove to be an influential instrument in constituting reform and empowerment. His
experiences as a guerilla, labor leader, and political detainee were shaped into the novels Mga
Ibong Mandaragit (Birds of Prey).

.
 A Biographical Criticism of I’m Nobody! Who are you?

Janice T. Ocol

Biographical approach is a comprehensive database of biographical information on people from

throughout history, around the world,and across the disciplines and subject areas. Biographical
context, which is formed by the beliefs, education, culture, and experiences of the author. Also,it
is a form of literary criticism which analyzes a writer's biography to show the relationship
between the author's life and their works of literature.

Let’s have brief summary of Emily Dickinson’s biography.Emily Elizabeth Dickinson was born
on December 10, 1830, Amherst, Massachusetts, U.S. She died on May 15, 1886, Amherst,
American lyric poet who lived in seclusion and commanded a singular brilliance of style
and integrity of vision. With Walt Whitman, Dickinson is widely considered to be one of the two
leading 19th-century American poets.

Only 10 of Emily Dickinson’s nearly 1,800 poems are known to have been published in her
lifetime. Devoted to private pursuits, she sent hundreds of poems to friends and correspondents
while apparently keeping the greater number to herself. She habitually worked in verse forms
suggestive of hymns and ballads, with lines of three or four stresses. Her unusual off-rhymes
have been seen as both experimental and influenced by the 18th-century hymnist Isaac
Watts. She freely ignored the usual rules of versification and even of grammar, and in
the intellectual content of her work she likewise proved exceptionally bold and original. Her
verse is distinguished by its epigrammatic compression, haunting personal
voice, enigmatic brilliance, and lack of high polish.

I’m Nobody! Who are you? The author's feelings are expressed through this poem, which also
displays her dislike of publicity and preference for privacy. Dickinson had a strong conviction
that one's opinions should either be kept to oneself or privately shared—never sold. These
concepts are evident in "I'm Nobody! Who are you? in addition. But this poem also portrays
another side of Dickinson—the part that yearns for company.

Dickinson detested the concept of fame, yet she would still have needed friendship because she
was still a human. The speaker of this poem appears to be expressing Dickinson's thoughts
about seeking friendship in another person. The only reason the speaker is delighted to meet
someone is because she thinks that person is "Nobody" exactly like her. This indicates
Dickinson's wish to be with someone who avoided the spotlight and held the same values she
did about the value of seclusion.

Dickinson didn't seem to have many confidantes or friends because she led a very solitary life.
Instead, she composed a large number of poems that would not be released until after her
passing. However, this poem makes clear Dickinson's desire to interact with others without
being compelled to remain in the public eye.

I’m Nobody! Who are you?

Are you – Nobody – too?
Then there’s a pair of us!
Don’t tell! they’d advertise – you know!

In the first phrase of "I'm Nobody! So who are you? The speaker declares that she is "Nobody"
in response. The exclamation point indicates that the speaker is genuinely delighted to be
nothing. Ironically, the majority of people want to be recognized as someone. The reader
therefore finds it a little strange that the speaker uses an exclamatory tone when stating that she
is nobody. She seems a little thrilled to be "Nobody."The speaker is meeting someone else, as
the second part of the first line indicates. She identifies herself as "nobody" and asks the other
person, "Who are you? ”. Following that, in line two, the speaker asks, "Are you- Nobody- too?
The speaker seems to be hoping to have encountered another "nobody" in this statement. She
declares, "Then there's a pair of us!" on line three. ”. Having encountered another individual who
declares to be nobody, she is obviously delighted. The speaker then admonishes her hearer not
to tell anyone about the two of them each being “nobody”, exclaiming, “They’d advertise- you
know!”. This reveals that the speaker was clearly afraid of being found out. She enjoyed having
no fame and no recognition, and she feared that if someone found out that she loved being
“nobody” they would advertise her and make into into “somebody” and she dreaded that.

How dreary – to be – Somebody!

How public – like a Frog –  
To tell one’s name – the livelong June –  
To an admiring Bog!
In this stanza, contains the speaker's explicit justification for not wanting to be anyone in
particular. She claims that being someone would be "dreary." She would much rather be left
alone. She dread becoming well-known and compares being well-known to being a "frog." The
speaker's comparison of a public figure to a frog appears strange. Perhaps this is a result of
frogs' open lifestyles, which include lazing around on lily pads in ponds. Perhaps this is due to
the fact that frogs can be noisy and will croak to draw attention to themselves. The speaker
holds the opinion that living in secrecy and silence is preferable to living in the open, speaking
aloud, and attracting attention. Thus, she likens frogs to individuals who reside in the spotlight
or, more accurately, who are “ someone”.

The last two lines of I’m Nobody! Who are you? Show how the speaker finds the idea of living
her in order to brag about herself “to an admiring bog” repugnant. A fog might reside in a “bog”
which is a place like that. This shed more light on the speaker’s analogy between a frog and a
prominent figure. Even though the frog regularly croaks, only the bog is informed of its
existence. The fact that it croaks about of its own existence seems to go unnoticed and uncared
about. The speaker does not want to be recognized or publicized for this reason. She believes it
would be as though she were telling of herself to a “bog”. She would feel as stupid as a croaking
frog because nobody would be there to notice or pay attention to her.

Emily Dickinson was most famous, ironically, for not being famous during her lifetime. Although
a few of her poems were published during her lifetime, they were sent to publishers by other
people, and Dickinson clearly did not appreciate her poetry being made a public spectacle. Most
of her poems were not published until after her death. Her intense desire to go unnoticed makes
her current fame all the more ironic. Dickinson has been described as being “somewhat agitated
and intense” (Pettinger).

A friend and correspondent of Dickinson’s described her, saying to his wife, “I was never with
anyone who drained my nerve power so much” (Pettinger). This demeanor is likely what caused
her to be afraid of social gatherings. Dickinson was not always secluded, but the older she got,
the more she refrained from the public eye. Dickinson did attend college, but after returning
home, she seldom went out and was rarely seen.

This was the time period in which she wrote most of her poems. Although she secluded herself
from the public eye, Dickinson still maintained contact with a few important people. This is likely
the foundation of ‘I’m Nobody! Who are you?’. Dickinson was thrilled at the idea of having found
a companion who was not in the public eye. Those whom Dickinson corresponded with were
people whom she trusted not to thrust her into the public eye.
Using the biographical approach is an effective way to analyze the poem "I'm Nobody! Who are
you?" by Emily Dickinson, wherein she clearly explains her life as a "nobody" individual. The
message of the poem is connected to her life. That shows the beliefs and emotions of the
author. The biographical approach helps to reveal the life of the author in her poem, being
"nobody." That fully understands the connection between the poem and Dickinson’s life.
 A Feminist Criticism Of The Story of an Hour

Janice T. Ocol

feminism is the belief in full social, economic, and political equality for women. Feminism argues
that women should enjoy the same rights as men. Also, it examining how the gender roles of a
work of literature reflect or subvert “traditional” gender roles.

"The Story of an Hour" is a short story written by Kate Chopin on April 19, 1894. It was originally
published in Vogue on December 6, 1894, as "The Dream of an Hour". It was later reprinted in
St. Louis Life on January 5, 1895, as "The Story of an Hour".

A feminist short tale like Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" aims to reflect the unspoken
emotions of all women in a marriage where men are the majority. When reading the story from a
feminist perspective, it becomes clear that the protagonist after her husband's passing
experienced some new feelings and views about her life. The narrative depicts a typical
nineteenth-century family with a working husband and a stay-at-home wife. In actuality, these
families are also present in contemporary societies. Many women now choose to raise their
children at home while their husbands go to work and make money.One of these housewives
who had little prospect of leading a free life was the protagonist of the story. The repression of
women in the home and society is a key theme in a feminist reading of the tale. Even if a wife
received good treatment from her husband, she might not feel free in their union and could not
exercise her unique judgment. As a result, while considering the narrative from a feminist
perspective, it is possible to claim that the tragedy of female oppression and discrimination
serves as the narration's main topic.

At the time the story was written, the Mallard family belonged to the working class. While Mrs.
Mallard cares for the family while she is not working, her husband, Brently Mallard, works to
support it. When you examine the story closely, it becomes evident that Mrs. Mallard is
subjected to persecution by both her husband and society. The protagonist of the tale is Mrs.
Mallard. Mrs. Mallard's only known identity, as in all male-dominated society, is that of her
husband. This implies that, in the absence of her husband, she lacks an identity.Chopin
demonstrates how Kate has been mistreated from the start. Her husband's first name is
revealed early in the novel, but Mrs. Mallard's is revealed much later. Mrs. Mallard views
marriage as an oppressive force. Louise has had some degree of repression, according to
Wang, who claims that "that is what she deep in her deep mind in the story." Louise's comment
about her mental activity (Wang 115). This demonstrates how marriage restricts women's
freedom and causes them to feel oppressed. Mrs. Mallard is depicted as a woman who was
unique compared to other traditional women in her era. For instance, her sister Josephine
belonged to the category of women who were fully dependant on their husbands and did not live
for themselves.Josephine was unable to fathom Louise being happy about her husband's
passing as a result. Conversely, Louise was “was drinking a very elixir of life through that open
window” and daydreaming about her exciting existence (Chopin). The following explains Mrs.
Mallard's reaction to learning of her husband's passing. Because she lived in a patriarchal
society, her rights were disregarded and her voice had little influence. Additionally, patriarchal
politics were designed to disadvantage women while favoring men. The supporters of the
Feminist theory would interpret this situation referring to the whole society. Thus, the problem
was not in Mallard’s marriage but in the community they lived in. Probably, the husband of
Louise was not as bad as he seemed. However, he acted in the same way the other men did
because he was raised in such an atmosphere. Therefore, one cannot judge Mr. Mallard for the
fact that Louise felt oppressed due to the fact that the politics of patriarchy were a part of the
system.Mrs. Mallard's life was likely completely decided upon by Brently while he was still living,
depriving her of the chance to consider her options and lead a free life. She is ready to live in
the freedom that her husband's passing has brought about now that he is dead.Mrs. Mallard's
satisfaction did not imply that she did not care for her husband; rather, she was intrigued by the
prospect of having to make all of her own life decisions.

Mrs. Mallard perishes upon meeting Brently Mallard at the conclusion of the story when he
returns home without being aware that an accident had occurred. According to the physicians,
she passed away from a heart condition and joy. It is unlikely that this is the case in reality,
though. She has long been a victim of submission and believed that she is now free. She most
likely passed away in a fit of rage knowing that she was no closer to the freedom she had
dreamed of than she was to life returning to the state of submission.The death of Mrs. Mallard's
husband Brently brings her the independence she doesn't even realize she's looking for.
However, when she notices him approaching, it disappears. Not only does her husband dictate
what she does, but he also kills her. Chopin portrays the tyranny of women in marriage through
Louise by using a variety of literary techniques. She demonstrates how marriage and the
patriarchal nature of society are related. When she implies that any attempts by women to
obtain freedom were repressed, she makes the claim that marriage is an oppressive institution.
The actuality of the time it was written is depicted in "The Story of an Hour."
After analyzing this short story with the feminism approach, we can see how it effectively shows
the reader the situation or role of the women wherein they have no power to make their own
decisions. Using a feminist approach helps to fully understand the message of the story that
focuses on women in the 1950s, which really caught the attention of the readers.
 A Formalist Criticism of The Road Not Taken

Janice T. Ocol

The formalist concerned about literary structure; using phonemic device not the phonetic
content. Therefore, using the formalist theory will help to analyze the elements of the poem in
order to look its effect in the meaning of the poem. The poem that will be analyze using formalist
approach is “The road Not Taken” by Robert Frost.

When I read this poem, I noticed that the speaker used "I" in the poem. I mean to say, the
speaker tells us that the poem is about being in the middle of the journey somewhere in a wood
and standing between two roads that he had to choose. The evidence that the speaker was
aware of the two roadways in front of him, when he writes “two roads diverged in a yellow
wood.” The speaker demonstrated how he had to decide where to stand and which path to
follow. Therefore, this poem is a type of lyric poem that expresses the poet's feelings or
emotions. Hence, the tone of the poem can directly show that there is confusion and hesitation
in order to choose which road to choose. It makes the reader wonder whether the speaker
chose the right road for himself.

In addition, the poem gives meaning to other characteristics such as imagery, symbol,
overstatement, sound, and stanzaic structure. The using of imagery in this poem is more
concrete than abstract and mostly visual. The imagery in the poem can be seen in the first
stanza and the second stanza. The evident is when the speaker writes "two roads diverged in a
yellow wood" in line 1 and "Because it was grassy and wanted wear" in line 8. The word of
"yellow wood" and "it was grassy" those are show the verbal imagery for the poem. It shows the
concrete representation of the object that describe in the poem.

The main theme of the poem comprises uncertainty and perplexing situation of the minds of
people about what they may face when standing on the verge of making choices. It is because
life is full of choices, and the choices we make, define the whole course of our lives. Similarly,
the narrator faces a situation during his travel. He finds two roads at a point where he has to
choose one and must abide by his choice. He thinks he may come back one day to travel on the
other road. However, he also has a feeling that his choice will confront him with
new adventures and challenges. Though there is some regret over his choice, yet he realizes
that the things he has encountered and the places he has visited, because of this path, have
made all the difference in his life. Frost attempts to convey is how important the decisions that
one makes in our journey , and how they affect one’s future. In lines 2-3, he expresses the
emotions of doubt and confusion by saying, “And sorry I could not travel/ And be one traveler,
long I stood”, which explains how the speaker contemplated their decision of which road to take.
In the closing, line 20 of the poem further reestablishes the theme when it states, “that has made
all the difference”, meaning that making the decision of which road to take for themselves is the
important key for a successful future. Frost helps to express this theme by using symbolism to
portray a road as one’s journey of life. Using symbolism, Frost suggests that the speaker of this
poem is taking the harder of the two roads presented before them. In this poem, there is
repetition and overstatement. The repetition can be seen in the fourth stanza, line 18 "Two
roads diverged in a wood" and overstatement can be seen in line 17 "Somewhere ages and
ages hence." It means the speaker wants to show how the choice can affect his life in the
future.

Robert Frost also uses various sounds in this poem in order to emphasize some sections of the
poem. He uses alliteration, assonance, rhyme, and rhythm. The poem contains alliteration,
which is the repetition of consonant sounds, with the use of "r," "t," and "s" in each stanza. In the
first and third stanza, dominantly use alliteration "r" and "t," in the second and fourth stanza, use
alliteration "r" and "s." It makes the sound of the poem rough.

There is various assonance which is the repetition of vowel sounds in the poem. The "Road Not
Taken" poem use assonance such as "u," and "o." We can see assonance "u" in the words
"two," "wood," "stood," "looked," "took," it means that the speaker see the two roads in the wood
and he stood to look which is the road that he should choose. Next is the "o" sound in the words
"sorry," "not," "both," "for," "morning," "no," "trodden" it means that the speaker emphasize that
he can not choose both roads and finally he choose one of the road that person rarely passing
there.

There are two types of rhyme in this poem: feminine rhyme and masculine rhyme. Feminine
rhyme can be seen if the final syllable of a rhymed word is unstressed. The masculine rhyme
can be seen if the final syllable is stressed. However, this poem uses the masculine rhyme
because the final syllable in the poem is stressed. The poem has four stanzas with five lines
each, and the rhyme scheme of this poem is ABAAB-CDCCD-EFEEF-GHGGH. For example,
take a look at the first stanza:
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, (A)
And sorry I could not travel both (B)
And be one traveler, long I stood (A)
And looked down one as far as I could (A)
To where it bent in the undergrowth; (B)

This poem has 9 syllables per line and the rhythm of the poem is basically iambic, which means
that there is one unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. The most common use of
iambs in poetry is in pentameter, which means that there are five "feet," or units of stressed and
unstressed syllables, in the poem. But the poem "The Road Not Taken"  is in iambic tetrameter,
which means that there are only four feet (tetra = four). Besides, there is also another kind of
rhythm that is anapestic, which means that there are two unstressed syllables followed by a
stressed syllable. We see the example lines :

To where | it bent| in the un|dergrowth

Each of the four feet in this line is iambic except for the third, because both "in" and "the" are
unstressed syllables, making the rhythm an anapest. Besides, Robert Frost uses monosyllable
line in this poem, they are useful and not waste the space in the poem. We see some of the
words such as "sigh," and "ages" convey hesitation about the choose of the road. There is one
caesura used in fourth stanza line 3, which reads, "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I─". The
caesura function is to emphasis on "I." The speaker "I" show the feeling of hesitation,
uncertainty about the choice, then it will related to the next line "Took the one less traveled by" it
explain that finally the speaker make his decision.

The stanzaic structure in every poem is important, because it can help to reveal the feeling and
the place of the poem. The lines of the poem associated the road in the wood. The poem’s lines
also reveal the confusion feeling.

We can see that the formalist approach can work effectively for the poetry after using it to
analyze the poem “The road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. This poem incorporates several poetic
devices including imagery, symbolism, tone, overstatement, sounds, stanzaic structure. They
are crucial to understanding the poem’s meaning. The poem’s message is relevant to our daily
lives since we are presented with a decision to make. In this poem, the idea of using nature
“wood” to describe how there are two roads in the woods, one of which is frequently traveled by
people while the other is less frequently traveled by people.
 A Reader-Response Criticism of Twelve Years A Slave

Janice T. Ocol

Reader response theory identifies the significant role of the reader in constructing textual
meaning. In acknowledging the reader’s essential role, reader response diverges from early
text-based views found in New Criticism, or brain-based psychological perspectives related to
reading.

Twelve Years A Slave it serves as a timeless indictment of the practice of “chattel bondage”
also known as human slavery. The chains are among the most significant and obvious symbols
in the book. After being caught and sold into slavery, Solomon repeatedly refers to the chains as
a symbol of servitude. The chains are significant because they show how white Southerners
persecuted and deprived black people of their freedom and autonomy in addition to physically
enslaving them. 12 Years a Slave is a 2013 biographical drama film directed by Steve
McQueen from a screenplay by John Ridley, based on the 1853 slave memoir Twelve Years a
Slave by Solomon Northup, an African-American who was kidnapped in Washington, D.C. by
two conmen in 1841 and sold into slavery. It has consistently changed into new forms. Slavery
has been around for a very long time and continues to this day. Brace (2004) says that slavery
is a system which allowed individuals to own, buy and sell other individuals, as a de jure form of
property. A system that generated million of humans become slaves to bourgeoisie class as
landowners in “Twelve Years a Slave” book. “Twelve Years a Slave” is a story about oppresed
slave named Solomon Northup that struggled to find a freedom, When we look at the social
issue from “Twelve Years a Slave” book, the slaves were treated harshly and oppressively in
America. Under the United States Constitution in Philadelphia which permitted slavery to remain
legal in America. With the legalization of slave by the government, it boosted the slave traders
to import new slaves from Africa with shipped them through the ocean. The landowners could
abuse, injure or even kill their slaves without legal consequences. While there were many
grades and types of slaves, the lowest and most numerous grades who worked in the fields
were subject to a life of hard physical labor. Oppressive action against slavery generate the
problem in that age, when the landowners enormity has been killed a lot of slave without
mercy.Slavery is part of human existence since the bottom of history.Oxford English Dictionary
(1989). Slavery refers to a condition in where the individuals are owned by others, the owner
called master who own them as a property and control them whenever they want. The owner
can sell them, forced to work, abuse, and kill them.
In this story, there is a true and lovely message that everyone of us deserves to live, not only to
be able to exist. We must make a cultural changes that urge us to do something, anything, and
everything to end slavery. To put a permanent end to this ongoing crime committed by and
against humanity, there must be more than just conversation. We need to stop and close any
crimes, especially slavery. Honestly, it makes me realize that no matter what happened in the
past, we have to be strong. We need to change the system that existed in the past so events
like slavery don't happen again and everyone is free and we achieve peace.12 years a slave It's
important to show us what kind of slavery they experienced during that time under the United
States. I really caught my attention with this story because it helps me remember the past that
showed me everything to wake up in the reality of the past. how it is cruel to people especially to
Solomon Northup“Having been born a freeman, and for more than thirty years enjoyed the
blessings of liberty in a free State— and having at the end of that time been kidnapped and sold
into Slavery, where I remained, until happily rescued in the month of January, 1853, after a
bondage of twelve years—it has been suggested that an account of my life and fortunes would
not be uninteresting to the public.”and his other sayings is “I was entitled to my freedom, that I
had been kidnapped, or any thing whatever of the kind, the castigation I had just received was
nothing in comparison with what would follow. He swore that he would either conquer or kill
me.”The quotation above describe the main character, Solomon Northup, being kidnapped and
sold to the slave traders in Washington DC and trapped in slavery for twelve years of bondage,
treated like a property that can be sold and bought which refer to the form of chattel slavery
where slaves are considered property that can be sold and bought.Wherein this is where he
started suffering every day. wherein this is where he started suffering every day. where I almost
cried when he said,: "I was hand-cuffed. Around my ankles, were a pair of heavy fetters. One
end of a chain was fastened to a large ring in the floor, the other to the fetters on my ankles. I
tried in vain to stand upon my feet. Waking from such a painful trance, it was some time before I
could collect my thoughts. Where was I? What was the meaning of these chains? Where were
Brown and Hamilton? What had I done to deserve imprisonment in such a dungeon? I could not
comprehend." It shows the abduction condition in Washington DC before Solomon delivered to
south state and sold there.I believe that this kind of slavery should not happen again because
every person does not deserve this kind of treatment as a human. I believe that whatever our
status in life is, we are equal in the eyes of God. We have to treat others like our family and act
like kind, humble, and truthful people to others. Still, 12 years a slave offers many teachable
moments for me especially for the historians because 12 Years a Slave is a mirror to this
scourge of white narcissism. It helps us see ourselves. We are not as we want to be: a
colorblind society. We are not “beyond race.” It is, I believe, still an issue we must deal with.
People of color know it; only white people don’t see it clearly, for our white narcissism is harder
to see and might be more difficult to heal from. 12 Years a Slave is a testimony to the power of
the human spirit and the enduring determination of hope. Solomon Northup is deceived,
kidnapped, abused, removed from family, deprived of identity, and beaten into a long, weary,
unjustified submission. Yet he is never broken. Even in his worst days of sorrow lived under the
cruelties of Edwin Epps, he never gives up hope that one day he will be free. He never loses
faith in his friends, constantly assured that if he can only get word to the North then they will
indeed come to his rescue. And they do. In the end, Solomon Northup’s heartbreaking journey
uplifts because in his testimony is evidence that faith and hope can endure—and triumph.
Unsurprisingly and unavoidably Christian religion is another powerful reminder of the ambivalent
role that faith played in the slavery of the US southern states.On the one hand, we see the Bible
being used directly as a tool of oppression.  In one scene Epps reads Luke 12:47 to his new
slaves: “And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did
according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.” after he has read it, he waves his Bible
in the dejected slaves’ faces and says “and that’s scripture!”  Within a ‘Christian’ culture the
misuse of such passages gave a theological justification to Epp’s brutal maltreatment of his
workers. But on the other hand, the film also shows how the Christian faith of the slaves
themselves is a source of solidarity, comfort and inner resolve.  In one of the most powerful
scenes, Northup is pictured singing together the Negro Spiritual ‘Roll Jordan Roll’ together with
others following the death of a fellow slave.  You can see in Northup’s face the way that the
song is feeding him with sustenance and hope in the face of such brutality.

In conclusion, the movie12 Years a Slave has many real lessons from history. It does have some
added details that the directors decided to add, such as a sex scene between Solomon and a
woman (“12 Years a Slave”). However, it is based on the real Solomon Northup’s autobiography
and his experience being kidnapped in New York and sold as a slave in Louisiana.The film
clearly shows the reality of the slavers, the Fugitive Slave Act, the racism and discrimination of
that time, and the horrible experiences of African and African American slaves in the United
States. Solomon Northup was physically and psychologically abused for 12 years,whipped, and
could have been killed. However, he survived and he was able to share his story with the rest of
the world, even nowadays