What is freedom-the practical significance of being a slave for twelve years

Tyrese 2022-03-21 09:01:13

Today, I finally finished watching the autobiography "Twelve Years as a Slave" with excitement. Once again, like watching other excellent literary works adapted into film and television works, I deeply expressed that the influence of the original works is far beyond the reach of the film. The power is far beyond the ability of film and television art. Of course, I hope that I will first watch the original and then watch the movie. This will definitely have a different experience (and according to my experience, this often works better, but sometimes it is It will make a movie that was originally considered to be very boring).

For various reasons, I didn't stay up all night to finish reading the original book until today, which made me almost have a heart attack, but after reading it, I felt uncomfortable about some things. We have to fulfill the promise to delete all the unbearable rumors about Sherman in Baidu Baike, and we will find out the true Sherman in history based on various works and biographies about Sherman. Baidu Encyclopedia, the "most influential Chinese encyclopedia" appeared.
Then I create my own novel, and finally go to bed...

That's it. If you don't know, you won't have feelings, and if you don't touch them, you won't have feelings.
As mentioned above, I saw the movie first in 2013 (or 2014) just like everyone else. For this movie, I still have a strong initial impression, and it is not vague at all. All the scenes are vividly vivid (this is definitely not a common situation, because I have a poor memory): Black people in Saratoga, New York Live a simple and happy life, living between streets, gardens, shops and homes. Whether it is with family or neighbors, friends or strangers, the protagonist gets along well with each other, everything is so simple and simple, and then the style is one Turn, the cunning kidnappers, the vicious slave traders, the cabins where the animals are loaded... After a short ten minutes of peace and freedom, various tools to oppress the freedom of a person’s mind and body: tools and tools for inflicting brutality The evil laws are coming, making me very disturbed and uncomfortable.

I bet that this is the first time that the hideous aspects of slavery have been reproduced on a global scale in movies since the EFF won the war and successfully made slavery completely history. However, long before Lincoln sounded the clarion call for the abolition of slavery, all kinds of slavery had been spread outside of slavery by works like "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and "Twelve Years as a Slave". These places are not only the 20 free states in the north of the United States of America. It is not only the citizens of those 20 states who can see these works, even Queen Victoria was moved by it!

"Twelve Years as a Slave" was written by Solomon Northup, a free black man who was later kidnapped and turned into a slave by a slave trader. Regarding the ancestors, the author wrote,
"My father was born as a slave. He worked like millions of suffering slaves every day under extremely harsh conditions." He belonged to a family named Northup, "approximately 50 years old. Years ago, after the death of this respectable gentleman, he left a will, announcing the release of my father’s slavery status. Since then, my father has become a free man. When the states successively abolished slavery.
The author’s childhood was brought up in a northern environment where everyone is born equal. Blacks and whites are equal to each other, and blacks are not oppressed. But in the south of this country, blacks have no right to speak of. In the south, blacks are just more advanced animals, and their survival is completely determined by the slave owner.

As mentioned earlier, the author suddenly became a slave with no freedom at all when he already knew what freedom was. This blow to him is by no means unimaginable, but the author is not like his companion. ——Those who have been slaves since birth have always reported desperate attitude towards the situation, and often even become so negative that they want to commit suicide. The author kept fighting against the evil laws, inhumane slave owners, and the entire slave production. His struggle finally yielded results and he was free again.

What is freedom.
Regarding the concept of freedom, this autobiography mentions it over and over again, each time from a different perspective: the author himself fully understands the meaning of freedom, and slaves have never been given that kind of freedom, only knowing that freedom means not having to be lashed again, not No matter how frightened and frightened, even though they have a vague sense of freedom, they still yearn for freedom. Unfortunately, in the face of the powerful, brutal and insurmountable slavery, it is impossible for them to achieve this on their own. The slave owner Epps knew very well what freedom was. For him, freedom meant that he could flog slaves at will, kill slaves at will, have sex with female slaves at will (if this guy is gay, I’m afraid I’ll have to add one), and so on. , The law protects his freedom to do this, on the contrary, no one can interfere with his freedom, otherwise it would be a crime.
The Canadian-American Beth has the most thorough definition of freedom:
"There is one thing you can't deny that blacks are also humans. If they don't know much about their masters, then whose fault is it? They are forbidden to be educated. You can read. Read the newspaper and go wherever you want. You can learn knowledge in a thousand ways. But your slaves don’t have this privilege. You will whip someone when they find someone reading. They have been enslaved and deprived of life for generations. The right and opportunity to develop the mind. In this case, how can we expect them to be knowledgeable? It is you slave owners who put them in the position of beasts. If they are baboons, or not much smarter than baboons, it is entirely you. And the responsibility of people like you. This country is filled with a sin, a terrible sin, but you believe me, this sin cannot exist forever. If it is a sin, it must be punished. Epps , Remember, there is always time to settle accounts after autumn. When that day comes, it will be the momentum of the autumn wind sweeping the fallen leaves. This day will be sooner or later, but it will come eventually. I believe this day will come, just like I believe in God It's fair."

It was Beth who helped the author escape from the sea of ​​suffering and regain his freedom. He said that this country is permeated with a kind of evil. This day will be sooner or later, but it will come eventually. I believe that this day will come, just as I believe that God is fair.
This day really arrived. We don’t know that when the American Civil War broke out on April 14, 1861, this Mr. Beth was still alive, but one thing is certain, if he lived to that day (not necessarily the announcement in 1862) Abolition Proclamation or 1865 War Victory), he is like all righteous patriots, knowing that the day he predicted has arrived, justice is going to defeat evil, it is only a matter of time.

Postscript:


Beth said that free people can learn knowledge in a thousand ways. We have to look at the practical significance of this work. Today, it is true that we have already reached the point where we can learn knowledge in a thousand ways. But, let’s take a look at the means by which we learn knowledge: history books are tampered with personal will, full of exaggerated praise for some people and slander on others. In the Internet age, we have a network, but this network is likened to "Greater China Local Area Network" by some of my lovely and courageous compatriots. It's like a high wall. Don't think about how people outside are shouting. Hear even the slightest sound from the outside world.
In this closed jar, all the disgusting things breed, brewing unprecedented lies. For example, the well-known General William Sherman of the Federal Army, in our country, is actually described as a demon who engages in massacre, genocide, and the Three-Lights policy. What he said really seems like that. This awakens people-a foreigner who has been dead for more than a hundred years, an innocent and upright person without any stains on his body-General William Tecumseh Sherman, will be so. Slander and slander, can the slander on the living people in this closed jar be less?


ps:


By the way, my "well-known creation" has been traced back to the Nat Turner Uprising in 1831. I intend to write this paragraph in detail (but not more than the novel "The Confession of Nat Turner" In more detail, of course the angle is different), because this event is directly related to one of the protagonists (the protagonist is a slave owner).
But when I was looking up relevant information, I stumbled upon a director who was already filming the Nat Turner Uprising movie, and it is expected to be released in 2016. In addition to "Jones' Kingdom", we have another worthy in 2016. Looking forward to the movie, I know this is as exciting and thrilling as the story of Solomon Northup, because I have been studying it carefully recently. But the problem is that I can avoid the similarity with "Nat Turner Confession" when I write it, but it's not the same as the new movie (I can only pray). The history spanning a hundred years with the Civil War as the core will continue to be written afterwards. I hope that I can also write a fair stroke.

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Extended Reading

12 Years a Slave quotes

  • Edwin Epps: If something rubs you wrongly, I offer you the opportunity to speak on it.

    Bass: [exhales] Well, you ask plainly, so I will tell you plainly. What amused me just then was your concern for my wellbeing in this heat when, quite frankly, the condition of your laborers...

    Edwin Epps: The condition of my laborers?

    Bass: It is horrid.

    Edwin Epps: The hell?

    [chuckles]

    Bass: It's all wrong. All wrong, Mr. Epps.

    Edwin Epps: They ain't hired help. They're my property.

    Bass: You say that with pride.

    Edwin Epps: I say it as fact.

    Bass: If this conversation concerns what is factual and what is not, then it must be said that there is no justice nor righteousness in their slavery. But you do open up an interesting question. What right have you to your niggers, when you come down to the point?

    Edwin Epps: What right?

    Bass: Mmm

    Edwin Epps: I bought 'em. I paid for 'em.

    Bass: Well, of course you did, and the law says you have the right to hold a nigger. But begging the law's pardon, it lies. Suppose they pass a law taking away your liberty, making you a slave. Suppose.

    Edwin Epps: That ain't a supposable case.

    Bass: Laws change, Epps. Universal truths are constant. It is a fact, a plain and simple fact, that what is true and right is true and right for all. White and black alike.

    Edwin Epps: You comparing me to a nigger, Bass?

    Bass: I'm only asking, in the eyes of God, what is the difference?

    Edwin Epps: You might as well ask what the difference is between a white man and a baboon.

    [chuckles]

    Edwin Epps: I seen one of them critters in Orleans. Know just as much as any nigger I got.

    Bass: Listen, Epps, these niggers are human beings. If they are allowed to climb no higher than brute animals, you and men like you will have to answer for it. There is an ill, Mr. Epps. A fearful ill resting upon this nation. And there will be a day of reckoning yet.

  • Ford: What is the price for the ones Platt and Eliza?

    Freeman: A thousand for Platt; he is a nigger of talent. Seven hundred for Eliza. My fairest price.

    Ford: You will accept a note?

    Freeman: Always from you, Mr. Ford.