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Depiction Of 'De-Humanization In The Film 12 Years A Slave'

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Depiction Of 'De-Humanization In The Film 12 Years A Slave'
The historical implications that are levied by the film 12 Years a Slave are a daunting weight on the collective consciousness of the United States. The film depicts the extreme sides of humanity, both charitable and benevolent. They are vivid reminders of the horrors of slavery. The film inadvertently drew attention not only to the history of African slaves in the United States, but to the modern day problem of human trafficking and child labor violations. This essay will take a closer look at the depiction of de-humanization in the film, and the way that some Christians employed this tactic to justify their behavior. Second, we will examine the most powerful performances in the film, and finally, evaluate the use of graphic violence in certain scenes.
The De-humanizing of African American Slaves Human degradation was brought to the forefront of the Christian and American consciousnesses after this movie. By reducing the African slave to an animal, a largely Christian nation could justify the use of slaves because it did not qualify as harming your neighbor or harming your fellow man. They could equate the slave with livestock, to be used as a resource per the Old Testament (Kara). …show more content…
Edwin Epps started raping her before the age of 10. He repeatedly referred to her as an animal, and his psychological and physical depravation led her to suicidal thoughts, which Solomon did his best to quell. Mary Epps also became a central figure in her life. Driven by jealousy, Mary was the driving factor behind Patsey's flaying in the middle of the movie. She wanted Patsey reduced to the level of an animal, and forbid her the use of soap. After getting caught smuggling the soap into the camp, she was almost killed. Patsey is the most powerful character because so many other powerful characters revolve around her life. Nyong'o was justified in winning the Best Supporting Actress award in 2013 (Bales,
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