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preface
Twelve Years as a Slave is an autobiographical film based on Solomon Northup, directed by Steve McQueen. Set against the backdrop of real historical events, the film tells the story of an African American's ordealerable slave life and arduous quest for freedom.
Today we will analyze the film from the perspective of cultural identity awareness, which can explore the themes of race, identity, slavery and other themes presented in it, as well as reflection and cognition of history and culture.
1. Race and identity
The first part of Twelve Years as a Slave shows the life of the protagonist, Solomon Northup, a well-educated and free African-American. In this section, we witness Solomon's family, social circle, and work, as well as his views on his race and identity, and how his status as a free agent has influenced his life and situation.
Solomon's family background provided a solid foundation for his ethnicity and identity. He was born in the Free North and lived in a loving environment for his family. His family is very united and supportive, especially his wife and two children mean a lot to him.
This family environment gave Solomon a clear understanding of his free identity and how to cherish it. His family is also the driving force behind his struggle, and he works hard to provide a better life for his family.
Solomon's social circle also largely influenced his racial identity. In the Free North, he made many friends from different backgrounds and ethnicities, and this diverse social circle exposed him to different cultures and ideas. This has led him to be more tolerant and inclusive of racial identity, and he does not believe that race is the only factor that defines a person.
However, this diverse social circle also made him realize that race is still an important factor in society, and racial discrimination and prejudice still exist.
In Solomon's work, he demonstrated his talent and skills, gaining respect and praise from other races. However, he also suffered racial discrimination and unfair treatment, which made him feel conflicted and confused. He found that although he was a well-educated and talented free man, he was not immune to racial restrictions and prejudices in a white-dominated society.
When Solomon was kidnapped and enslaved, his race and identity were greatly challenged. He was deprived of his liberty, sold into slavery, and enforced by the orders of his slave owners. He was forced to endure harsh corporal punishment and exploitation, living in fear and despair.
All this made a huge change in his self-perception, and he was no longer a free civilized person, but a black slave who was deprived of his identity and enslaved. The transformation of his identity from a free citizen to a slave was a trauma and torment for him.
Under slavery, Solomon lived twelve years of hardship with other slaves, facing racial discrimination, physical exploitation and psychological torture together, but they also supported each other and sought freedom together.
In the process, Solomon gradually realized his identity and situation as a black slave, and he began to reflect on racial discrimination and the unfairness and cruelty of slavery.
He also began to gain a deeper understanding of his cultural identity, and he looked back on his past life and thought about who he was, how important his family and cultural traditions were to him.
Throughout the first part, Solomen Northup's race and identity undergo great twists and turns. From a free civilized man to an enslaved slave, this transformation of identity brought him spiritual torment and ideological struggle.
His racial identity also made him more aware of racial discrimination and the unfairness of slavery, and he began to reflect on this system and seek opportunities for freedom. In the subsequent story, we will continue to witness the deepening of Solomon Northup's thinking and understanding of his race and identity in the process of pursuing freedom.
Slavery and cultural oppression
This section presents the harsh reality of slavery and the suffering and oppression experienced by slaves under racial discrimination and physical exploitation. At the same time, the film also shows the helplessness and resistance of slaves to cultural oppression, as well as their desire for freedom and dignity through delicate pictures.
Slavery, as one of the darkest and most humiliating pages in American history, left African Americans with long years of pain and suffering. In the cotton plantations of the South, slaves were treated as private property and forced to carry out the orders of their masters.
They are deprived of their liberty, not allowed to learn to read and write, deprived of their human dignity and forced to endure harsh corporal punishment and exploitation. Under this system, the cultural identity of slaves was greatly destroyed and oppressed, and they were forced to abandon their language, customs and traditions and be forced to adopt the culture and beliefs of their masters.
Cultural oppression was an important feature of slavery, where slaves were forced to accept the culture and values of their masters. They are deprived of their cultural identity and forced to change their names and identities. This cultural oppression makes them lose contact with their own cultural traditions and become deeply confused and cognitively confused about their identity.
In the film, Solomon Northup is stripped of his status as a free man and renamed "Pratt", he is no longer a well-educated and talented free man, but a black slave without dignity and rights. This cultural oppression made him feel divided and contradictory in his identity, and he no longer knew who he was or what social group he belonged to.
Slaves also faced severe racial discrimination and physical exploitation under slavery. They are seen as instruments of labor, enslaved and exploited, living in fear and despair. Slaves were denied basic human rights and dignity and were forced to endure corporal punishment and abuse by their masters without any legal protection and relief.
This racial discrimination and physical exploitation put the slaves in extreme hardship and suffering, and they had no way to change their situation, but could only endure this oppression helplessly.
Although slaves were greatly oppressed and tortured under slavery, they did not completely lose their desire for freedom and dignity. In the film, we see slaves retaining their beliefs and customs, silently clinging to their cultural traditions despite being forced to accept their master's culture.
In the midst of all the oppression and suffering, they maintained their desire for freedom and sought opportunities to escape the shackles of slavery. Their hearts are still full of the yearning for freedom and the pursuit of dignity, and this spirit of perseverance and defiance keeps them a sense of hope and courage in difficult times.
Slavery and cultural oppression became the dominant context and context. Slaves who lost their freedom and cultural identity and suffered endless pain and suffering in the context of racial discrimination and physical exploitation did not give up their desire for freedom and dignity and maintained their loyalty and adherence to their cultural traditions.
3. The pursuit of freedom and cultural identity
When Solomon Northup realizes that he has been kidnapped into slavery, he falls into great despair and anguish, and instead of giving up his quest for freedom, he begins to struggle for survival and the opportunity to find freedom.
He showed his talent and skills, gained the trust of his master, gained some freedom. Although he still had to endure dispossession and hardship under slavery, he remained strong and brave at heart.
In the pursuit of freedom, Solomon gained a deeper understanding of his cultural identity. He looks back on his past life and thinks about who he is and how important his family and cultural traditions are to him.
Under slavery, he was forced to renounce his name and identity and was forcibly renamed "Pratt", which severely suppressed and destroyed his cultural identity.
He has not forgotten his roots and identity, and he has always maintained his loyalty and adherence to his cultural traditions. At his heart, he remains a well-educated, talented and free man, and his cultural identity has not been completely destroyed despite the forced change of identity.
Solomon was not alone in slavery, and he befriended like-minded slaves and conscientious white men. These friends seek opportunities for freedom together, support each other, and face all kinds of difficulties and pressures together. In the process, Solomon not only forged a deep emotional bond with other slaves, but also a solid trust and friendship with his white friends.
This interracial friendship and cooperation made him feel the harmony and unity between the races. He also realized that while slavery brought great division and suffering, it was still possible to establish friendly relations between races and a desire for common progress.
Under slavery, he was forced to be deprived of his freedom and cultural identity, but he did not give up his persistence and pursuits. Instead, he constantly fights for a chance to survive by demonstrating his talent and courage, while forging a deep emotional bond with his friends. This pursuit of freedom and thinking about cultural identity made his heart more determined and mature.
Solomon Northup's quest for freedom and contemplation of cultural identity become the main plot thread. He displayed perseverance under slavery, loyalty and adherence to his cultural traditions, and forged deep emotional bonds with other slaves and white friends.
This spirit of pursuing freedom and cultural identity not only allowed him to maintain a sense of hope and courage in the face of adversity, but also became the driving force for him to persevere. In the story that follows, we will continue to witness Solomon Northup's deep thinking and growth in the pursuit of freedom and cultural identity.
4. Freedom and the recognition of identity
In the fourth part of the film Twelve Years as a Slave, we see the protagonist Solomon Northup finally freed and reunited with his family.
His soul still carries painful memories and trauma of the slave era. On the road to regaining his freedom, Solomen must rediscover and establish an understanding of his identity and culture, a challenging and complex process.
Gaining freedom and returning to his family made Solomen feel great joy and happiness. Under slavery, he endured twelve years of pain and suffering, and he longed countless times to get out of slavery and return to his family.
And when he finally gained freedom and was reunited with his family, he experienced the preciousness of freedom and the warmth of family. This feeling of happiness made him feel extremely emotional in his heart, and he deeply understood the importance of freedom and the preciousness of his family.
Regaining your freedom doesn't mean that all pain and struggle is over. Solomon's psyche is still filled with the trauma and memories of the slave era. Under slavery, he not only lost his freedom, but also suffered endless pain and suffering. He was forced to strip himself of his cultural identity and was forcibly renamed "Pratt", which severely shocked his identity.
He also witnessed the plight of other slaves, who had lost their dignity and freedom in conditions of racial discrimination and physical exploitation. These memories and traumas filled his heart with contradictions and confusion, and he did not know how to re-recognize his identity and culture.
After gaining his freedom, Solomon decided to show the cruelty and injustice of slavery by documenting his own experiences. He realized that his experience was a testimony to history, an important record of the slave era.
Through writing, he sought to make people understand the darkness and suffering of slavery and awaken the quest for equality and dignity. This act of recording and presenting is not only a catharsis of one's own experience, but also a cry and reflection on society. In this way, he tries to find his identity and cultural connection after freedom.
In the process of returning to his family and gaining freedom, Solomon gradually developed the characteristics of a young mature adult. He became stronger and more mature, and gained a deeper understanding of his life and values. He is no longer a passive person who accepts fate, but a person who actively seeks change.
By documenting his own experiences, he tried to change society through his own power, calling for the abolition of slavery and the pursuit of equality and justice. This positive attitude and action made his heart more mature and determined.
By documenting his own experiences, he tries to find his own cultural identity and identity. This pursuit of freedom and thinking about cultural identity has allowed him to grow into a young and mature adult with a deeper understanding of his life and values.
Throughout the film, we witness Solomen Northup go from being a well-educated and talented free man to a slave enslaved and oppressed, to regaining his freedom and returning to his family. The process was full of challenges and tribulations, and he experienced a profound transformation of identity and cultural connection.
epilogue
From a semiotic point of view, every detail in the film has a deep meaning. Every character, every scene, every piece of dialogue symbolizes a deeper meaning and symbolism. Through these symbols, the director leads the audience to think deeply about the impact and harm caused by slavery on human nature and society.
The film also provokes reflections on cultural identity awareness. Under slavery, slaves were forced to abandon their cultural traditions and were forced to accept the culture and values of their masters.
They have not completely lost their cultural identity, and they still maintain their loyalty and adherence to their cultural traditions in their hearts. This identification with cultural identity allows them to maintain a sense of hope and courage in difficult situations, seeking opportunities for freedom and dignity.
Finally, the story of the film's protagonist, Solomon Northup, inspires the audience and makes us think about the importance of freedom and identity. No matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, we should stand up for our beliefs and values, and pursue freedom and dignity.
Just as Solomon Northup persevered in difficult times and strived for freedom and cultural identity, we should also persevere in our beliefs and bravely face life's challenges.
The movie "Twelve Years as a Slave" is not only a historical record about slavery, but also a reflection on human nature and dignity. It awakens the audience's quest for equality and justice, and inspires us to move forward and strive to create a better, more equal world.
Let us remember the lessons of history, cherish freedom and identity, and shape a better future with the power of truth, goodness and beauty.