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Summary Of 12 Years A Slave By Northup

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In my opinion, Northup did a very good job when writing this narrative. The main reason that it seemed very authentic in my opinion was defiantly because he talked about the cruel people but made sure to still include the decent people as well. In all the history classes I have taken over my schooling career I have learned a lot about the harshness of slavery. I have learned about their lack of freedom and the brutality they encountered. I learned and was enlightened about all the terrible things that happened. Since this is what I was taught, I never once thought that there could be “good” slave owners. I associated every slave owner and sometimes even most white people who lived in the south during this time as terrible and cruel. As I had become narrow minded on this subject, it never crossed my mind that not everyone was as terrible as I thought. When Northup decided to write this narrative, I think it was very wise and smart of him to include sides, the suffering and the kindness. In the controversies that there are today, racial profiling, wars, even health care; there are …show more content…

When I was in high school, I remember having to read another slave novel, Within the Plantation Household: Black and White women of the Old South. When I compare that book to 12 Years a Slave, 12 Years a Slave would win hands down. The slave narrative I read in high school was very poorly written in my opinion. It was very dull. I can remember thinking how that book reminded me a lot of a history textbook, rather than a fluid story. Some of my peers really did enjoy that book due to the fact that it was written sort of in a textbook style, on the other hand I loathed due to that reason. Another reason I did not enjoy reading that book was the lack of detail and realism. Even though it was textbook-like, it was very boring which did not help me feel like it was

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