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12 Years a Slave is narrative by Solomon Northup in 1855.
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Themes and elements in 12 Years of Slavery by Solomon Northup (1855)
12 Years a Slave is narrative by Solomon Northup in 1855. The narrative describes the family of Northup who later get kidnapped and works in cotton plantation, in the Red River County, in Louisiana. Northup father was also enslaved and freed after moving to New York. Northup married a woman of mixed ancestry on Christmas Day and had three children (Solomon 47). Northup was sold into slavery by two men who offered him a travelling musical show. Northup severed many masters that he praised some and condemned others. Northup lived a devastating life in cotton plantation where he faced brutal and cruel masters (Follett 14). After many years of slavery, Northup received help from a Canadian abolitionist who assisted him in tracing his family. An official State report was released for freeing of Northup. Northup filed charges for the kidnappers but died before the end of the trial (Follett 23).
The movie “12 Years a Slave” is a historical drama that relates with novel “12 Years a Slave” by Solomon Northup. Steven McQueen is the director of the slavery film whose theme is from a true story (Fuller par 3). Northup had two children and wife. He maintained his family with earnings from violinist. The story-line talks on pre-civil war in United Stated where Solomon Northup was abducted and sold into slavery. Northup faced cruelty from the slave owner, Edwin Epps. Northup worked as a slave for twelve years then had a golden chance to meet with a Canadian abolitionist, Bass. On the other hand, the movie starts with slaves receiving instructions on how to cut sugar cane grass. Northup has flashbacks of his family during the happy moments and his career as a violinist. The flashback ends when the traitors leave Northup in the cell where he get accused as a runaway from Georgia (Fuller par 7).
The original elements in the novel are slavery, the main character Solomon Northup, Ford, and Edwin Epps (Solomon 84). The movie is a replica of the novel and shows many similarities. The narration of the movie gives a summary of the Northup lifestyle before starting his slavery life in snippets incidences as back-flash. The novel describes Northup life in slavery as encounters of many masters; some cruel while others requiring the praise. On the other hand, the movie describes two incidences of masters; Ford who requires praise and Epps who is renowned for his merciless beatings. The characters in the movie are reduced, but the main theme remains intact. Northup is sentimental on female slaves and is willing to help them. Similarly, the movie shows how Northup encourages Patsey in her slavery and ways to avoid sexual advances from Epps. Furthermore, in the movie, Northup convinces Patsey to remain in Shaw’s plantation where she is enjoying the treatment (Fuller par 8).
The themes of the original book have been emphasized in the movie through vivid description of punishments that take place in slavery. The movie also insists on the cruelty of masters in cotton and sugarcane plantations. Female slaves experience series of rape incidences from the masters. The masters go a step ahead and give authority of slaves to punish the fellow slaves. The movie director Steve McQueen shows the importance of family reunion through use of Solomon Northup. Northup is happy upon seeing his wife after twelve years of slavery. The wife and Northup are overwhelmed with joy. Family reunion is also a common theme in the original book since the narration ends with a reunion of Northup with his wife Anne, grandson and daughters (Solomon 93).
Work Cited:
Follett, Richard. “Slavery And Plantation Capitalism In Louisiana’s Sugar Country.” American
Nineteenth Century History 1.3 (2000): 1-27. Print.
Fuller, Graham. “Steve McQueen’s ‘Twelve Years a Slave’ Set to Shine on Solomon Northup’s
Ordeal” artinfo.com 30 Apr. 2012. Web. 04 May 2014.
Solomon, Northup. Twelve Years A Slave. New York: Brighthouse, 2013. Print.
criminal justice-GONZALES VS. OREGON
GONZALES VS. OREGON
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The United States congress formulated the controlled substance act in 1970 in order for the state to control certain drugs in the country. There was an amendment of that law. The amendment the attorney general to decide which drugs could be used. This depended on the response of the people. If the drug was not in the best interests of the people then the attorney general had the power to illegalize the particular drug. The attorney general of Oregon in the year 2001 decided that assisted medical suicide was not a legitimate medical purpose and illegalized the act. This was despite the fact the state law allowed it. At this time, the attorney general was John Ashcroft. In order for the drug practitioners to give this drug to terminally ill patients, they had to get authorization from the attorney general CITATION Chi05 l 1033 (Chicago Kent College of Law, 2005).
During the case, the state of Oregon argued that Gonzales, who was the new attorney general after Ashcroft resigned, had to prove that the congress allowed him to overturn the law. Gonzales argued that the state allowed him as the attorney general to interpret the law in any way that it deemed fit as long as it was reasonable in accordance to that law. The controlled substance act has gone through many amendments since it was formed. In 1984, the amendment was made to allow the attorney general to refuse to grant permission or suspend any practitioner’s license to issue the prescribed drugs if the said drugs were not in the public’s interest. The state of Oregon formulated the death with dignity act in accordance to the 1984 amendment. The act of Oregon has a procedure that a doctor may prescribe the drugs to a terminally ill patient. The patient may have the timeline of six months or less to live CITATION Gal05 l 1033 (Galit Avitan, 2005).
In 1997, some members of the congress advised the administrator of the drug enforcement agency that the medically assisted suicide was illegal. They suggested an interpretation of the controlled substance act that would make medically assisted suicide illegal. In response to the advice that he was given, the administrator declared that medically assisted suicide was not a legitimate medical purpose and therefore had the powers to prosecute the doctors or physicians who gave prescriptions aiding suicide. After that, the US attorney general declared that the controlled substance act did not any way allow the drug enforcement agency to prosecute any physician who acted in accordance to the death with dignity act. When John Ashcroft was appointed in 2001 as the attorney general of Oregon, he issued the Ashcroft directive. The directive stated that medically assisted suicide was illegal. The plaintiff, the state of Oregon appealed this law on November 7, 2001. This was to stop the attorney general from giving any advice to the state regarding this matter temporarily CITATION Pew06 l 1033 (Pew Research Institute, 2006).
The case was heard in March 2002 and district court concluded that the attorney general did not have the powers to issue such a directive and that he did not have the authority to decide what exactly was a legitimate medical practice. Ashcroft appealed this ruling to the Ninth Circuit which upheld the judgment of the district court. The matter was presented to the Supreme Court which upheld that Ashcroft had exceeded his powers and did not have the authority to issue such a directive. The Supreme Court ruled by a vote of 6-3 that the attorney general did not have powers to prosecute the physicians who acted in line with the death with dignity act. In my opinion, this was the right choice because ultimately, it is the decision of a terminally ill patient together with their own doctors to decide when and why to end life. This ought to be done without any interference from the law or courts. As long as it is done within the law, then the attorney general should not have any powers to decide on the matter CITATION Gal05 l 1033 (Galit Avitan, 2005).
Works cited
BIBLIOGRAPHY Chicago Kent College of Law. (2005, May 5). US Supreme Court Media. Retrieved June 9, 2014, from Chicago Kent College Of Law: http://www.oyez.org/cases/2000-2009/2005/2005_04_623
Galit Avitan, N. W. (2005, October 5). Legal Information Institute. Retrieved June 9, 2014, from Cornell University Law School: http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/cert/04-623
Pew Research Institute. (2006, February 1). Supreme Court’s Decision in Gonzales v. Oregon: High Court Rejects Federal Regulation of Physician-Assisted Suicide. Retrieved June 9, 2014, from Pew Research, Religion and Public Life Project: http://www.pewforum.org/2006/02/01/supreme-courts-decision-in-gonzales-v-oregon-high-court-rejects-federal-regulation-of-physician-assisted-suicide/