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Setting the Stage: Concepts in Anthropology

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Setting the Stage: Concepts in Anthropology

Introduction

The film, 12 Years a Slave, depicts the historical slave trade and racism in the U.S.  The film, directed by McQueen and adapted by John Ridley from personal memoirs of Solomon Northup, tells despairing and tragic experiences of slaves at the hands of plantation owners. The film encompasses anthropological concepts of globalization, political systems, and religion/systems of beliefs. McQueen and Ridley capture the dilemma of the risk of death eminent when the slaves try to escape and the need to survive irrespective of the dehumanizing circumstances. Additionally, the film nuances relative morality in an immoral situation. This paper uses 12 Years a Slave to assert that globalization exposed minority groups to slavery and racism, a practice supported by religion and political systems (capitalism) in the cultural perception of the plantation owners.

Representation of Anthropological Concepts in the Films

  1. Religion

The plantations owners hold themselves as dutiful worshipers but capture other humans as slaves. In the context of the dominant culture, racism is a Christian way of justifying owning other human beings. Solomon, the protagonists, still like Benedict Cumberbatch kind and decent under the circumstances. The film pokes holes into the systems of beliefs like Christianity, which justify immoral practices.

  1. Globalization

The film highlights the interaction of individuals from different cultures. It shows the ills of globalization as plantations owners misuse their cultural dominance to turn free members of the minority into despairing slaves. The setting of the film is the U.S., which is home to many cultures due to the historic immigration of people from all over the world. The interaction of owners and slaves depicts cultural pluralism, assimilation, and transfer in the setting of the film. Some characters such as Solomon and Alfre Woodard somehow get assimilated, with Alfre Woodard even starting to enjoy the luxuries of an upper-class existence.

  1. Political Systems

Steve McQueen establishes the film in the context of a democratic political system of the U.S. Despite the immense protection of the inalienable rights of all its citizens; plantation owners still practice slavery. For instance, the character played by Benedict Cumberbatch only prefers his financial security over the plight of the screaming children when their mother is taken away, because “It couldn’t be helped” (Somun, 2014). The dominant group justifies slavery with the capitalistic model of development. Similarly, the concept is represented by the power structure as slaves (Platt and Patsy) belonging to the low-socioeconomic status have to be submissive, loyal, and feign illiteracy to survive in the hands of the upper-class owners. The power difference is highlighted by how Mistress Epps mistreats Patsey after realizing that Edwin Epps loves her (Patsey).

 

 

Reference

Somun, G. (2014, November 25). 12 Years a Slave (2013) [Video]. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHyfpIXeTGI

 

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