Point of View

Solomon Northrup writes his book “Twelve Years a Slave” in the first-person omniscient reflective narrative. The experience is a firsthand account of twelve years spent as a slave in the deep south, and so it is only natural that the writer – Solomon Northup – who experienced the ordeal, should be the one to tell it. Because he is telling the account after the fact, he is able to add details not readily available to him at the time, such as the names of players and places. This helps to contextualize things, and give a greater understanding of events to, the reader. The account, told after the fact, also merits a reflective tone, wherein Solomon Northup is able to look back at slavery, make pronouncements about it, and understand things now that he is removed from the situation.

Language and Meaning

Solomon Northup tells his account “Twelve...