Twelve Years a Slave

As reaffirmed in David Wilson’s preface and throughout the book, Northup takes great care to present his words as absolute truth. He not only aims to speak the truth, but he presents the book as a truthful performance that will be accepted and appraised as such by his white audiences. Even within this rhetorical tailoring to white audiences, however, Northup acknowledges the fact that he is pandering and that such pandering is necessary for white readers to believe him.

Evaluate and discuss the concept of “truth” throughout Twelve Years a Slave. Use these questions to help in formulating a response.

• What are some examples of the truth-telling complexities that Northrup encounters in the book?
• What are some facts of life for Northup that complicates the process of truth-telling for him?
• Why do you think it is of the utmost importance for Northup to have this tale accepted as “truth” by white readers?
• How do you think Northup would receive the 2013 film adaptation of the book, in light of his aims of truth-telling?

Teaching Suggestion: Northup also offers several illustrative examples of truth-telling complexities in the book: situations wherein he is forced to lie or stretch his own definitions of truth in order to survive, thus appeasing the white men who control every element of his environment.