12 Years a Slave - Characters & Cast

Solomon's primary motivation is to survive his ordeal and return to his family. The memory of his wife and children is his driving force, preventing him from falling into complete despair. He is also motivated by a desire to live, not just survive, clinging to his humanity and sense of self-worth despite his circumstances.

Solomon begins as a proud, educated, and free family man in New York. After his kidnapping, he is plunged into a brutal reality that forces him to suppress his identity and intellect to survive. His initial defiance gives way to a calculated and cautious endurance. Over twelve years, he witnesses and experiences unimaginable horrors, which nearly break his spirit. However, he never completely loses hope for freedom. His arc is one of resilience and the struggle to maintain his inner self—his dignity and identity—against a system designed to obliterate it. His eventual rescue and reunion with his family complete his journey, but he is a man forever changed by his trauma.

Epps is motivated by profit and the maintenance of absolute control over his slaves through fear and violence. On a psychological level, he is driven by his lustful obsession with Patsey and the torment this causes him, especially in relation to his jealous wife. His actions are often fueled by alcohol and a deep-seated sadism.

Edwin Epps is a cruel, sadistic, and alcoholic cotton plantation owner who is Solomon's master for ten years. He does not have a developmental arc in the traditional sense; rather, the film explores the depths of his depravity. He is a man corrupted by absolute power and the institution of slavery. He justifies his brutality with twisted interpretations of the Bible. His obsession with Patsey reveals his internal conflict and self-loathing, which he expresses through extreme violence towards her. Epps embodies the evil that the system of slavery breeds in those who hold power.

Patsey is motivated by a desire to alleviate her suffering. She yearns for the simple dignity of being clean, which is denied to her by Mistress Epps. Ultimately, her motivation shifts to a desire for an end to her pain, even if it means death. She embodies the extreme suffering and lack of agency experienced by those in the most vulnerable positions within the slave system.

Patsey is a young slave on Epps's plantation who is the most efficient cotton picker. She is the object of both Master Epps's sexual abuse and Mistress Epps's jealous rage. Patsey's arc is a tragic descent into hopelessness. Initially shown to have a resilient spirit, the relentless abuse she suffers grinds her down to the point where she begs Solomon to kill her, seeing death as the only escape. Her story represents the horrific plight of enslaved women, who were subjected to unique forms of physical and sexual violence. She remains on the plantation when Solomon is freed, her fate unknown, symbolizing the countless individuals left behind by history.