12 Years a Slave · written by John Ridley and Steve McQueen · 2013

Solomon packs clothes and his violin for the trip.

Scene 17 of 211 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 11 min into a 2:22 film

The story so farBefore scene 17

After being kidnapped from New York and sold into slavery, Solomon Northup uses his skills and carefully placed trust to survive and seek a way back to his family.

Scene 1
A butcher carries a sheep from its pen into the slaughter shed; the killing follows in scene 2, while scene 1 establishes the image of captivity.
Scene 9
Jasper asks how he might escape, and Solomon says to “watch your opportunities and strike for freedom”; this is a reading of the line as the story’s theme of waiting for a chance to act.
Just before
Scene 14
Anne and the children leave by carriage for their trip while Solomon waves them off and urges them to travel safely.
Scene 15
Mr. Moon introduces Solomon to Merrill Brown and Abram Hamilton, who ask to speak with the renowned violinist.
Scene 16
Brown and Hamilton describe their traveling circus and offer Solomon paid work accompanying them to New York; he accepts, expecting to return when his family does.
Scene 17
This scene

17INT. NORTHUP HOUSE/BEDROOM - LATER

Back in his house, we see Solomon packing: putting some clothes in a travel case, and collecting his violin as well.