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Frederick Douglass knowledge and freedom
Frederick Douglass knowledge and freedom
The theme of freedom in the narrative of the life of frederick douglass
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A slave acquaintance of Douglass. Is highly superstitious and stands in the Narrative as a representative of all uneducated, superstitious slaves. She is kind to Douglass when Douglass runs away from Covey's, but the Narrative also implies that she may have informed William Freeland about Douglass's plans to escape; gives Douglass a root to keep him safe from harm. Douglass doubts the power of this root, but it does encourage his resistance. The root instills the thought of defiance, and persuades Douglass’s attack on Mr. Covey. This shows the courage that slaves have and the determination it took to survive as a slave Mr. Freeland is a decent slaveholder, who is one of the kindest that Douglass has ever had. He serves him after leaving Mr. Covey. It would be an exaggeration to say that Douglass admires him, but Douglass doesn´t feel too much hatred towards him. Freeland doesný force anyone to abide his religon. …show more content…
He claim that he is a huge hypocrite who doesn´t practice what he preaches to any extent. They are known to beat their slaves at any given chance and claims that religon allows him to do so. Everybody is outraged by his behavior. Douglass is a great friend to Henry Harris, and admires him. Harris is a friend of Freeland, who Douglass is also fond of. He believes that he is noble and wise. They try to escape, and Henry is extremely resistant when they are caught. Others members who try to escape with them are John Harris, Henry Bailey, and Charles Roberts. Henry Bailey is related to Douglass, who is his nephew. Charles is also related to Douglass; he is his uncle-in-law. They are friends who have similar beliefs. Gardner is the shipbuilder to whom Douglass is appointed to the first time. The shipyard is stuffy and crowded and busy, and Douglass is unable to actually learn anything from him. They barely have any encounters with each other, but Douglass is already not fond of
The edifying phenomenon that comes across the lives of Douglass and Wright is seemingly a climax imposing new beginnings and a tentative freedom. Consequently, allowing both men to gravely understand the terms and conditions they must face in order to comply with that preceding society. “My reading had created a cast sense of distance between me and the world in which I lived and tried to make a living, and that sense of distance was increasing each day.” (Wright 153) “The moral which
Unlike his peers, his perception of slavery is much more realistic and depressing due to his understanding of his plight situation. For instance, he states, “The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers […] I loathed them as being the meanest as well as the most wicked of men” (334). He is distressed by the hopeless position he is in and the “everlasting thinking of [his] condition tormented [him]” (334). Douglass talks about his seven-year experience under the Hughs. During those years, he accomplished the skill of reading and writing under his mistress’s care; however the short time of hope came to a very abrupt stop when his master advised her to cease the instructing. Douglass writes, “a kind and tender-hearted woman; and in the simplicity of her soul she commenced, when I first went to live with her, to treat me as she supposed one human being out to treat another […] she was a pious, warm, and tender-hearted woman” (332). He witnesses that that humanity does exist and that there are kind owners just like his; however, the circumstances shape them into the stern owners they
After reading Frederick Douglass’s narrative of slavery, I couldn’t help but stop and try to gather my thoughts in any way possible. It was not the first time I had read the narrative, but this time around Douglass’s words hit me much harder. Perhaps, it was that I read the narrative in a more critical lens, or possibly it was just that I am older and more mature now from the last time I read it, but whatever the reason, I can confidently say reading the narrative has changed my heart and opened my eyes in many ways. I have always been aware of the injustices that slavery encompassed and of course like many other people, I have been taught about slavery in a historical narrative my entire life. But, Frederick Douglass’s narrative does more than just provide a historical perspective in seeing the injustices in slavery. His narrative asks the reader to look directly into the eyes of actual slaves and realize their very heart beat and existence as humans. Douglass humanizes the people of whom the terrible acts we acted upon that we learn about as early as elementary school. It is because of this that I decided to write this poem. Reading the narrative made me really think about Douglass’s journey and the story he tells on his road to freedom. I felt as if he was really speaking to me and, and in turn I wanted to give Douglass a voice in my own writing.
The story is told in first person. Douglass talks about his own life and shares his views on events and people. The author’s topic was the telling of his own experience with slavery on plantations and in Baltimore, his lecture tours throughout the U.S. and Europe, his government positions and criticisms he receive...
In the passage of the Narrative of Fredrick Douglass, the author masterfully conveys two complimentary tones of liberation and fear. The tones transition by the use of diction and detail. The passage is written entirely in first person, since we are witnessing the struggles of Fredrick Douglass through his eyes. Through his diction, we are able to feel the triumph that comes with freedom along with the hardships. Similarly, detail brings a picturesque view of his adversities. Since the point of view is first person, the reader is able to be a part of the Douglass’ struggles with his new freedom. With diction, detail, and point of view, the reader is able to get a rare glimpse into the past of Fredrick Douglass.Fredrick Douglass’ diction is powerful as he describes his life as a slave and with his new freedom. Fredrick Douglass calls being enslaved an act of “wretchedness,” yet he was able to remain “firm” and eventually left the “chains” of slavery. Fredrick Douglass expresses that being enslaved is a wretched act and that no man should ever deserve such treatment. Despite being a slave, he kept strong and eventually broke the chain of society. However, Fredrick Douglass experienced great “insecurity” and “loneliness” with his new freedom, and was upon a new “hunting-ground.” His new freedom brought other devastating factors, being a new state without any friends, which caused his loneliness. In this new state, he grew insecure for he was in a new danger zone where at any time his freedom could be rejected. With new freedom come new obstacles, which are described in the diction of Fredrick Douglass.
Douglass managed to escape this and moved to a life in Baltimore. He was still a slave, but he was not treated as such. His mistress, Mrs. Auld, taught him to read and write. She was kind and caring, and Douglass said “that woman is a Christian.” By this the audience gets an insight into how Mrs. Auld was treating Douglass and can compare his current situation to his time on a plantation.
The tone established in the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is unusual in that from the beginning to the end the focus has been shifted. In the beginning of the narrative Douglass seems to fulfill every stereotypical slavery theme. He is a young black slave who at first cannot read and is very naïve in understanding his situation. As a child put into slavery Douglass does not have the knowledge to know about his surroundings and the world outside of slavery. In Douglass’ narrative the tone is first set as that of an observer, however finishing with his own personal accounts.
In this final research analysis, I will be doing a comparison between the “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” and the “Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson” to show how both Douglass and Rowlandson use a great deal of person strength and faith in God to endure their life and ultimately gain their freedom.
In paragraph 7 Douglass is starting to hate his life, which makes him eager to hear people talk about slavery. “I often found myself regretting my own existence, and wishing myself dead…” (Douglass, 103) “While in this state of mind, I was eager to hear any one speak of slavery.” (Douglass, 103)
Once in his prime, leading the abolitionist movement Douglas takes the time to detail the many incongruences of the slave owner, particularly ones that was members of the clergy. “They bind heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. All their works they do to be seen by men” A fitting quote of Matthew 23, to describe the hypocrisy of racist slave owners who would with the same mouth curse, condemn and belittle a slave then just as soon preach holiness and purity of heart from the pulpit. Frederick was very well aware of the plaster-saintly nature of the white clergy, and yet it seems, Douglas was satisfied deeming himself the master of himself. This has all the makings of being a form of Stockholm
Edward Covey is one of the meanest slave holders. In many situations, bad slaves are sent with Mr. Covey in hope of complete change of attitude in the slaves. Mr. Covey often uses manipulation and devious methods to induce fear within the slaves. Frederick has just previously abandoned his Master’s home, Mr.Covey. He aspired to seek refuge with a retired slave but instead was told to return to Mr. Coveys’ plantation. Douglass was told to return back but this time with a piece of the woods in his pocket, a root. This root piece is to always be on the right side of himself (Douglass 30). It was said to offer him protection from any white man and his whip. Mr. Douglass thought this was a silly idea and that it was crazy to think a plant would
However, through rhetorical devices, Douglass demonstrates how slavery also had a degrading influence on slaveholders and thus shows its corrupting nature. Specifically, he contrasts the shift in Sophia Auld’s character through antithesis and metaphor after being exposed to slavery. Before Mrs. Auld’s corruption, Douglass described his master by claiming, “Her face was made of heavenly smiles, and her voice of tranquil music” (32). Through metaphor, Douglass makes her sound like an angel with “heavenly smiles.” Angels are commonly associated with pureness and therefore by making this metaphor Douglass associates Mrs. Auld as originally being pure. However, he then juxtaposes this idea when he claims she has received the “fatal poison of irresponsible power”(32) also known to him as being a slave master. He explains her new characteristics by stating, “That cheerful eye, under the influence of slavery, soon became red with rage; that voice, made of all sweet accord, changed to one of harsh and horrid discord; and that angelic face gave place to that of a demon”(32-33). Through metaphor and antithesis, Douglass shows how she shifts from being an angel to a demon. The metaphor associates Mrs. Auld with satan and the antithesis makes her list of changing features appear extensive. Through these rhetorical devices, Douglass is able to emphasize the abruptness of her change in character due to her experience around slavery. By explaining this personal experience in his narrative, Douglass shows to his audience the unexpected negatives of slavery and how it not only dehumanizes slaves, but masters as well. This most likely would have given Northern abolitionists stronger reasons to push for Douglass’s goal of
In sum, all of these key arguments exist in “The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” because of the institution of slavery and its resulting lack of freedom that was used to defend it. This text’s arguments could all be gathered together under the common element of inequality and how it affected the practical, social, and even spiritual lives of the slaves.
Douglass’s narrative relies on religious allusions of Christ that condemn the foundations of slavery. In Douglass’s narration, slaveholding acts as a distortion of Christianity. Over the course of his narration there is paradox between religion and slavery. Douglass creates a distinction between what is true and what is false in the wake of the beliefs of Christianity and shows that Christianity is not a part of a slaveholder’s integrity but it’s merely a hypocritical stroke to their “righteous” brutality. The corrupt and manipulative power that slave owners take pleasure in over their slaves has a damaging effect on the slave owners own health. To strike this distinction there is textual evidence that Douglass illustrates between the charitable,
Fredrick learning to read and write was one way to help him get closer to freedom. While he continues to improve his literary skills, Fredrick has to go and be divided up along with his master’s property; that is what he considered to be. This will put a halt on things. Fredrick now comes to regret not trying to escape from the city because there is a greater chance for success than if you were to try out in the country. His regret fuels the desire for freedom even more because he knows it was just in his grasp only to not be a plausible option anymore. He even goes to the Chesapeake Bay and rants to the ships about slavery; he’s beyond ready to acquire his freedom. Fredrick continues to devise plans to escape and everything along the way reminds him of his longing to be free. He can now realize how they were misled by the overseers about what freedom actually was. For example, the slaves were given whisky/alcohol during the holidays and they would assume that it was freedom. Going back to the fields would be a relief because it was easy to get tired of all the alcohol consumed. Fredrick continues to want and ache for freedom like the white men and freed