Trickery in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass

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Humans are natural tricksters, beguiling others for benefits and survival; however, deceiving others is a skill possessed by few African-Americans and thus they do not survive. In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass, Douglass harnesses the ability to conform to the world of trickery and conveys his journey to freedom. Through his appeal to pathos, use of dramatic asides, and application of anecdotes, Douglass expresses the necessity of slaves to play the game of trickery to survive in the world of tricksters.

Effectively establishing an appeal to pathos, Douglass emphasize his raw emotions to the reader, allowing the reader to feel more connected to why Douglass complies with the rules of trickery. Douglass conveys a feeling of accomplishment, in Lee’s words, “when a white mistress cracks an opening in the white discourse… [and] seizes the opportunity to enter the power structure” (“The Politics”). Mrs. Auld, the “white mistress,” teaches Douglass the basic skills to read, and, as Douglass begins to read, he “got hold of a book entitled ‘The Columbian Orator’” (23), which, according to Piano, “reveals psychological insights into the slave/master relationship” (“Critical Essay”). The “Columbian Orator” consists of abolitionist documents, allowing Douglass to gain insight on the power the white men have over the black men and compelling the audience to sympathize with the black men. These new feelings also allow Douglass to be at a compos mentis with the white oppressors, achieving acuity for surviving the world of tricksters, and gaining the ability to learn how to beat the white oppressors at their own game, permitting Douglass an edge on how to escape captivity as a slave. In Piano’s views, “[the ...

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...995.
Lee, Lisa Yun. “The Politics of Language in Frederick Douglass’s Narrative of the Life of an American Slave.” Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism, 2004. Literature Resource Center. 24 April, 2014. .
MacKethan, Lucinda H. “From Fugitive Slave to Man of Letters: The Conversation of Frederick Douglass.” Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism, 2004. Literature Resource Center. 24 April, 2014. .
Piano, Doreen. “Critical Essay on “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself”.” Nonfiction Classics for Students, Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Nonfiction Works, 2001. Literature Resource Center. 24 April, 2014. .

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