As children or teenagers, it is safe to say that we have all had a rebellious streak and have experienced an oppressive authority figure, parental ... ... middle of paper ... ...s as far as saying he will go to hell if that is the cost to be a true friend to Jim, his loyal companion and even a father figure. With this, he acknowledges that he is an evil person and that society has the correct answers when it comes to being ethical. His moral crisis near the end illustrates that he desires to be “good”, but he is unsure of what that entails. By society's standards, 'being good' would mean sending the letter informing Miss Watson of her runaway slave. In his heart though, being good means protecting those you care about, despite violations of any rule or law.
2010. . L., R."Introduction." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al.
If he learned to read, then he wouldn't have to be a slave anymore. T... ... middle of paper ... ...fe by building a strong self-consciousness. This passage is extremely important in terms of the theme of the book. Before, Douglass never had a sense of it because he thought of himself as only a slave because he was meant to be. The slaveholders demanded great gratitude and passive manners from their slave.
BookRags. BookRags, Inc., 2010. Web. 01 Feb. 2010. . Chaucer, Geoffrey.
N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2010. . Edwards III, George C., Martin P. Wattenberg, and Robert L. Lineberry.