Dehumanized Slaves In The Narrative Of The Life Of Fredrick Douglass
analytical Essay
1200 words
Imagine being ripped apart from your mother as a child. Imagine watching family and friends receiving the stinging blow of a whip. Imagine religious men telling you that this is the will of god as they work you as close to death as they can. While difficult to imagine, this occurred to some of those who were enslaved in the early United States of America. One of the most heart wrenching of these accounts comes from a man born as a slave, Frederick Douglass. The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is an example of how some early Americans dehumanized slaves and how Fredrick Douglass’ viewed this atrocity. Despite this, Douglass found mental and physical means to fight this treatment. In early America, slaves were dehumanized by their masters for various reasons. These reasons were to quell a fear of revolt, to minimize the chance of escape, and to have a better profit from the slaves’ labor (Wilson-Gonzalez “12 Mar. 2015.”). These reasons were important because the master had paid a price to acquire his slave and the master would want to see his investment grow. Incidentally, Nat Turner’s rebellion sparked a change in the south, …show more content…
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the narrative of the life of frederick douglass is an example of how some early americans dehumanized slaves.
- Explains that slaves were dehumanized by their masters for various reasons, such as to quell a fear of revolt, to minimize the chance of escape, and to profit from their labor.
- Analyzes how slave masters used physical and psychological methods to subdue their slaves to prevent revolt and escape and profit from slave labor.
- Opines that psychological methods used to subdue slaves are the more dehumanizing of the two methods. the ability to make decisions was removed through restricting access to education.
- Opines that if you teach a nigger how to read, there would be no keeping him. he would become unmanageable and of no value to his master.
- Analyzes how slave masters kept their slaves dependent on them, preventing them from making a better life for themselves, independent of their master. douglass fought against psychological dehumanization.
- Analyzes how frederick douglass saw the methods of dehumanization as a way for masters to not treat slaves as people.
- Analyzes how the narrative of the life of frederick douglass shows how slaves were dehumanized so that the masters could treat them in any manner they saw fit.
To themselves, the master saw this as a way of protecting their profits and preventing a revolt. They did this through physical and mental methods which did not consider the slaves’ humanity. By bypassing that element of humanity, slave owners felt free to whip and hang slaves. By not allowing them to become educated, slave masters severely limited the slave’s ability to see his true position in life. Together, these two methods proved effective. However, when Douglass saw past them, he was able to fight. He educated himself and weathered the pain of slavery. He resisted his masters’ attempts to dehumanize him. The beatings he received only strengthened his resolve to be
Related
- analytical
- During the time of slavery, slaves were put to work on plantation, fields, and farms. They were considered property to their slave-owners and put under unfair living conditions. Growing up in this era, we can see the injustice between white and colored people. And one slave by the name of Fredrick Douglass witnessed this unjust tension. And because of this tension, dehumanizing practices became prominent among the slaves and in slave society. The most prominent of these injustices is the desire of slave owners to keep their slaves ignorant. This practice sought to deprive the slaves of their human characteristics and made them less valued. Fredrick Douglass was able to endure and confront this issue by asserting his own humanity. He achieved
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how fredrick douglass witnessed the injustice between white and colored people during the time of slavery. he asserted his humanity through education and knowledge.
- Analyzes how fredrick douglass was born into slavery during the early 1800s where he grew up in maryland. the act of a slave owner to keep their slave ignorant shows how slaves were dehumanized.
- Narrates how fredrick learned to read and spell letters, but mr. auld forbade his mistress to not instruct him further.
- Analyzes how fredrick learns that through education, there exists some sort of enlightenment. because the boys sympathized with him, his convictions were able to grow.
- Explains how fredrick was able to feel happiness and love with his friends from the gut when he was in the sabbath school.
- Explains that learning to read and write helped fredrick assert his humanity, but it also brought a negative quality to it.
- Explains that slavery is a method of oppressing someone of their human qualities. fredrick douglass was able to discover the road to his liberation by learning, reading and writing.
1717 wordsRead More - Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, brings to light many of the social injustices that colored men, women, and children all were forced to endure throughout the nineteenth century under Southern slavery laws. Douglass's life-story is presented in a way that creates a compelling argument against the justification of slavery. His argument is reinforced though a variety of anecdotes, many of which detailed strikingly bloody, horrific scenes and inhumane cruelty on the part of the slaveholders. Yet, while Douglas’s narrative describes in vivid detail his experiences of life as a slave, what Douglass intends for his readers to grasp after reading his narrative is something much more profound. Aside from all the physical burdens of slavery that he faced on a daily basis, it was the psychological effects that caused him the greatest amount of detriment during his twenty-year enslavement. In the same regard, Douglass is able to profess that it was not only the slaves who incurred the damaging effects of slavery, but also the slaveholders. Slavery, in essence, is a destructive force that collectively corrupts the minds of slaveholders and weakens slaves’ intellects.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how douglass's life-story creates a compelling argument against the justification of slavery.
- Illustrates how slaveholders used contrived strategies to justify keeping an entire race of people enslaved. they used any possible means to gain power over blacks, making them vulnerable.
- Explains that slavery's destructive nature inflicted on slaves was that they were mentally oppressed in the area of education. the reason behind this was no mystery to douglass.
- Opines that it was necessary to keep our religious masters at st. michael's unacquainted with the fact that instead of spending the sabbath in wrestling, boxing, and drinking whisky, we were trying to learn how to read the will of god.
- Analyzes how douglass learned to read, and the injustices of the system became transparent to him, inspiring him to work harder to attain freedom. slaves attributing education was the epiphany that the slaveholders did not want to witness.
- Explains how the system of slavery was damaging to a slave's intellect. many slaveholders found that the easiest way to accomplish this task was by brainwashing them into believing that they are living marvelous lives.
- Narrates how they traced their first glimmering conception of the dehumanizing character of slavery.
- Analyzes how douglass' form of mental captivity is imprisonment through complacency. the slaves are resigned to their condition and unaware of the possibility of a better future in the outside world.
- Analyzes how douglass shows the slaves' ignorance of any way of life other than the one they endure by serving under hugh auld in baltimore.
- Analyzes how slavery corrupts and mentally enslaves the white slaveholder, sophia auld, invoking images similar to those of a demonic possession.
- Analyzes how douglass argued that slaveholders' minds were corrupted by slavery and used the christian faith to rationalize their behavior of treating the slaves like animals and disrespecting slave families and marriages.
- Analyzes douglass' narrative to show the barbarity and injustice of slavery, but the underlying argument is that freedom is achieved through a mental liberation from the attitude created by southern slavery.
1652 wordsRead More - Frederick Douglass Slaveryanalytical essayThroughout the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, written by Frederick Douglass himself, the reader is given thoughtful insight into the slave condition and the institution of slavery as a whole. One learns very soon of the authoritative and controlling nature of the slave master, who, using the overseer as his pawn, is able to maintain control over his slaves and his planation through an amalgamation of both physical and mental abuse. Slaves are lead to believe that they are innately inferior to whites and are kept ignorant, unable to read or write, and unaware of the world outside their plantation. They are indoctrinated from birth through fear, for if any slave deviates from this merciless power structure, they face brutal punishment and even the possibility of death. Despite this seemingly insurmountable reality, Frederick Douglass, a slave for over twenty years, was able to resist. He gradually became aware of the psychology of the slave owners, and the immense power that they wielded. Douglass was able to escape the oppressive, exploitative, and controlling power structure of slavery by resolving to overcome his forced ignorance, and to unite his fellow slaves, realizing, along the way, his sense of self and innate integrity.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how frederick douglass, a slave for over twenty years, was able to escape the oppressive, exploitative, and controlling power structure of slavery by resolving to overcome his forced ignorance and unite his fellow slaves.
- Analyzes how douglass learns of the rotten foundation of slavery--ignorance, and realizes that the pathway to freedom is through literacy.
- Analyzes how douglass, who was separated from his mother as an infant, understood the importance of fostering a sense of belonging and loyalty to one's fellow slaves.
- Analyzes how frederick douglass is introduced to the horrors of slavery as a child, when he witnesses the beating of his aunt hester. the brutal physical abuse and paralyzing fear of possible abuse serve as the cement that holds the institution together.
- Analyzes how douglass realizes the injustices done to his people and learns about the slave system. he fights back against covey and attains integrity and dignity.
- Analyzes how the narrative is an insightful account of the psychology of slave owners and the merciless power the institution as a whole. frederick douglass refused to fall prey to this immoral system, resolving instead to fight back.
1390 wordsRead More - The Brutalizing Effects of Slavery Illustrated in the Book, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglassanalytical essayFrederick Douglass, the author of the book “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass”, said “I saw more clearly than ever the brutalizing effects of slavery upon both slave and slaveholder” (Douglass, p.71). Modern people can fairly and easily understand the negative effects of slavery upon slave. People have the idea of slaves that they are not allow to learn which makes them unable to read and write and also they don’t have enough time to take a rest and recover their injuries. However, the negative effects upon slaveholder are less obvious to modern people. People usually think about the positive effects of slavery upon slaveholder, such as getting inexpensive labor. In the book “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass”, Douglass also shows modern readers some brutalizing impact upon the owner of the slaves. He talks about Thomas Auld and Edward Covey who are his masters and also talks about Sophia Auld who is his mistress. We will talk about those three characters in the book which will help us to find out if there were the negative influences upon the owner of the slaves or not. Also, we will talk about the power that the slaveholders got from controlling their slaves and the fear that the slaveholders maybe had to understand how they were changed.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how douglass shows modern readers the brutalizing effects of slavery upon the owner of the slaves.
- Analyzes how thomas auld became a cowardly and cruel slaveholder who wanted the power to be called master by his slaves. his unconvincing performance and pretending as christian made him even crueler.
- Analyzes how slaveholders used their power arbitrarily and were addicted to the power. douglass got a severe whipping from mr. covey.
- Analyzes how douglass said that slaveholders were changed because of slavery and the power, but they were afraid of losing control over their slaves.
- Explains that edward covey was a slaveholder like thomas auld and he pretended to be christian. douglass's mistresses were kind and tender-hearted.
- Analyzes how douglass showed the readers that not only slaves but also slaveholders got brutalizing effects of slavery.
1637 wordsRead More - Frederick Douglass’ landmark narrative describes the dehumanization of African-American slaves, while simultaneously humanizing them through his moving prose. Douglass shows the dehumanization of slaves through depictions of violence, deindividuation, and the broken justice system. However, Douglass’ pursuit of an education, moving rhetoric, and critique of his own masters demonstrates to the reader that African-Americans are just as intelligent as white people, thus proving their humanity.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how frederick douglass' landmark narrative describes the dehumanization of african-american slaves, while humanizing them through his moving prose.
- Analyzes how douglas' masterful use of imagery leaves the reader with a mental picture of pain and anguish that should not be experienced by anyone.
- Analyzes how douglass uses parallelism by pairing each animal with man, woman, and child, which shows the slave holder’s thought process when valuing each human/animal.
- Analyzes how douglass' assertion that "to be accused was to be convicted" shows the injustice displayed towards african-americans. they were not even granted a fair trial.
- Analyzes how douglass used his creativity and intelligence to exploit the naiveté of children to trick them into teaching him how to read and write. by obtaining an education and displaying it in his narrative, he was able to demonstrate that african-americans are just as human as white men.
- Analyzes how douglass eloquently and efficiently re-humanizes african americans by using his vocabulary and complex syntax to manipulate the english language.
- Analyzes how douglass' constant critiquing of his own masters serves to justify his humanity. he angrily compares slaves and slave owners, using his personal struggles as a reference point.
1734 wordsRead More - The Narrative of Fredrick Douglassanalytical essayIn 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.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how conveys two complimentary tones of liberation and fear in the narrative of fredrick douglass.
- Analyzes how the detail present in the narrative conveys the tones of liberation and fear.
- Analyzes how the point of view of the narrative consistently remains constant in the passage. fredrick douglass had freedom at his feet, yet each new direction in his life led to different obstacles.
- Analyzes how fredrick douglass combines stylistic devices to produce a narrative using different, yet complimentary tones. the tone of liberation is present when he describes the joys of no longer having to bear the suffering society forced him to have.
732 wordsRead More - The Emancipation Proclamation ended the enslavement of African-Americans in 1863. While slaves were now free of the hardships concerning forced labor and total domination, some believed that slavery was a better life style compared to freedom. The Great Depression introduced new, and what seemed like more difficult, adversities former slaves were left to tackle without any assistance. Frederick Douglass’ 1845 Narrative exemplifies some of the true “pros” and cons of slavery. The convenient accommodations of slavery supported the wrongful, ethical view that African – Americans were better off enslaved.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the emancipation proclamation ended the enslavement of african-americans in 1863. frederick douglass' 1845 narrative exemplifies the true "pros" and cons of slavery.
- Explains that the great depression brought a whole new wave of poverty in the 1930's for the average african-american.
- Analyzes how douglass describes his tenure as a city slave and what he was able to observe through his daily routine. slaves were not hassled with the task of finding an occupation.
- Analyzes how the ethics of slavery presented a fresh sense of dehumanization. slaves were treated solely as property and nothing more.
- Analyzes how douglass describes the hardships of two other emaciated city slaves who were severely mistreated daily.
- Analyzes how douglass' grandmother served the old master's planation with slaves and was left to die with no honor or appreciation during her most vulnerable time.
- Explains that the force of a slave to be illiterate is one of the many negative aspects enslavement had to offer.
- Opines that slavery caused a severe type of depression on people and the nation. the enslavement of blacks led to segregation and racism.
1060 wordsRead More - Frederick Douglass: The Psychological Approaches Used to Maintain the Institution of Slaveryanalytical essayWithin the “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave” Douglass discusses the deplorable conditions in which he and his fellow slaves suffered from. While on Colonel Lloyd’s plantation, slaves were given a “monthly allowance of eight pounds of pork and one bushel of corn” (Douglass 224). Their annual clothing rations weren’t any better; considering the type of field work they did, what little clothing they were given quickly deteriorated. The lack of food and clothing matched the terrible living conditions. After working on the field all day, with very little rest the night before, they must sleep on the hard uncomfortably cramped floor with only a single blanket as protection from the cold. Coupled with the overseer’s irresponsible and abusive use of power, it is astonishing how three to four hundred slaves did not rebel. Slave-owners recognized that in able to restrict and control slaves more than physical violence was needed. Therefore in able to mold slaves into the submissive and subservient property they desired, slave-owners manipulated them by twisting religion, instilling fear, breaking familial ties, making them dependent, providing them with an incorrect view of freedom, as well as refusing them education.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how douglass discusses the deplorable conditions in which he and his fellow slaves suffered from while on colonel lloyd’s plantation.
- Analyzes how slave owners forced a perverse form of christianity, one that condoned slavery, upon slaves. douglass's master, captain thomas auld, epitomizes the christian southern slaveholder.
- Analyzes how douglass describes a great deal of violence committed by slaveholders.
- Analyzes how douglass' paranoia and lack of trust among slaves is reinforced by the cutting of family ties. slaves from different plantations would argue over whose master was better.
- Explains that slaves' powerlessness causes them to depend on their masters for food, clothing, and shelter. this dependence on them was integral to the preservation of the master's power and the sustaining of slave society.
- Analyzes how slaves were encouraged to drink whisky during christmas and new year's holidays to ensure they remained dependent.
- Analyzes how douglass realized the true meaning of freedom when he started learning to read. his mistress, sofia auld, taught him the a, b, and c's.
- Analyzes how the disillusioned slave recognized that the success of the institution of slavery is based on the slave's illiteracy. slaveholders were adamant about withholding any knowledge from slaves.
- Analyzes how douglass unveiled every kink in the well-oiled machine known as slavery. he revealed the false christianity of the south, the nonsensical dependence of slaves upon their masters, and the lack of understanding of freedom.
- Cites gale encyclopedia of american law, donna batten's 3rd ed. vol. 13, detroit, 2011. the slave experience: living conditions.
- Cites tolson, claudette l., "white supremacy." encyclopedia of race and racism.
1326 wordsRead More - Frederick Douglass Hopeanalytical essayNarrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an 1845 autobiography by the eponymous author, is rife with conflict and contradiction. The wealth and cruelty of slave owners is contrasted with the poverty and helplessness of slaves; the ideal of freedom is set against the looming dread of its consequences; but some of the most polarizing and intense conflicts are internal and paradoxical in nature. Among these is the idea of hope, to which the slaves cling and the masters try to crush. Hope almost always carries a positive connotation, but Frederick Douglass’ narrative exposes its paradox in relation to slavery and freedom, how it was used as a tool to both help and harm.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how frederick douglass' 1845 autobiography is rife with conflict and contradiction. the wealth and cruelty of slave owners is contrasted with poverty and helplessness.
- Analyzes how douglass uses the metaphor of the great house farm and situational irony in regards to slaves who wanted to work there to convey his negative perception of hope.
- Analyzes how douglass uses juxtaposition to show how education unveiled a brighter side to hope, allowing him to realize his true potential, as opposed to keeping him in chains.
- Analyzes how hope can be the key to freedom or just a different sort of prison, as douglass experiences both sides of the paradox. it is ultimately the uplifting effect of hope that pushes him to fight back against his oppression.
705 wordsRead More - Dehumanization and Freedom in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass The issue of slavery in antebellum America was not black and white. Generally people in the North opposed slavery, while inhabitants of the South promoted it. However, many people were indifferent.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how frederick douglass wrote his narrative to persuade the indifferent northern residents to see slavery as a degrading practice.
- Analyzes how frederick douglass emphasizes the dehumanization aspect of slavery throughout his narrative. he is separated from his mother early in infancy and put under the care of his grandmother.
- Analyzes how douglass carves the vivid picture of dehumanization into the reader's minds when he writes about the whippings slaves endure.
- Analyzes how douglass recalls the scene at feeding time resembled that of dumping out the garbage and having rats fight over the best pieces. the slaves are treated like animals and not like people.
- Analyzes how douglass recalls hearing the incoherent slave songs as testimony against slavery and a prayer to god for release from chains.
- Explains that douglass is astonished that some in the north consider the slave's singing as evidence of happiness, but he wants freedom and gets it when moving from the country to the city.
- Explains that for douglass, moving to baltimore is a major turning point in his life because it is where he learns how to read and write.
- Analyzes how douglass is broken to the point of wanting to take his life and that of mr. covey, but a flicker of hope keeps him going.
- Analyzes how douglass struggles with leaving his friends and loved ones in baltimore. the bonds that the slaves formed with each other were essential for their survival on the plantations.
- Describes how douglass settles down with his newly wedded wife, anna, in new bedford, massachusetts, with the help of mr. and mrs. nathan johnson.
- Analyzes how douglass is surprised to find that the north, without slave labor, can be so prosperous. he sees in mr. johnson, the embodiment of the free colored person.
- Concludes that frederick douglass' narrative is instrumental in swaying the views of the indifferent northern residents.
1733 wordsRead More