The book describes what different characters experienced under varied circumstances. Some slaves had kind masters, whereas others had cruel dictators. In short, the slave owner’s disposition and personality did determine how their slaves would be treated. Comparatively, the type of jobs that slaves did depended on their environment as well as their skill set. Therefore, 12 Years a Slave is a gripping memoir that addresses the diversity of slavery in full color and provides a clear warning of the moral consequences slavery disregards.
Douglass’s work revealed how the slaves were treated as though they had neither value nor rights as human beings. Many times throughout Douglass’s life he witnessed the cruel beatings of his fellow slaves. One such example was when Douglass’s aunt Hester was whipped and beaten until she bled profusely (Douglass, 1845/1995, p. 4-5). The cruelty displayed through this occurrence was not uncommon in the slave-holding world. Although it seemed inhumane, the slaveholders of the South held no value in the lives of their numerous slaves.
Did Gender Make a Difference within Slavery? Within slavery there were harsh conditions which Frederick Douglass tries to convey in his biography "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass." Within this narrative he dezribes how men and women slaves were treated differently by their masters. Women were abused by their master, physically, sexually, and mentally, while men were mostly abused physically and mentally. Many slave women suffered regular beatings.
Men and Women’s treatment has been different as long as the two have been around to notice the difference. Even in the realm of slavery women and men were not treated the same although both were treated in horrible ways. Harriet Jacobs and Fredrick Douglass’ story is very similar both were born into slavery and later rose above the oppression to become molders of minds. In time of subjugation to African Americans these two writers rose up and did great things especially with their writing. Both Douglass and Jacobs’ experienced different types of slavery, it shaped their perspective on everything and it also shows the importance of their freedom.
Lhamon, he informed the readers about the “ Great Negro Plot”. The name of the revolt vilified and gave the blame to slaves while the organization was hardly a “Negro” revolt (Lhamon 20). The intimate relationship became very intensive as slaveholders in America capitalized their right of possession over another being. Phrases such as ‘my slave’ or ‘our slaves’ were subtle forms of attachment. When slaves ran away, there were mixed feelings of anger, betrayal, and confusion among the slaveholders.
Through the depictions of Mrs. Auld, Mr. Covey and Mr. Hopkins, Douglass shows the negative effects slavery possess over the actions of slave owners. The brutal slaveholders not only ruin their own character, but also harms the slaves. The unhappy environment slaves are subjected to live under results in crushed spirits and dreams. Douglass uses his experiences to show that man attains happiness when he becomes his own master.
The slave narrative genre is an important part of American history. These stories are not only portraits of individual history, but also of American history. By reading the stories of the past we can better determine the path of the future. The personal stories of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs are two excellent examples of the slave narrative genre in American literature. To be sure, bondage and oppression had a lasting and profound effect on both genders; however, men and women experienced slavery in different ways.
The children caused tension between mistresses and slave women. The mistresses had to deal with the results of their husband’s infidelity . They were usually powerless and there and at that time, divorce was not an option. Due to jealousy and rage they often took out their anger on the slave women and her slave children. The slave husbands had no control over their masters forcing their wives into having sexual relations with them.
In Middle Ages women could not inherit any land from their parents if their male siblings were still alive. Weather women lived in a town or village that did not change how much they had to do. If you were a women in the Middle Ages living in the village you had to do most of the work men did on land however, they were paid less. In Medieval town women thought it was hard to develope trades so, most of the work they completed had to do with making clothes. As you can tell women had a hard life.
The cruelty shown to individual slaves in individual moments contributes greatly to the fear with which slaves view their masters. That same fear, though, also contributes to the absolute deference most slaves had towards their masters. Douglass describes the so-called “honor” associated with being a slave that is chosen to go to the Great House Farm. Being selected means that a slave is out of the fields, and away from the punishing abuse of his overseer. Douglass compares the slave’s desire for recognition to that of a white man in politics, writing, “[t]he competitors for this office sought as diligently to please their overseers, as the office-seekers in the political parties seek to please and deceive the people.” That is to say that just as lower classes of white men will do whatever it takes to climb the ranks to a better status, a slave will gladly exchange pride for the safety that comes with an overseer’s