Similarities Between Frederick Douglass And The Journey To Freedom

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The journey to freedom is one that people today do not walked upon often. In the pre-civil rights era the search for freedom was a daily occurrence and back then freedom was not as justified for all as it is currently. In the novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain the main character Huck searches for freedom from the civilized world which he is trying to escape from, while in the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: an American Slave by Frederick Douglas himself, he searches for freedom from literal enslavement and repression. These two characters are both on a journey to live a more free life that they desire on their pursuit to happiness. These two are very different, in the sense that these individuals are of different …show more content…

Covey 's. Douglass said, "Mr. Covey succeeded in breaking me [...] my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed [...] the dark night of slavery closed in upon me[...]" ( Douglass, ??). Mr. Covey was known as a slave breaker, which means he could make a slave go from thinking for himself and about rebellion to only being compliant to the white man and his orders. Mr. Covey was successful in doing this with Douglass though his constant brutal whippings. Douglass had started to lose hope. The slave life was beginning to tear him down causing him to not use his knowledge. This was an important time because this losing hope is an obstacle to Douglass. This was a test of his spirits and limits to his body and mind but lead to his ultimate rebellion which further opened the door to his freedom. Douglass said, "I resolved to fight; and [...]I seized Covey hard by the throat[...]my resistance was so entirely unexpected [...]"(Douglass, ??). Even after being broke by Mr. Covey Douglass still resisted which gave him back his spirit. This experience gave Frederick Douglass even more motivation to search for freedom. This first instance of direct rebellion will lead Frederick Douglass to greater plans down the road. The past feelings to learn and be free one day are now returning to him. After facing Covey, Douglass’ self-confidence returned along with his determination and desire to be free. Douglass began to feel a way that he’d never experienced before, being able to stand up to a white man and not get killed for it must have invigorated him. He was able to have the heavy weight of fear lifted from him which set him free mentally even though he was still enslaved physically. Douglass even went further to directly thinking, "[...] I might remain a slave in form, the day had passed forever when I could be a slave in fact [...]" ( Douglass,

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