Frederick Douglass-Personal Narrative

Towards the end of chapter ten in The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglas describes how slave owners would make slaves’ holidays miserable. Slave owners did this to manipulate the slaves into believing that they are better off in slavery. They would entice slaves to get drunk by placing bets on who could drink the most. When a slave had had enough to drink, he would then ask for something else, but unknowingly receive more alcohol. As a result, slaves would prefer to work in the fields instead of having holidays. This passage illustrates how African Americans remained content in their shackles of slavery for 245 years in America.

In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglass explains, in great detail, how slave master would use a variety of methods to dehumanize slaves located on their plantation. These methods involved both severe physical and psychological trauma. Nevertheless, Douglass remains diligent and finds a way to resist the harsh reality of being a slave. Because of his immovable desire to acquire knowledge to his fighting encounter with Mr. Covey, these experiences help shape Douglass to be the archetype of what it means to go from slavery to freedom. This essay will highlight the physical and psychological tactics used on slaves. In addition, the aspect of how Douglass resists the

In the “narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass an American slave written by himself” Frederick reveled to audience the time he was living as a slave and the moments of brutal treats for example psychological, emotional and physical abuses. He was suffering terrible moments during his 20 years as a slave in the twentieth century. In addition, he describes in his own words the strategies he used to escape from the slave holders and to be free.

As I analyze the speech Frederick Douglass wrote, it becomes clear Douglass satirizes and dramatizes phrases, enumerates word repetitions, and recounts thoughts filled with imagination, inspiration and personal experiences. Douglass exposes multiple hardships suffered while describing the many challenges he encounters during enslavement. Communicating to the world his distinguished life, including Douglass’ comments while living as a slave along with multiple treacherous conditions, Douglass elicits questions and extrapolates empathy from this reader. Douglass’ guides readers understanding as to why life as a slave symbolizes attacks on individualism. His characterizations allow future generations to continue to sympathize with the plight of humanity should we not oppose this immoral lifestyle. Douglass’ speech enriches and elevates deep empathy for slaves. Douglass vividly highlights each spoken word as he interprets his past life and identifies his anticipations of one day living free.

Moans of anguish fill the air, a man has fallen down from intense labor and is getting whipped to get back up. The man tries to get up, desperately pushing himself off the ground, yet the whip lashing into his body gives him no such opportunity. Eventually he falls flat, never to get up again. The person who was whipping him shrugged, “He was a waste of food anyways.” This was the life for a slave in the South before the Civil War. Destined to work in chains until they weren’t of use to the owner. In this essay I will prove that the North learning of the harsh treatment of slaves through the Fugitive Slave

Harriet Jacobs and Frederick Douglass both wrote narratives that detailed their lives as slaves in the antebellum era. Both of these former slaves managed to escape to the North and wanted to expose slavery for the evil thing it was. The accounts tell equally of depravity and ugliness though they are different views of the same rotten institution. Like most who managed to escape the shackles of slavery, these two authors share a common bond of tenacity and authenticity. Their voices are different—one is timid, quiet, and almost apologetic while the other one is loud, strong, and confident—but they are both authentic. They both also through out the course of their narratives explain their desires to be free from the horrible practice of slavery.

  “Slavery proved as injurious to her as it did to me. When I went there, she was a pious, warm, and tender-hearted woman. There was no sorrow or suffering for which she had not a tear. She had bread for the hungry, clothes for the naked, and comfort for every mourner that came within her reach. Slavery soon proved its ability to divest her of these heavenly qualities. Under its influence, the tender heart became stone, and the lamblike disposition gave way to one of tiger-like fierceness.”

When describing horrific events he was forced to witness, the tone of Douglass’ voice becomes very detached, as if he is so used to witnessing beatings that it has become a normal event. Douglass also writes, “He was immediately chained and handcuffed; and thus, without a moments warning, he was snatched away, from his friends and family, by a hand more unrelenting than death” (34). This quote is used by Douglass to infuse a feeling of disbelief in the hearts of the audience, for the man in the quote earned this punishment for merely speaking the truth one time. The audience feels sympathy towards this slave for being taken away for something that should not be punished.

Hidden underneath a cloaks of materialistic wealth and “religious devotion” slave owners retain the same evil prerogative and negative sentiment towards African Americans. Slave owners were acquisitive and put more value on their garden plantations and horses than on the lives of African Americans. Slaves must meticulously take care of the horses that live on the plantations because slave owners would punish them if the horses’ “food was too wet or too dry; he got it too soon or too late; he was too hot or too cold; he had too much hay and not enough grain” (Douglass). Repetition of the word “too” emphasizes that slaves, no matter how hard they tried, were never fully able to complete a task correctly and, in the minds of slaveholders, if a task was not completed correctly, slaves did not “deserve” compensation. It is ironic that the treatment of slaves was inherently worse than that of actual animals which furthers the fact that slavery summoned a role reversal in society; slaves were forcefully overworked like animals and the animals became human.

Many slaves on the plantation had been drafted by the confederates to fight everyone of them have not been heard from since. One day nathaniel came by to talk to me when I was picking cotton when he announced that he had just been drafted to fight. I had never seen Nathaniel in so much despair. He was was so sad because he had to fight against his own freedom.”

As long as I was friends with them, I felt secure and sure that their guidance would lead me through my journey on the road to success.

Douglass gives detailed anecdotes of his and others experience with the institution of slavery to reveal the hidden horrors. He includes personal accounts he received while under the control of multiple different masters. He analyzes the story of his wife’s cousin’s death to provide a symbol of outrage due to the unfairness of the murderer’s freedom. He states, “The offence for which this girl was thus murdered was this: She had been set that night to mind Mrs. Hicks’s baby, and during the night she fell asleep, and the baby cried.” This anecdote, among many others, is helpful in persuading the reader to understand the severity of rule slaveholders hold above their slaves. This strategy displays the idea that slaves were seen as property and could be discarded easily.

When I was looking around my room, hoping to find something interesting, I saw a small window opposite the door. I was sure I would

I have been helped because they have been here helping me, my spouse and my daughter. They give me much good support. (PAUSE)

We walked around the sidewalk while the fence guarded the limitations of where we were able to roam freely. My cousin suggested that we enter the gateway to look at the attractions displayed outside in the garden area. At the time I had a weird instinct and was starting to feel off and weary of the idea. I wanted to venture around but was not keen on the suggestion. As I