Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave

Douglass’ slave narrative was one of the best of the time because of its credibility and praiseworthy use of the English language. A slave narrative is a persuasive piece of literature with a purpose of convincing the white Northerners to abolish slavery. Most slaves didn’t know how to read or write which is why most slave narratives had to be dictated; making them less credible. However, Douglass’ narrative was “written by himself.” This increases its credibility by ten folds since it is the unrefined truth which has not gone through the filter of dictation. Moreover, all through the book, Douglass gives us information on the lives of slaves

In a Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave written by himself, the author argues that no one can be enslaved if he or she has the ability to read, write, and think. Douglass supports his claim by first providing details of his attempts to earn an education, and secondly by explaining the conversion of a single slaveholder. The author’s purpose is to reveal the evils of slavery to the wider public in order to gain support for the abolition of his terrifying practice. Based on the purpose of writing the book and the graphic detail of his stories, Douglass is writing to influence people of higher power, such as abolitionists, to abolish the appalling reality of slavery; developing a sympathetic relationship with the

Frederick Douglass focuses mostly on appealing emotionally to pathos through the use of imagery. He writes, “there were no beds given the slaves, unless one coarse blanket be considered such.” He again appeals to pathos when describing the eating portions. Douglass explains the eating troughs used for children and says “few left the trough satisfied.” Douglass illustrates the cruel conditions slaves faced, from the bare sleeping quarters to the harsh whippings received. This effects the reader by helping them visualize the conditions the slaves were placed in. He chose to do this to inform those who weren’t aware of what was happening inside the gated properties. Douglass next establishes credibility through the use of ethos. He begins his narrative by giving background information and stating that he has “no accurate knowledge” of his age. Douglass implies that he can be trusted because of his own personal experience.

In Frederick Douglass’s autobiography, The Narrative of Frederick Douglass, he writes in depth about his life as a slave. His intent for the book is to abolish slavery. He targets the white Northern men by using the three rhetorical appeals: logos, ethos, and pathos, to convince his goal. He also portrays the religious aspect, in Christian values. Narrating his personal experiences with his masters and fellow slaves, he states reasons of the immorality of enslavement. Douglass argues that slavery ultimately dehumanizes slave owners and demonstrates that slavery is immoral.

In the extract “Learning to Read and Write,” Frederick Douglass tells the intended audience about his experiences as a slave living in his master’s house and how he went through many trials to learn to read and write. In this excerpt, Frederick Douglass uses imagery, contrast, pathos, ethos, logos, an empathic tone, certain verb choice, and metaphors to inform African Americans of how crucial it is to learn how to read and write and to inform an audience of caucasian Americans of the wrongdoings that slavery has brought about. Frederick Douglass is often persuasive using pathos to get across to the intended audiences.

The most obvious representation is seen when he describes coming to understand the word abolitionist, “the light broke in upon me by degrees”. The light acts as a metaphor for his comprehension of what it means to be an abolitionist and additionally delivers the concept of gradually learning the word. The usage of metaphors deepens the reader's awareness of the content and decipherment of the text. Altogether, metaphors help to enrich Douglass’s writing whilst presenting his purpose of intelligence being fundamental for living a liberated life.

Describe THREE specifics from the text that BEST illustrate the author’s message and/or purpose: Douglass accomplishes his purpose of persuading his audience of the horrors of slavery by detailing instances where he and other slaves were treated with brute. For example, Douglass recounts Mr. Gore whipping Demby, a slave who then escapes in a nearby stream. After Demby does not return after Mr. Gore gives three calls, Mr.

In the narrative excerpt “Learning to Read and Write” (1845), which originally came from the autobiography Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Frederick Douglass recapitulates his journey into the coming of literacy that shifts his point to how slavery really is. Douglass develops and supports his main idea by providing a flashback of his own experience as a slave learning to read and write and through dialogue with rhetorical appeals, such as ethos, pathos, and logos. Douglass’ apparent purpose is to retell his story of the obstacles he faced to finally become a free man to guide and prompt other fellow slaves to finally take action for their freedom; he also wants to establish a foundation in which people of higher power, such as abolitionists, are more aware of the slavery situation. The intended audience for this excerpt is the general public of the time consisting of fellow slaves, slave owners, and abolitionists; the relationship Douglass establishes with the audience is equivalent to a news reporter and the people receiving the message—he exposes the truth to them.

“The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” is often told with a harsh and unemotional tone; it is this euphemistic style that gives the reader a keen insight into the writer's epoch as a slave in Maryland during the early 1800’s. Douglass never let us forget that his narrative was true, he wanted the readers to understand the truth that was Douglass's life, in addition the symbols and allusions that populate this book showing the intelligence and sophistication of the writer, while the detached writing also gives the reader another look into that time’s attitude and into Douglass’s own perception.

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

Frederick Douglass's narrative is an interesting and educative 1845 memoir of a former slave and orator Fredrick Douglas. The narrative explains the events of the author’s life as a slave since childhood until he escapes from the bondage of slavery. The story is divided into eleven chapters, each explaining important events in the life of Fredrick and his fellow slaves. Throughout the narrative, the orator explains various episodes of sadness and happiness in the lives of slaves who are always at the mercy of their slave. The author also expresses the hypocrisy White people who enslaved people while preaching the saving power of Jesus Christ. In the end, the author argues for abolition, and explains his major role in advocating for the abolition

Although many people think they know the brutality about slavery, not many people truly understand the hardships that people had to really face. In Frederick Douglass’s, “ Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass,” he portrays slavery in many different ways through emotion, fact, and first hand experience. The book is his life story going through the depths of slavery and persevering through all the bad until he insures his freedom. In the book he uses many different strategies that shows people the horrors of slavery through his literate writing style. In my mind, I think the most effective examples of persuasive appeals as an anti-slavery book is his use of logic, reason, emotion, and appeal.

To encourage said actions, Douglass fabricated a "black public persona" with his lectures and publications. 2 Through such lectures he was able to construct the slave into a "performer" or even a type of art form and thus inspired the reader recognize them as a person with emotions and a personality instead of the property that they were viewed as. 3 In turn, Douglass anticipated that the audience or reader would reflect on the inhumanity towards those that people were so quick to consider less than themselves because of the pigment of their skin. By using this technique, in a way, he was able to stress the idea that despite rationality, imagination was able to prevail. In doing this, he aided in the war against tolerating slavery by advocating the "picture-making proclivity" trait of human nature. 4 Not only did Douglass want to change the perspective on slavery with art, but with literature as well. Although Douglass wasn't a

The purpose that Frederick Douglass has for writing this book is a political purpose. This purpose was to

However, I did not question the evidence he provided because I had previously found it to be true. Instead, I ended up questioning his tone of writing as well as the rhetorical devices he used. I was inquiring what devices he used and what their purpose was in the narrative. I inquired about these devices because it was a way for me to understand the text more in depth. I needed to ponder about his tone because I was expecting his tone to be angry due to the injustices he experienced but, his tone was solemn. He uses this tone to appear rational in order to appeal to his audience. Douglass centers his rhetorical devices and his tone around what appeals to his audience because he wants them to feel comfortable. Their comfort matters to Douglass because he wants his readers to support his cause to end slavery. This connection was also one of the first times I realized the relationship between reader and