Non-Slave Narratives

In this paper I will compare the writings of Harriet Jacobs and Frederick Douglass. I will touch on their genre, purpose, content, and style. Both authors were born into slavery. Both escaped to freedom and fought to bring an end to slavery, each in their own way. Both Jacobs and Douglass have a different purpose for their writings.

Frederick Douglass, an abolitionist who altered America's views of slavery through his writings and actions. Frederick's life as a slave had the greatest impact on his writings. Through his experience as a slave, he developed emotion and experience for him to become a successful abolitionist writer. He experienced harsh treatment and his hate for slavery and desire to be free caused him to write Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. In his Narrative, he wrote the story of his miserable life as a slave and his fight to be free. His motivation behind the character (himself) was to make it through another day so that maybe one day he might be free. By speaking out, fighting as an abolitionist and finally becoming an author,

The purpose behind Fredrick Douglass’s Narrative was to appeal to the other abolitionists who he wanted to convince that slave owners were wrong for their treatment of other human beings. His goal was to appeal to the middle-class people of that time and persuade them to get on board with the abolitionist movement. Douglass had a great writing style that was descriptive as well as convincing. He stayed away from the horrific details of the time, which helped him grasp the attention of the women who in turn would convince their husbands to help by donating money and eventually ending slavery. He used his words effectively in convincing the readers that the slave owners were inhuman and showed how they had no feelings for other human

The changes of slavery shown through American history from the eighteenth and nineteenth-century, dealing with the horrific brutality and inhumane treatment accepted by much of society, all of the way up to present day, as we just recently had America’s first black president Barrack Obama elected in 2008, show drastic improvements on a national crisis that can be heavily credited to the great historical abolitionist of their time and even still the modern day abolitionists continuing to fight. The abolitionist movement was not simply pushed forward by groups of individuals who agreed on the basis that slavery and what was going on at the time was wrong, but instead was heavily impacted by key individuals who typically had experienced first person what it was like on the side of the chained captive workers who were seen as nothing more than mere property they owned. And while for a multitude of those held captive the only life they

Born into slavery in 1817, Frederick Douglass was soon separated from his mother and sent to Baltimore, where he learned to read and write. After he tried to escape many times, he finally got free with a free man’s papers. When free, he got married and started to speak at anti-slavery meetings, where he impressed an abolitionist leader and was asked to be an agent for them. Sadly, people doubted whether he actually could have been a slave, which convinced him to write an autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Fearing his cover would be blown, he embarked on a lecture tour of the British Isles.

After he told his story, he was encouraged to become an anti-slavery lecturer. Many of the men on the counsel were very impressed and said that he had the fearlessness of William Lloyd Garrison. In one of his many incredible speeches he said the famous quote “ We have in this nation the element of domestic slavery. The Republican Party think it wrong-we think it is a moral, a social, and a political wrong… that affects the existence of the whole nation’. This quote shows how in Douglass point of view that it was the North’s calling to go into the South and stop slavery. Not only did Douglass think that slavery was a moral wrong he felt like the process of slavery hurt the Nation as a whole. Douglass wrote books published articles in magazines and did whatever he could to try to get the message out to the American people that this wicked, cruel process that went on in the South was like a beast if it was unleashed it could mean trouble for everyone. “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.’1-Fredrick Douglass: This quote talks about how the more you fail the greater the chances will be that the next generation or the next generation could possibly succeed. Fredrick Douglass voice at first was not heard but it gradually increased until it was like a roar and everyone knew what his message was. The key reason as to why he was a major abolitionist was that he knew firsthand what it felt like to be an American slave. Frederick Douglass would continue his active

Being a slave, Douglass shouldn’t even be able to read, nevermind write a bestselling book. The fact that someone with a background as crazy as Douglass was writing a book exposing what was going on sounded impossible, but once again Douglass made it possible. Doing this made him stand out because he was sharing a story that many people hadn’t heard. What really happened on the plantations wasn’t clear, but Douglass was brave enough to tell the world the truth and share his stories. It is one thing for Douglass to tell his life at a podium or a convention, but sharing it the way he did spoke so much more volume. It broadcasted the hardships of slaves but yet it also showed that Douglass was able to overcome those hurdles. It gave hope to slaves; someone who was abused and documented all of his life was able to learn how to write and then wrote what is today one of the most influential and important books related to the Civil War. Also, in 1845 when he wrote this, what he had done was illegal; he ran away from the plantation he was on and instead of hiding up in the north, he risked his freedom in order to try to give the feeling of having control of your life to other slaves. This book was more than just a way to free slaves; it was a message about perseverance, hope, and

In 1833 Douglass was sent to a “slave breaker” who flagellated him constantly in an effort to physically and mentally break him down. Finally after 6 months of working with covey in all kinds of weather conditions every day except Sunday, Douglass was “broken in body, soul, and spirit.”(Douglass 2064-2128) Douglass lost the will to do anything intellectually he was numbed expressively “my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark that lingered about my eye died…” (Douglass 2064-2128). After enduring this treatment he tried to get protection from his former master and absconded to him. After this covey was set on beating Douglass to death and in a stable he tried where Douglass fought back and told covey “that he had used me like a brute for six months, and that I was determined to be used so no longer.”(Douglass 2064-2128) Only until Douglass seized this opportunity was he no longer subject to covey’s yoke of oppression. No longer bound his mind was free to soar and he was able to pen his autobiography in addition he was also an abolitionist who helped end slavery. His path through slavery was harsh and it took great patience to withstand that condition and to rise up. His experience of slavery was no different than any other slave of the time

Frederick Douglass wrote this narrative after he escaped from slavery. He planned many escapes from his slave owner’s plantations, but learned quickly he had to do it himself as opposed to with people, if he wanted it to work. At the Auld plantation, Mrs. Auld started to teach him how to read. This continued until one day when Mrs. Auld’s husband scolded her for doing so, explaining that slaves become dangerous when educated. Once he could read proficiently, Douglass began reading The Colombian Orator. This book, composed of 19th century speeches about the abolishment of slavery and freedom, pushed him even more to escape. The final escape he planned was set for September 3rd, where he would head to New York. In New York, he encountered Mr. Ruggles,

Douglass's narrative is like a highway map, showing us the road from slavery to freedom. His big minus was he born slave it is very difficult when you born as a slave, because when you born as a slave it's very difficult to change to free person, because he used to live as a slave not as a Fredrick Douglass, but his passion made him change when he learned to read and when he read books he started fantasying himself as a free, He says " The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers. They gave tongue to interesting thoughts of my own soul, which had frequently lashed through my mind, and died away for want of utterance". It's no doubt that had many obstacles before escaping to New Yory, but he was boldness he risked his life he can even die choosing freedom but he understand that there is no life if there is no freedom. He listened his instinct instead of relying his experiences. For me Fredrick Douglasss is the person who made nothing from something. He is

The book Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, by Frederick Douglass, is a story about Frederick Douglass’s life as a slave and how he goes on his quest to achieve freedom. Douglass was born into slavery and goes from master to master, and he finally sees the power of education when he reaches Baltimore to work for some new people. Here Douglass begins to learn how to read and write and he uses this to his advantage in hopes of becoming free one day. He manages to teach himself how to read in secret and then helps the other slaves become more literate. Eventually Douglass does manage to escape but he doesn’t stop there, he becomes an activist himself in hopes of ending all slavery one day. Through this book, Douglass reveals that

After two attempts Douglass was able to successfully escape from slavery by putting on a sailor’s uniform and using fake identification papers from a free black seaman in 1838 in less than 24 hours. Douglass escaped from slavery at the age of 20 and became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in New York and one of the most influential African American figures for this time. While in New York Douglass published a newspaper called the “North Star” where Douglass was able to share his viewpoints and goals on how to abolish slavery in every form. He was also viewed as an American icon in the way he promoted the progressive thoughts on racial inequality and women’s rights. Douglass was also known for his interest in women’s rights at this time. Douglass became a public speaker and would speak out on his views on women’s rights and he would tell his story about being a slave. Douglass was a role model to Black people and he was an important intellectual for his time.

Wallace Quarterman (1935) was a slave on Skidaway Island, Georgia before the Civil War. The available audio narrative covers only a portion of his life, primarily from the moment of his freedom through coping with Reconstruction. Aunt Harriet Smith (1941) provides a longer view of her life on the outskirts of San Antonio, Texas, from her childhood through her three marriages. Both reported being treated well by their 'masters' before the Civil War ended.

I silently fight. My neighbors think of me as just a good cook and wife, but I do so much more. There is true compassion and desire in my heart to see the slaves be free. I have not always thought this way. I once thought that if I just ignored what was going on and refused to participate in it then I was a good person. One day though when I was thinking and agreeing with the Fugitive Slave Law an incident happened where my opinion on slavery was drastically changed.

Slave Narratives were written by the slaves themselves or narrated by them and written by a friend or a relative and some were even passed on orally. These narratives depicted the difficult lives of the hardworking slaves; description of cruel masters, whippings, difficulties encountered in learning to read and write, slave auctions and their successful attempts to escape as well as foiled escape attempts. One of the defining characteristics of the slave narrative is the testimonial or letter of authenticity generally written by a white editor or abolitionist friend of the narrator. In order to be published, black authors had to be endorsed by whites who could testify to their credibility and the authenticity of their stories. One of the defining