During the mid-nineteenth century, slavery was still practiced around most of the places in America. Frederick Douglass describes slavery according to ante-bellum African American in his “The Slave Narrative”. It is focused on the slave’s personal experiences who had fled from slavery and sheltered for safety in the northern states. Douglass is successful in describing his sufferings and pain in first person narrative, when he was a slave, in a very realistic and depicting manner. Emerson however has his key work on individuality by emphasizing the significance of thinking for oneself instead of modestly accepting other people's concepts. In most of his literature, he indorses individual involvement and experience over the understanding …show more content…
He has emphasized knowledge as a way or path to liberty and freedom. Douglass expressed his own self-education as the major means by which he was able to free himself, and used his knowledge as his ultimate tool to work for the independence of all slaves. He has mentioned that slavery as a system not only harmed just the captives but also their owners. Emerson’s believed that everyone should accept the position they are assigned in this world would be false for Douglass’s life. Douglass has said that the unethical and unreliable power that slave owner’s delight in over their slaves has a harmful effect on the owners’ own moral wellbeing. Using this particular theme, Douglass has completed overarching interpretation of slavery as unbeneficial for all slaves as well as owners. Like Emerson said, “Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” (Emerson, 1336). This quote clarifies his vision of trusting in our self and acting independently. He has expressed the view that we as an individual , we have unique vision and ideas, which in most case is not accepted by society as it follows a definite formula of one way career and is focused in materialistic prosperity rather than intellectual growth. Since these materialistic objectives are so engrained in us, we should learn to rely in our own instincts as to what society says us. Our society has its base on fears of chaos, and any different views or ideas if presented will make it
The author’s diction illustrates Douglass view of the world around him and his feelings about a community created by fear and injustices. “The wretchedness of slavery” provoked Douglass to “trust no man”, which gave him the sense of feeling “perfectly helpless.” Being imprisoned in slavery for so long caused Douglass to witness the evils of man and experienced the cruelty of being alone. Even more when the “ferocious beats” showed their “greediness to swallow” it left Douglass “toil-worn and whip-scarred.” As time passed by Douglass’ desire for freedom has grown. However, when he does escape he puts himself in his own state of slavery that is run by fear. Douglass’ desires has not even freed him, but it also allowed him to live in life without
Frederick Douglass’ autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave offers a depiction of slavery like very few before him, from his firsthand accounts. Douglass wanted to show his opposition to slavery and knew he would meet many criticisms. Due to this criticism, he had to mask much of his work with irony. Some of his works are obvious and others are a bit harder to see. The more difficult ones were put in place by Douglass in order to provide a deep and profound statement, without arousing too much opposition. If he had he would have faced much more threats than he did. He not only
How does Fredrick Douglass make an effective argument against slavery? Book, "The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass", by Fredrick Douglass, Fredrick was a slave practically most of his childhood. Fredrick Douglass talk about his ups and downs, and really explain how slavery is unmoral, and unjust. Slavery caused god people to do really bad things. In reality, being more religious cause the master to be even more cruel. Fredrick considered the worst slave owners to be more religious people. Fredrick Douglass uses ethos, pathos, and logos to support his argument against slavery.
Douglass got his passion to promote freedom for all slaves after he escaped from slavery and ultimately had an end goal to “abolish slavery in all its forms and aspects, and promote the moral and intellectual improvement of the coloured people and hasten the day of freedom to the three million of enslaved fellow countrymen”. He also wrote several autobiographies describing his experiences as a slave. One of the autobiographies in particular, ‘Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave’ published in 1845 was a best-selling and was extremely influential for promoting the cause of abolition. The narrative shows a compelling argument to basic human rights thus making it extremely influential as the narrative clearly possesses features and linguistic skills, which for most white people, negated their common perception of black people being illiterate in the 19th century.
Douglass also in his speeches liberated what Americans in this economy would have done with blacks. In his speech “what the blacks want” he states, “I have had but one answer from the beginning. Do nothing with us! Your doing with us has already played the mischief.” (Douglass). Society’s “America” has already put us in a category. Race we are not superior or equal to no other. Economically we don’t have the means to live out what we strive for. Education wise we have none, we are not sufficient enough to read or write for us to have a better life. Douglass in this speech stresses to leave us alone we are cable of doing bad or good on our own. His would view principle of self-ownership, which he understood to include both the racial and equality.
America’s history will be scarred forever by the evils of slavery which once existed here. Slaves lived lives of pain and hardship. But some, like the slave and later abolitionist Frederick Douglass, rose up from the tribulations of slavery and led the way for progress and change in America. In his autobiography “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass”, Douglass tells his inspiring yet harrowing story of his life as a slave in Maryland and his escape to freedom in New York and later Massachusetts, where he eventually became an abolitionist. Douglass masterfully uses ethos, pathos, and logos to craft his powerful narrative that exposes to his audience, the American people, the horrors, absurdity, and hypocrisy of slavery.
While the narrative’s purpose is mainly to describe the transformation from a slave to a free man, it is also to describe the transformation from a man into a slave. The passage from The Narrative and Life of Frederick Douglass depicts Douglass’s descent into the most brutal conditions of slavery and his reaffirmation of his desire to be free. Under the possession of Mr. Covey, Douglass finds himself to be a broken spirit confined to the bonds of slavery, though later transitions to describe the reigniting of his few expiring embers of freedom. The passage enforces his rage and aggression towards slavery, but the strength of the third paragraph also brings to life his desire for freedom and his willingness to act on the incentive.
During the mid-19th century, the issue of slavery divided the nation between two firmly rooted camps, the southern slave owners and the northern abolitionists. As authors and activists attempted to shed light on the issue of slavery, they appealed to the millions of citizens who were in between camps, whether due to a lack of knowledge or lack of importance in their daily lives. The story of Frederick Douglass is one such literary work that helped inform American citizens on the horrors of slavery, offering a first-hand account as Douglass rose from a slave to an educated free man. Within his narrative, Douglass describes his life as a slave and transition into American society with newfound freedom, highlighting the dehumanizing results of slavery. Furthermore, Douglass appeals to the three Aristotelian appeals throughout his novel, synthesizing the argument that slavery should be abolished. Specifically, Douglass makes use of vivid imagery that appeals to readers’ pathos, inciting horror in his audience at the sight of atrocities committed by slave owners. Moreover, Douglass references a number of prominent literary works when forming analogies between slavery and history, appealing to readers’ ethos by illustrating his education and increasing the credibility of his argument. Finally, Douglass utilizes a parallel sentence structure to appeal to readers’ logos by presenting his arguments in a cohesive and logical manner when writing of the slave’s lack of autonomy over their own lives .
The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me”-Douglass. Showing comparison but most important, a point of view; which stand out his anger and his will to end the slavery comparing the rejoice of ones, and the pain of others at the same time.
In reading “The Columbian Orator” by Caleb Binghams, Douglass learns that the slave industry is dependent on the constant and absolute control of slaveholders over their slaves.[] Therefore, in order to maintain control, slaveholders perpetuated slavery by maintaining their slave’s ignorance and depriving them of an education.[] By doing so, slave owners reduced their slave’s state of mind to that of an animal, unable to think, speak and advocate for themselves. After reading “The Columbian Orator,” in particular the Dialogues Between a Master and Slave by John Aikins, Douglass understood the “pathway from slavery to freedom;” becoming educated.[] Fredrick Douglass provides the strong argument that in order to achieve physical freedom, a slave must achieve mental freedom. Through knowledge and an education, slaves can achieve mental freedom which will give them a sense of self-sufficiency and capacity.[] Through this mental freedom, slaves will have the ability to exhibit control over
Frederick Douglass, an African American slave, searches for liberation against the shackles of slavery through education; as told in Frederick Douglass’ Narrative in a Life of Frederick Douglass. Douglass portrays education as a paradox; knowledge brings him both great joy and great pain. Learning opens up new worlds for Douglass, and he becomes obsessed with the possibility of freedom. At the same time, he envies his fellow slaves for their ignorance. They do not understand what their enslavers have stolen from them. Douglass grapples with the hopelessness of his plight, but knowledge empowers him enough to set himself free from a life of benightedness, and to share that knowledge with others.
After reading both “Self Reliance,” by Ralph Waldo Emerson and “The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave,” by Frederick Douglass, one might notice a trend in what both writers regard as the key to happiness or self-fulfillment. Emerson and Douglass both imply that acquiring knowledge is what people should strive for throughout their lives. However, their perceptions on the kind of knowledge should be attained is where their ideas diverge; Emerson is the one that encourages one to develop the soul whereas with Douglass, it is the mind.
Education is the key that opens all doors and Douglass knew that in his heart. His master told him that he cannot read and should never be caught reading. Learning would spoil the best nigger in the world… It would forever unfit him to be a slave” (Douglass 945) It is seen here that it is imperative for a slave
Fredrick Douglass uses complex syntax and vivid imagery to convey the struggles of the American slave to the American public and law makers. Douglass uses his public platform to raise awareness about issues American slaves face every day to create strong emotions and reactions in the public. The strong language and rhetorical elements create a power and controversial piece over the right of the American slave.
The system of slavery was not one that encouraged the development of the individual man or woman. Slave owners were well aware of this fact and, as is exemplified in Douglass’ writings about his life, they knew that they had to break slaves of their desire to exercise their God-given right to freedom of will. On this topic Douglass states, “It is necessary to darken his moral and mental vision, and, as far as possible, to annihilate the power of reason. He must be able to detect no inconsistencies in slavery; he must be made to feel that slavery is right; and he can be brought to that only when he ceases to be a man.” In turn, Emerson observes that breaking free of this darkened mental state can only be achieved by recognizing one’s own original thoughts writing, “A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within, more than the luster of the firmament of bards and sages.”