Douglass is a African American that was a slave and did a Narrative about his time being a slave and in his Narrative he “threw light” at the American slave system. African American slave Frederick Douglass lived through a time of racism and how slavery was a natural thing to do but was a very awful thing. And slavery is when families who had colored skin were separated and sold of to a person that can do anything to them, the slave is pretty much like the slaveholder’s property. And in this essay I will talk about how Douglass’s position differs from those who supported slavery and also I will be talking about How Douglass used his Narrative to share his position. How Douglass “throws light” on the American Slave system is by showing …show more content…
Douglass’s position differ from those who supported slavery is that people who supported slavery, they thought it was a natural thing to do because on the Document “ Slavery a positive Good” on paragraph 1 it says, “ To maintain the existing relations between two races, inhabiting that section of the Union, is indispensable to the peace and happiness of both…. But let me not be understood as admitting, even by implication, that the existing relations between two races in the slaveholding states is an evil: - far otherwise; I hold to be good, as it has thus far proved itself both, and will continue to prove so if not disturbed by the fell spirit of abolition.” What this piece of evidence is saying is that slavery is a good thing and not a bad thing and that abolition should stop. Another way that Frederick Douglass’s position is different from people that support is that people who support slavery is that the people who support slavery has a different perspective of what is right and what is wrong because on the Document “ Slavery a Positive Good” paragraph 2 it says,” I hold in the present state of civilization, where two races of different origin, and distinguished by color, and other physical differences, as well as intellectual, are brought together, the relation now existing in the slaveholding States between the two is, instead of an evil, a good- a positive good… I hold then, that …show more content…
Douglass uses his Narrative to share his position is by telling his audience how unfairly Douglass is treated and how white men or slaveholders take control of the life of a slave because in the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass on page 1 paragraph 1 it says, The nearest estimate I can give makes me now between twenty-seven and twenty-eight years of age. I come to this, from hearing my master say, some time during 1835, I was about seventeen years old.” What this piece of evidence is demonstrates is that Frederick Douglass did not even now his own birth and that he had to guess on what his master said and that his master knows more what Frederick knows about his life. Another way that Douglass’s uses his Narrative to share his position is by telling their audience how unfairly Frederick and many other slaves were treated because because in the Document “‘ Pro Slavery Arguments South’’ on paragraph 6 it says,”Southern slaveholders pro-slavery arguments defended the interest of the plantation owners against attempts by abolitionists, lower classes, and non-whites to institute a more equal social structure.” What this piece of evidence is illustrating is that there should not be equality for non-whites because it benefits the slaveholder because they make a huge profit off the slave. Another way that Douglass uses his Narrative to share his position is by sharing stories about how Frederick
Frederick Douglass threw light on the American slave system in many different ways. He used his experience as a slave and used the encounters of other slaves. He showed how the american slave system was cruel to slaves and how it affected the slaves. The American slave system affected slaves by the masters treating them cruelly and how they weren't treated equally. The aspects Douglass brings to light are the condition of being educated, the condition of family, the condition of slaves.
Overall, Douglass' narrative addresses the serious problems and misconceptions of slavery and it reveals the truths. Douglass urges his readers to not believe in the so-called romanticism of slavery, or that blacks are intellectually inferior, or inferior at all, or that their prospects are better as slaves. He begs that his readers discover the truths, by reading about them through his own life experiences. Within Douglass' experiences, he successfully debunks the mythology of slavery by disproving that there is anything positive about. Because Douglass reached freedom, he knows that it can never be attained unless it is fought for.
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is a very powerful and important piece of work when it comes to understanding the dehumanization and harsh treatment of the slaves in Pre-Civil War United States. Frederick Douglass uses crucial detail in his narrative to make the reader understand just how badly the slaves were truly treated and how profoundly unequal slaves were from everyone else during this time. Douglass uses many rhetorical strategies throughout his narrative in order to really shape how the readers are going to interpret the narrative, and to allow the reader to develop an understanding of his major theme of dehumanization. He uses detailed descriptions of brutal beatings, repeatedly mentions the contrast between the white citizens and black
Living through something and hearing about it is two completely different experiences. As a former slave, Douglass understood first hand why slavery was not humane, and he understood the struggles that most African Americans were facing. As a public figure, and with the opportunities he was given, it was his job to enlighten those who did not understand. This is where Douglass’ next piece, “My Bondage and My Freedom” plays a significant role in teaching and showing everyday people the harsh realities of slavery. Through this biography people, such as northern abolitionist and southerners could see a tiny glimpse into how bad it
In the book, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, we learn what it was like to be a slave in his time. We learn of the brutality and the horrible life imposed on the slaves by the slaveowners. Altogether, the book is very good at teaching us about the brutality, but who did he write this for, and why did he write it? Also, what did Douglass want the reader to take away after reading the book, and in what specific way did he recreate his time as a slave to convey his message? Overall, Douglass’s book has deeper meaning that what it was like to be a slave, and his choice of words, sentence structure, and imagery is very specific is a key example of this.
Frederick Douglass aims to point out the injustices of slavery in his autobiography consisting of personal experiences. Douglass illustrates the struggles that come with being a slave through recollection of experiences and circumstances that he lived through while creating vivid images producing emotion from the audience. Strong word choice and purposeful syntax further push Douglass's argument as well. Douglass’s attempts to create emotions in the minds of the reader through his use of vivid imagery in the descriptions of the slaves’ poor treatment illuminates his most valuable strategy. Not only does Douglass pathetically appeal to the reader in these descriptions but they are also first-hand accounts which make the gruesome depictions stick with the reader.
In the Narrative of Frederick Douglass, the author’s fundamental objective is to expose the misconceptions of the idea, or myth, of slavery within his novel. The mythology of slavery is institutionalized by the Southerners and some Northerners who held strict views and beliefs regarding slavery, which ultimately justified its existence. Many of these rationalizations or assumptions of slavery went on without any question to the public. Douglass debunks the mythology of slavery by how he rebukes the romantic image of slavery, his testimony against the belief of black intellectual inferiority, and how the system promoted the disloyalty among slaves. Douglass’s use of imagery of romanticism challenges the mythology of slavery as being superficial
After reading the preface, readers see that Frederick Douglass overcomes multiple obstacles and becomes important figure of slavery in history. He overcomes escaping slavery from the southern prison- house of bondage. But, beyond escaping, he went to an anti slavery convention in Nantucket. Although he was still a fugitive slave, he never forgot about the millions of other slaves that were still in slavery. In Frederick’s book he illustrates a theme in the story.
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass takes the reader through Douglass’s life during, and after his brute path with slavery. Douglass’s autobiography gives insight on the multitude of ways in which African American’s suffered under the bondage of slavery in the south. Within the page, Douglass intertwines his thoughts on religion, education, and freedom with those of the hardship, pain, and hopelessness that drove him into the abolition figure that he is today. The narrative begins with showing the “dehumanizing character of slavery,” (53) and how it placed physical and emotional shackles on the lives of colored people in the 1800s.
Douglass was tired of his master taking control over him, so he fought back against slavery. Douglass tries to prove the point of anti-slavery and racial arguments, relating to the Scientific
He proclaims that "…While we are…living, moving, acting, thinking, planning, living in families as husbands, wives and children, and, above all, confessing and worshipping the Christian's God, and looking hopefully for life and immortality beyond the grave, we are called upon to prove that we are men!" By showing the mundanity of the slave, Douglass shows the audience that the slaves are human and therefore unable to be considered property. He forces his audience to examine their own lives and realize their similarities to the slaves and the hypocrisy of slavery. He doesn't give his audience a chance to disagree with his stance on slavery because he makes such a blunt argument. Douglass asks again, "Must I undertake to prove that the slave is a man?
In “The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass”, Douglass narrates in detail the oppressions he went through as a slave before winning his freedom. In the narrative, Douglass gives a picture about the humiliation, brutality, and pain that slaves go through. We can evidently see that Douglass does not want to describe only his life, but he uses his personal experiences and life story as a tool to rise against slavery. He uses his personal life story to argue against common myths that were used to justify the act of slavery. Douglass invalidated common justification for slavery like religion, economic argument and color with his life story through his experiences torture, separation, and illiteracy, and he urged for the end of slavery.
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is an interesting autobiography of the life of Frederick Douglass, an African American who spent time in slavery, then eventually escaped. Douglass was born into slavery, and accepted it for a good while of the time that he was in slavery. Once he realized that escaping was the only option to settle for, he finally tried to escape, and succeeded. In order to get the point across that slavery is bad and that slaves are people as well as Caucasian Americans, Douglass uses several rhetorical devices including repetition, anecdotes, and imagery, as well as some others. ` By using repetition in this narrative, Douglass gets his point across by sticking specific ideas into the reader’s head.
Douglass being a slave for so long made him think why does the color of his skin make him a slave to people of racism. Douglass achieved the freedom for his people by standing for others,who couldn’t
In answer, Douglass composed “Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave (1845)”. No one should neglect Frederick Douglass' speech abilities when taking a gander at his scholarly vocation; be that as it may, it is Douglass' shape which left the biggest effect on Civil War day and age writing. Many of his works were critical self-portraying and Narrative of The Life Of Frederick Douglass was one of the best out of the other books. This book is about a similar individual, and share a comparative message, yet are composed by Frederick Douglass at various circumstances of his life, taking a gander at the past in various