Consequences Of Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass

Salvador Rocha

History 202A Section 81

03 August 2015

Slavery’s Consequences While Frederick Douglass explains in detail about how he, along with many other slaves, were treated cruelly, I disagree with his statement that both slaves and masters were equally prone to the consequences of slavery. In Frederick Douglass’ book, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglass wrote of many difficult times as he grew older in a period of time where injustice dominated. Douglass concluded that those who were slave owners, and the slaves themselves, shared harmful consequences the consequences were not of equal value, which is why Richard Alleva’s statement of slaves suffering more than slave owners is more truthful. Through the beginning of Douglass’ experiences, it is apparent that the slaves

Auld was a kind woman who at first treated Douglass like any other human being by teaching him how to spell words. It was only after Mr. Auld told her about how things should be that she changed. “But alas! this kind heart had but a short time to remain such” (Pg 19). While the change of mentality with Mrs. Auld may support Douglass’ claim that slavery was injurious to both the slaves and the slave owners, the truth of the matter was that the slaves were the ones who suffered the injurious effects that slave owners went through. Treating slaves as property affected slave owners mentally, but physically the consequence was endured by the slaves. Slave owners believed that an unmanageable slave was of no use to them as the slave owners believed that the slaves would be unhappy, “ He would at once become unmanageable, and of no value to his master. As to himself, it could do him no good, but great deal of harm. It would make him discontented and unhappy” (Pg 20). This mentality of power over the slaves created the need for slave owners to do harm to slaves in order to “protect” them. For Douglass, his time as a slave became a constant battle for freedom and