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Frederick Douglass Identity

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Benjamin Franklin was born in 1706 to a large family, as he details in his autobiography. His father, a tradesman, had multiple sons all of various trades. His intentions for Benjamin though, were originally for the church. However, once Benjamin expressed an explicit interest in books and reading, he was educated properly and apprenticed to his brother who worked in a print shop (Pg. 70-73). These external factors and given opportunities shaped the formation of Benjamin’s early identity and facilitated in his later endeavors. Also In this time, Benjamin submitted an article anonymously, which his brother, unknowing of the true author, praised. This praise was the first of many occurrences which built Benjamin’s confidence and boosted his ego. …show more content…

He, unlike Franklin, was born with no identity. He was given his role in society as a slave and he complied so that he wouldn’t be punished. This beginning for Frederick fits in with the social role theory. From a young age Douglas’ lack of identity is established. In the first page of his narrative he explains that slaves were not allowed to know their birthdays or ages (Pg. 241). Therefore, he didn’t know his own age – and he was not allowed to ask his master. As he grows up though, his strong will to survive despite his rough and cruel circumstances shows the characteristics of his innate identity- by Erickson’s definition, the identity within his own psychic. He provides stronger evidence for Erickson’s theory of an innate identity through several circumstances in his life. Despite being a “slave for life”, and witnessing the horror and cruelty performed on slaves who fought against their given roles (His Aunt Hester who was harshly stripped and beaten in front of him at a young age (Pg. 245), Douglas took every opportunity he was given as a slave, which was not much at all, to his advantage (Pg. 261, 272). He was taught the alphabet and through an extremely tediously long process, taught himself how to read (Pg. 263) and write (Pg. 270(in order to educate himself and give himself an upper hand against the white folk who distinguished themselves by their education. He fought through anxiety and depression, and

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