Frederick Douglass Rhetorical Analysis Essay

This excerpt from “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave"—Frederick Douglass’s autobiography published on May 1st, 1845—tells the story of Douglass’s life shortly before and following his escape from slavery and explains Douglass’s belief that slavery has detrimental effects on all parties involved. He utilizes a variety of rhetorical devices, including repetition, imagery, and analogy, to depict the powerful emotions and hardships he encountered on his path to emancipation. Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in rural Maryland. He spent many years enduring the torture that comes with enslavement. He was subjected to horrible injustices, witnessing and often experiencing the cruel treatment of the enslaved. In his biography, he writes not only

A notable aspect of this passage is Douglass’s employment of analogy to express his thoughts. In one phrase (sentence 8), he compares his experience to a mariner rescued from a pirate, emphasizing his great relief and excitement at escaping enslavement. The comparison helps the reader comprehend the depth of Douglass’s feelings and the magnitude of his achievement. In others, he compares himself to a hunted animal (sentences 9, 15, 19, 20), underlining the danger he faced as a fugitive, and the vigilance required to avoid recapture. This parallel provides a sense of tension that calls attention to Douglass’s vulnerable situation. Additionally, Douglass uses repetition to express how he felt during his escape, conveying his sense of isolation and vulnerability. One instance of this repetition is the phrase "without home and without friends" which appears multiple times throughout his writing. This repetition emphasizes his feelings of alienation and reinforces the theme of isolation, thus enabling the reader to relate to and sympathize with Douglass and his