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How Does Frederick Douglass Use Symbols In Our Town

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The use of symbols in literature can be an effective tool for authors to connect themes and convey their intended message to the readers. In the two works The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Fredercik Douglass and Our Town by Thornton Wilder, symbols are used to convey multiple themes throughout both stories. The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is Douglass’s own accounts as a slave. He writes down his accounts and experiences as a slave to inform us how the life of an African American during that time period was and how cruel and unholy the practice of slavery was. The play Our Town is about a woman reliving her life. In the story a woman by the name of Emily Gibbs gets married but then dies due to childbirth. She …show more content…

The exploration of memory in both works emphasizes its role in shaping personal identity and influencing characters' experiences. Douglass's narrative vividly portrays the inhumane conditions of slavery through symbols such as slave masters and the dehumanization of slaves, while in Our Town, everyday objects like the newspaper and the presence of the cemetery symbolize the passage of time and the inevitability of death. Community is another significant theme, highlighting the importance of communal bonds in identity formation, resilience, and a sense of belonging. The fight for freedom from slavery is central in Douglass's narrative, while in Our Town, the exploration of individual freedom and communal responsibilities creates tension. Through these symbols, the authors emphasize the importance of memory, community, and freedom in shaping personal identity and individuals' perceptions within society. The symbols used in both works effectively contribute to the intended messages and themes the author’s wanted to portray as well as underlying themes that connect both stories

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In the passage, Frederick Douglass speaks about the particulars of his state of mind as an escaped slave, a fugitive, in 1830’s New York. Throughout the passage, Douglass comprehensively uses similes and metaphors, as well as tone shifts, and repetition, to fully impart unto the reader his not only elation at being free but also his fears, exhaustion and his anxiety towards trusting people. This garners both empathy and understanding from his audience. Douglass opens the passage by describing parts of his escape to New York, comparing his elation to that of a “mariner . . .

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Although chapter four of “The Boy’s Ambition” by Mark Twain and chapter five of Frederick Douglass's “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave” were written in the 1800’s and tell about the author's childhood, they are written very differently. While Twain uses exaggeration to create humor, Douglass uses a formal diction to create ethos. The use of these writing techniques make each piece of writing believable and lasting. Although the situation for each author was very different, the similarities between the texts show the similarities in their character.

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You can see from these two works how the symbolism in literature can be used in different contexts, yet still be used in to help represent the same

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“I think slavery is the next thing to hell. If a person would send another into bondage, he would, it appears to me, be bad enough to send him into hell if he could”(Tubman). Being born into slavery affected young Frederick Douglass negatively. He experienced the cruel world of abuse and suffering of slavery. In the book, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass, he uses imagery and metaphors to explain the agony slaves went through so that white slaveholders understand that abusing their slaves is not right.

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What was it like to be a slave? Was it an easy life, or a difficult life? In a selection from “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave”, written by Frederick Douglass himself, he tells his readers a bit about his life as a slave. Throughout the selection, Douglass uses metaphors and an apostrophe to help his readers understand the internal struggle he went through as a slave.

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