How Does Frederick Douglass Use Syntax

The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass by Fredrick Douglass is an autobiographical work published in 1845. The passage from this work starts out talking about Douglass’ feelings towards slavery, how he felt during his escape, and how he felt after. He talks about how he felt relieved but soon felt alone and constantly afraid of those around him, how he felt like nothing but prey to slave hunters. Douglass masterfully employs syntax and figurative language in the passage to show his state of mind as reflective, distressed and dehumanised. Douglass’ reflective tone comes across very well due to his use of syntax and figurative language. At the beginning of the passage, Douglass’s tone reflects his feelings before and after his escape from slavery. This tone is shown through his use of syntax and figurative language. He uses antithesis in the beginning saying,

This quote adds more information for the reader to further their understanding of his situation and perhaps equate it to something they have felt. Moreover, he uses repetition of the phrase, ‘‘In the midst of thousands..’’ to show that spiralling loneliness and how despite so many people being around him, there were none he could trust or confide in (Douglass, Frederick). That phrase is also an example of a subordinate clause and how important it is that the reader understands just how lonely the situation is. The dehumanising state that Douglass experienced during and after his escape is the most well-described aspect of this passage. Douglass can convey just how intense this feeling is by employing several similes and complex