For many African Americans in the 1800s, slavery was the darkest and most depressing period in their lives. Former slaves endured brutal beatings and mental agony and although it was abolished over a century ago, slavery left its victims in an abyss of distress. Regardless of its sensitivity, some survivors have been able to retell the traumatic events they underwent as a slave through writing. The authors of these autobiographies and narratives utilize pathos to elicit understanding and sympathy from readers as they vividly describe an appalling yet true era in American history. To commence, in the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglass uses imagery to describe the heart wrenching experience as a young slave, without adequate food or clothing, on a plantation. Douglass illustrates with a horrid description his “feet [being] so cracked with the frost, that the pen which [he is] writing might be laid in the gashes.” Due to the denial of blankets and beds, this was a common occurrence among slaves, who were left untreated and uncared for. Moreover, these details create empathy for a mistreated child who is being punished for a “crime” resulting from being born to a …show more content…
Linda uses a simile to emphasize the significance of a motherly figure in her life. After the death of both parents, Linda’s mother’s mistress takes her under her care. However, the mistress becomes sick and passes away, leaving Harriet to be buried in a mournfulness that she can’t escape. “...how earnestly I prayed in my heart that she [the mistress] might live! I loved her; for she has been almost like a mother to me.” Under the care of the mistress, Linda felt genuinely happy and the bond that was shared between them was irreplaceable. However, she was soon sent to her new masters, under the mistress’ will, and would endure cruelty and