ipl-logo

Role Of Slavery In Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass

484 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Narrative of Frederick douglass

In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave Douglass presented his life as a slave and the hardships he endured. He exposed the cruelties he faced throughout his time as a slave. He also shows how slavery affected everyone involved. Not just the slaves were negatively affected, but the slaveholders also were. He showed how slavery inflicted its hold on their social life, their family life, and their religious life. Firstly, slavery changed the slaveholders. It brought out the worst in people. Take Mrs. Auld for example. When he first moved to Baltimore, Mrs. Auld was very kind and caring to Douglass and even begins teaching him to read, but she begins to change: “When I went there,she was a pious, warm, and tender-hearted woman”(32). Unfortunately though, she becomes consumed by the curse that slavery is: “Slavery soon proved its ability to divest her of these heavenly qualities”(32). Slavery rob its ambassadors of their humanity. …show more content…

Some slaveholders were quite affectionate towards their female slaves. Naturally, some ended up having children with their mistresses. Perfect case in point would be Douglass himself: his father was suspected to be his master but no proof was provided to him. Back then mixed children were not accepted among whites. Therefore, whether by choice or pressure, slaveholders would have to enslave there very own children. The effects on family wouldn’t hold back there though. The wives of the adultering slaveholders would in turn be angry at their husbands. The wives could not anything to their husbands though, so they took it out on the mistresses. Slavery caused all to be violent and

Show More
Related
880 Words | 4 Pages

Although some of the masters mistress were well taken cared of, there were times were the African American women was forced into having sexual relations with the master or his children and were still forced to work outside with the others. The role of an African American women compared to the role of a white women were very different. In antebellum because of their sex most women were assumed to be weaker, and believed to be intellectually and physically suited for only domestic work.

Read More
1300 Words | 6 Pages

Enslaved women depending on their work could utilize varying quantities of time with their mistresses and female owners. Although not recorded my mistresses some “plantation mistresses” begrudged their maternal duties. Enslaved women were lashed out at by their mistresses perhaps from the frustration of having their maternal duties. For ladies the ideal of gentility necessitated a

Read More
431 Words | 2 Pages

In the “Narrative of Frederick Douglass”Douglass talks about how slavery affected both slaves and slaveholders. It also talks about ho douglass made a change in the world of slavery. Slavery took place in the south and ended in the north. Frederick Douglass took part in a lot of this .For example the 30 human rights.

Read More
490 Words | 2 Pages

The environment, specifically the power within proves stronger than the character traits of those involved. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, there is a complete and very sudden elimination of civilization and structure within the group of boys. This is significant because of their age and the lack of ability to be independent that has not developed enough to the extent that they have the capability to survive on a deserted island together without any adults. For instance, Ralph exclaims “No grownups!” (Golding 8).

Read More
325 Words | 2 Pages

Frederick Douglass exposed the horrors and cruel of slavery in Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass. It definitely illustrated that slavery is dehumanizing for both of the slave owners and slaves. Under the oppression and exploitation of slave owners, the human nature of black slaves was constantly changing. At the same time, the humanity of slave holders also be destroyed.

Read More
585 Words | 3 Pages

Slavery not only deeply affected blacks as slaves, but also effect on slaveholders. Douglass explained slavery was naturally occurring, but created evil by whites. The enforcement of the corrupt and irresponsible power in slave system was destroying the beauty of

Read More
575 Words | 3 Pages

Defenders of slavery argued that slavery was not bad for slaves, but Douglass argues that it is terrible. One way it is terrible for a slave is that they're taken from their parents. Douglass is not sure who his father is but he guesses it is the master. he is separated from his mother and he only saw her at night. Douglass says that his master tries to “blunt and destroy the natural affection of the mother for the child” (1.3).

Read More
1080 Words | 5 Pages

All the terrible and inhuman things that Douglass describes are the practical and usual things that happened in his time, they are not extraordinary. His true stories and multiple details from his life give the reader an idea about the effects of slavery on the life of different people in the

Read More
1112 Words | 5 Pages

In the book, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, the author gives accounts of his life as a slave in the 19th century. The narrative also highlights the abolitionist movement in the US, giving details about slavery. It has important information regarding the wishes of the slaves to be set free. Issues such as slavery, economic and political alignments took center-stage in the US in the nineteenth century and the early 20th century. According to Douglass (2014), the slaves were exposed to vices such as inequality and favoritism in behaviors based on originality, economic and social status.

Read More
646 Words | 3 Pages

In this biography ,”narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass” shows how slavery doesn't only negatively affects not only the slaves but also the slaveholders too. Way back when slaves were almost necessary for a farmer in the south, the slaves acted up and the cruel harsh punishments the slaveholders did to keep the slaves in line. Slaves had a cruel terrible life but the slaveholders were almost as bad, from getting threatened when crop wasn't done to becoming a slave himself. According to Douglass in his article, biography of the life of “Frederick Douglass” slavery was one of the most popular and most expensive things on the market yet everybody had one.

Read More
973 Words | 4 Pages

Because of this, he successfully creates a contrast between what the slave owners think of and treat the slaves and how they are. Douglass says that slave’s minds were “starved by their cruel masters”(Douglass, 48) and that “they had been shut up in mental darkness” (Douglass, 48) and through education, something that they were deprived of, Frederick Douglass is able to open their minds and allow them to flourish into the complex people that they are. By showing a willingness to learn to read and write, the slaves prove that they were much more than what was forced upon them by their masters.

Read More
1574 Words | 7 Pages

Douglass’s position differ from those who supported slavery is that people who supported slavery, they thought it was a natural thing to do because on the Document “ Slavery a positive Good” on paragraph 1 it says, “ To maintain the existing relations between two races, inhabiting that section of the Union, is indispensable to the peace and happiness of both…. But let me not be understood as admitting, even by implication, that the existing relations between two races in the slaveholding states is an evil: - far otherwise; I hold to be good, as it has thus far proved itself both, and will continue to prove so if not disturbed by the fell spirit of abolition.” What this piece of evidence is saying is that slavery is a good thing and not a bad thing and that abolition should stop. Another way that Frederick Douglass’s position is different from people that support is that people who support slavery is that the people who support slavery has a different perspective of what is right and what is wrong because on the Document “ Slavery a Positive Good” paragraph 2 it says,” I hold in the present state of civilization, where two races of different origin, and distinguished by color, and other physical differences, as well as intellectual, are brought together, the relation now existing in the slaveholding States between the two is, instead of an evil, a good- a positive good… I hold then, that

Read More
387 Words | 2 Pages

Their fathers and husbands would use them as slaves, housewives, objects, etc. They were seen as property to their fathers and husbands. Once a father chose a husband for his daughter, her husband would basically own her. He would misuse and abuse her.

Read More
596 Words | 3 Pages

"Civil Disobedience, I shall argue, is an unsuccessful attempt to combine, on the level of principle, revolutions and conventional political action" The anonymous author of "The Case Against Civil Disobedience" asserts that peaceful protesting does not play a significant role in reforming political norms. His words often ring true in protests. In many instances of Civil Disobedience, the "peaceful" protests become dangerously violent. They tend to cause more tension and discourse than they cause change. Protests lead to increased divisions between the two viewpoints, causing support for current implication to solidify out of fear of change.

Read More
911 Words | 4 Pages

In the book, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Frederick Douglass reveals his life as a slave and the valuable lessons he learned from his experience. Douglass wants the truth about slavery to be revealed and wants to eliminate the lies that portray slavery as beneficial. Douglass exposes the reality of slavery by criticizing the “romantic image” of slavery, showing the intellectual capabilities slaves had, and revealing the reasons why slaves were disloyal to each other. Douglass criticizes the southern, romantic image of slavery by exposing the harsh treatment and sadness that slaves endured. It was southerners who thought slavery as beneficial, because it benefited themselves and white society.

Read More

More about Role Of Slavery In Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass

Related Topics

Open Document