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The Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass

567 Words3 Pages

In the 1800's, slavery was a pressing issue, that most Americans in the South dealt with. The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass reveals much about the power slave owners had over their slaves, and how the spirit of a slave would never falter in the hopes for a better life. The correlation between the two go hand and hand. For without problems how can there be hope for a better tomorrow?

Frederick Douglass was born into slavery, and during this time he realized just how much power slave owners held. Slave owners, were able to control every aspect of a slaves life. If a slave were to disobey they would receive punishment, in whatever creative way their master felt appropriate. These punishments often included manipulation of food, beatings, and separation of ones family. This became a highly effective tool in the motivation for slavery. …show more content…

“I was broken in body, soul, and spirit”.(Andrews 284) The lack of food was used to break the spirit, because without food, slaves had no energy. Thus, they could not perform their duties, and this resulted in more punishment. The beatings, were used to break the body. “I have seen him tie up a lame young woman, and whip her with a heavy cowskin upon her naked shoulders, causing the warm red blood to drip.”(Andrews 278) The separations, were used to break the soul, and sever any ties with the past. (“He was immediately chained and handcuffed; and thus, without a moment’s warning, he was snatched away, and forever sundered, from his family and friends, by a had more unrelenting than death.”(Andrews

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