Frederick Douglass was born a slave, therefore was deprived of many One thing that Douglass was deprived of as a child that his audience thinks every child should have is a family. Frederick was separated from his mother at a very young age and did not know of his father. According to the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass it says, “I never saw my mother, to know her as such, more than four or five times in my life.” (2) Family is a vital part of a child’s social development and by being separated from their family it can affect a child’s mental health. For example, the affects of being separated from his family is that Douglass lacks empathy and love. Empathy and love is basic humane emotions that are usually obtained from parents,