Theme Of Darkness In Frederick Douglass

“Let him be left to feel his way in the dark; let darkness commensurate with his crime hover over him; and let him feel that at every step he takes, in pursuit of the flying bondman, he is running the frightful risk of having his hot brains dashed out by an invisible agency,” (p. 66). Frederick Douglass’ opinion about his slaveholders is as evident as his fiery hatred towards the institution of slavery. Douglass’ desire to have his slaveholder be “left to feel his way in the dark” is indicative of the pivotal role that both darkness and vision play in the narrative. Although darkness is most often understood as a closed off and contained space, where one can typically not see particularly well, it is in darkness where Douglass’ vision of slavery

At one point in the narrative, Douglass, describing the brutality of his treatment, writes “Mr. Covey was breaking me. I was broken in body, soul, and spirit,” (p. 45). The hard work and brutal treatment was destroying his very being, and Douglass, at a personal low, related this experience to a person feeling to darkness: “My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark that lingered about my eye died; the dark night of slavery closed in upon me; and behold a man transformed into a brute!” (p. 45). The physical aspects of slavery pushed Douglass to the limits; however, the dark cloud suggests that the mental aspects ultimately served to grind down his morale completely, emotionally eviscerating him. The “breaking” to which Douglass refers has to do with the intrinsic factors of being a slave. Losing his motivation and spirit created a dark cloud that weighed him down more than any physical labor or beating could have done. Douglass’ vision of himself deteriorates as a result of the physical and mental toll of slavery, and that deterioration is equated to darkness. What motivates Douglass to continue to forge ahead is a quest for both emotional and physical freedom, and without that

Douglass could no longer see parts of himself, and thus, he felt himself broken and damaged. Douglass, however, is able to eventually regather himself, have an intellectual epiphany, and develop an understanding of how slaveholders break down the slaves. This emotional confinement is expressed through the terms “mental darkness” (p. 55). The symbol of a “mental darkness” is important in understanding the mental captivity Douglass was in, and the process of how the slave owner broke Douglass down to a point where his own view of his self-worth was minuscule, comparing himself to a brute. From this low point, Douglass was able to discover what it was that creates a complacent attitude in slaves: “I have found that, to make a contented slave, it is necessary to a make a thoughtless one. It is necessary to darken his moral and mental vision, and, as far as possible, to annihilate the power of reason. He must be able to detect no inconsistencies in slavery; he must be made to feel that slavery is right; and he can be brought to that only when he ceases to be a man,” (p. 64-65). Douglass notes how a slave must become complacent and darken their “personal vision.” That darkened vision is critical in understanding how the institution of slavery entraps a human in a way to goes beyond physical captivity: it aims to make a slave feel