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Turning Point In Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass

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In the darkest time of the United States, Frederick Douglass, an American slave, saw first-hand the horrors of slavery. Seeing this sent him on a mission to escape from slavery to the north, but several moments in his life changed his mission either for the better or the worst. Several turning points in Frederick Douglass’s life, including his unexpected move to Baltimore, and his time in Edward Covey’s farm shaped his aggression and attitude toward slavery.
The first turning point occurred when Douglass was unexpectedly moved to Mr. Hugh Auld in Baltimore, Maryland. Douglass (1845/1995), famous abolitionist in his work, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, was sent to the Auld’s house in the city to take care of Mrs. Sophia Auld’s son named Thomas (p.18). Douglass (1845/1995) a famous abolitionist in his work Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (p.20) writes that the beginning of his time in Baltimore, Mrs. Auld taught Douglass how to read. Mrs. Auld did not …show more content…

While working on Covey’s farm, Douglass (1845/1995) famous orator and author of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (p.34) was put to hard work in the field for the first time in his life. After Douglass had had enough of being over-worked by Covey, Douglass wrestled with Covey after he had ran away and was told to return by Master Thomas, Frederick Douglass (1845/1995) famous abolitionist and writer of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (p.42). After beating up Coveym, Douglass (1845/1995) Proffesional orator and author of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass writes clearly:
This fight with Covey was the turning-point in my career as a slave. It rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom, and revived within me a sense of manhood (p.43). Getting moved to Edward Covey’s farm gave Frederick Douglass the confidence and detirmination to be

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Frederick Douglass published two similar versions of his fight with the ‘slave-breaker’ Edward Covey in the tenth chapter of his The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave, and in the seventeenth chapter of My Bondage and My Freedom. By comparing the two accounts it is possible to see an evolution of his thoughts on abolishing slavery and person hood which occurred in the years which transpired between the two works, 1845 and 1855. In the first account which Douglass wrote at around the age of 27 he narrates a physical confrontation where he refuses to allow himself to be whipped. Douglass struggles for two hours with Covey and also fights off Covey’s cousin at the same time.

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Covey was the turning-point in my career as a slave. It rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom, and revived within me a sense of my own manhood… My long-crushed spirit rose, cowardice departed, bold defiance took its place; and I now resolved that, however long I might remain a slave in form, the day had passed forever when I could be a slave in fact. I did not hesitate to let it be known of me, that the white man who expected to succeed in whipping, must also succeed in killing me.” Analysis: There are several turning points on Douglass's journey from slavery to freedom, but the fight with Covey marks his largest turning point.

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Mrs. Auld was a mother figure to Douglass who helped him gain a passion for education. Unfortunately, Once Sophia’s husband discovered that she was giving Douglass private lessons, he ordered her to stop. He believed that teaching a slave how to read and write was wrong. Because Douglass knew that Mr. Auld was trying to mentally chain him, he began to value education more. Learning about the world outside of slavery was essential in gaining freedom, which is why Douglass never stopped reading.

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