Frederick Douglass's awakening in “The Battle with Mr. Covey,” serves as a catalyst for freedom. When Douglass finally stops succumbing to Covey’s abuse, the first taste of freedom begins to fill his unquenchable thirst for independence. Douglas writes on page 125, “It recalled the departed self-confidence, and inspired me again with a determination to be free.” Douglass comes to the realization that standing up to adversity, no matter the opponent, will always be a step closer for true personal freedom. Frederick Douglass calls and challenges us all to seek out the path of truly knowing yourself, as well as your limits.
Frederick Douglass was a great writer, but he wasn’t always. He was an escaped slave who used that in his speeches as a topic to gain the attention of his audience. His audience was a seemingly sympathetic one and got to them through rhetorical questions. Douglass wanted to convey the message that there are many changes that need to be made.
The brutality of American slavery prior to the abolishment of slavery after the American civil war of 1861 to 1865 varied depending on the conditions offered by slave masters and particular historical events along with the states which slaves were in (Source A). Evidence suggests that the treatment of slaves especially in the southern region of America (which includes the states South Carolina, Virginia, Florida and Georgia) was horrendous as it included various punishments which scared slaves not only physically but also mentally. The treatment a slave received was also based on the how long the slave or slaves actually worked for a particular owner (Source B). Many testimonials from former African American slaves go on further to show
His beatings and lack of food were only part of his miserable daily life. Eventually Douglass was able to successfully escape this life and vowed to forever actively support the equality of all
Frederick used his anger toward his enslavers and used it as a goal to abolish slavery. Chapter 10 takes physical risk by fighting Mr. Covey. Frederick Douglass states, “This battle with Mr. Covey was the turning point in my career as a slave. It rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom and relived with me a sense of my own mo. “ This is a physical risk because Mr Covey because Mr Covey was known as the snake and was called the “negro breaker”.
Those who were labeled as slaves were sick of the mistreatment and the absence of their rights in which were diminished. For instance, Frederick Douglass, who was born into slavery lived through harsh, gruesome conditions. When Douglass was nearly whipped to death, he fought back against his owner, Mr. Covey (Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, 568). Defense, Frederick used defense to save himself from the approach of death, he resisted and fought back for a reason, he could not allow his time of death to come without fighting. Further on, once becoming a free man, Douglass proceeded in raising awareness, he used his voice, his knowledge, to awake the people on what was happening, allowing them to understand that slavery must be unlawful.
“No,” thought I, “ you need not; for you will come off worse than you did before (Douglass, 2). This quote, along with this incident, was one of the major turning points in the life of Frederick Douglass . This battle was really important for Frederick because it gave him full compensation for whatever else might follow, even death. It gave him self- confidence and determination of being free. ( Douglass ,2).Frederick finally felt like he could stand up for himself and how he could help others.
However, when he is sent to work for a temporary master, not only is his physical body shattered, but as his determination and his spirit. Nevertheless, one day. when Douglass finds the will to fight back, he finds a new, stronger sense of strength that continues to thrive within him from that moment forward. The altercation between Douglass and the temporary slave master marks a new beginning for Frederick Douglass as a slave and also as a
He had a slaveholder who was always “cursing, raving, cutting, and slashing among the slaves of the field, in the most frightful manner” (29). Although he was rarely beat, he constantly have to go without food and be in the cold. There was also Mr. Covey, who was a notorious “slave breaker” who gave Douglass “ a very severe whipping,
While it is undeniable the influence that cultures preceding the Aztecs had a major influence on how they presented their ideas and architecture, it would be remiss to say that they did not have a unique essence to their culture. Reflecting on both mythology and symbolism, ties can be made to other Mesoamerican societies. Many tend to swing their thoughts from one end of the spectrum to the other extreme end. Some may say the Aztecs were a solely unique society who greatly differed from others and had little to no influence. Others may posit that the Aztecs are given too much credence, and their artwork is just a natural progression of what the previous incarnations of these ideas would have become.
At last, Douglass brings the point of freedom and justice the one person has every right to him than any other, and no man has the authority to rule over
Douglass was tired of his master taking control over him, so he fought back against slavery. Douglass tries to prove the point of anti-slavery and racial arguments, relating to the Scientific
Just Versus Unjust Violence: A Rhetorical Analysis of Violence in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass and Uncle Tom’s Cabin Frederick Douglass and Harriet Beecher Stowe present slavery in vastly distinct ways. In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, author Frederick Douglass dives into a grisly world filled with bloodshed and in the middle of it a man willing to do what it takes to be educated and in control of his own person, narrated with the voice of reason. In Uncle Tom’s Cabin, author Harriet Beecher Stowe depicts a variety of characters, their struggle with slavery and religion, their personal relationships, and their deep inner feelings, with no small degree of emotion and sentimentality. Douglass and Stowe’s use of
In the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglass's battle with his master Covey is a turning point in his career as a slave in that he resolves to no longer be docile and subservient as a slave. In fighting back against Covey, Douglass frees his mind from the psychological effects of slavery. Douglass's battle with Covey marks the end of Douglass being obedient and not questioning the word of authority like he was brought up to do. Douglass vows that "the white man who expected to succeed in whipping, must also succeed in killing me." (Douglass, 83) By refusing the role of an obedient slave, Douglass also refuses the slave mindset and liberates himself.
Frederick Douglass was able to stand up for what he believed in because he did not focus on the negatives of slavery. He was not a so called “normal” slave because he focused on education, versus working, which is what most slaves were forced to focus on. Douglass even took his slave life to another level when he attacked his master, Mr. Covey , an act of defiance and standing up for himself. Douglass notes that “it was a glorious resurrection” that was from “the tomb of slavery” , and after hitting Mr. Covey he felt as if he were in “the heaven of freedom” (Douglass). Douglass beats up his master, a clear sign of rebelliousness as well as courageousness.
