Frederick Douglass Language Analysis

Back in the 1800s, many had the idea that slavery was a natural, necessary practice. Some even referred back to the Bible to justify the actions of abusive slaveholders. In Frederick Douglass’ narrative of his life as a slave, he shares his side of the story, and explains that the positive ideology of slavery is a facade. Douglass debunks the mythology of slavery by rebuking its romantic image through vivid imagery and specific diction, by refuting the belief of black intellectual inferiority through self-education, and by revealing the promotion of disloyalty among slaves through stories of betrayal.
Douglass uses descriptive language in his narrative to explain how slavery was falsely romanticized. People who heard slaves sing on plantations

were often misled into thinking that they were singing from a place of joy and happiness. Douglass explains that this was entirely false, stating that, “the songs of a slave represent the sorrows of his heart; and he is relieved by them, only as an aching heart is relieved by its tears” (page 30). Slaves would sing purely out of misery and despair. The songs they sung were honest and emotional, and enslavement was a practice that brought no joy, only sadness. Douglass uses vivid imagery to convey that people were sadly mistaken to believe that the slaves sang with any emotion other than sadness. In addition, slaveholders claimed to treat their slaves well, but Douglass explains that this is not always true. For example, after a brutal whipping, Demby, a former slave, ran to a creek, so as to cleanse his painful wounds. Mr. Gore, his slaveholder, ordered Demby to come out of the water. When Demby refused, Mr. Gore took out his musket and shot Demby without a single word. Douglass describes this event with very descriptive imagery, stating that Demby’s “mangled body sank out of sight, and blood and brains marked the water where he had stood” (page 38). Douglass states that Mr. Gore was named properly, due to his abusive and destructive qualities. This proves that slaveholders are not always honest when asked about the treatment of their slaves, which causes people to falsely believe that slaveholders treated their slaves humanely. Through the use of descriptive language, Douglass conveys that slavery was not a positive or romantic occurrence, contrary to some people’s beliefs.
Douglass’ narrative is a testimony against the belief of black intellectual inferiority.

White slaveholders kept their slaves in the dark in terms of education, as well as individual identity. Slaveholders would not tell slaves about their family or where they came from, or how to read and write. Slaves were kept illiterate so they were unable to document their experience as a slave, and so they could not read about abolitionist movements, or documents of that nature. To whites, knowledge was the equivalent to freedom, so they forced their slaves to remain illiterate. However, Douglass was accidentally shown the ticket to freedom, through Mr. Auld. Once Mr. Auld explained to Douglass that he was not allowed to become literate, Douglass “understood what had been to [him] a most perplexing difficulty...the white man’s power to enslave the black man” (page 47). Once Douglass understood what it would take to become a free man, he worked hard to become literate. By becoming literate, he was no longer inferior to any white man. He understood what it meant to be an abolitionist, and began planning ways to escape. Other slaves inhibited intellectual capabilities because Douglass “devoted [his] Sundays to teaching [his] loved fellow-slaves how to read” (page 87). Douglass and his fellow slaves worked together and devised a plan to escape slavery, which involved Douglass writing passes for each individual. Later on in the novel, literate slaves help Douglass become a free man. This further proves Douglass’ point that blacks are not intellectually inferior to

whites.
Slavery promoted disloyalty among slaves themselves. When Douglass first attempted to escape slavery, he and a group of slaves worked together and established a plan. When the agreed day to escape came, Douglass became “overwhelmed with an indescribable feeling… and said, ‘we are betrayed!’” (page 93). As a result, Douglass and the others were caught and jailed. This means that one of the slaves had betrayed the group's trust and told one of the slaveholders about the planned escape. Although it is never stated who betrayed the group, the slave blamed Douglass for coming up with the plan of escape. Douglass was the last slave to be released from prison, documenting that he was "now left to [his] fate... all alone... within the walls of a stone prison" (page 97). Slaveholders actually encouraged slaves to betray other slaves, so that the slaveholders would, in turn, be rewarded. That is probably why the slave chose to betray Douglass and the others involved. If it weren't for a slave's disloyalty, Douglass would have been a free man. Some slaves believe that their prospects were better as slaves because escaping slavery was very dangerous, and they risk getting caught or killed with each attempt. Also, illiterate slaves do not know that slavery is morally wrong, and are unfamiliar with abolitionist ideas. They do not know what freedom is or what steps need to be taken to attain it. Therefore, by default, those slaves have no way of imagining life outside of enslavement and think that slavery is the only way of life.
Douglass' narrative shows that there are two sides to every story. Many were fooled to believe that slavery was an acceptable practice, with complete disregard to the perspective of a slave. Douglass provides an alternate perspective, which explains the horrors he, a former slave, experienced. By showing readers a perspective that has never been heard before, a perspective that has been silenced, readers can truly comprehend what awful things slaves went through.