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Analysis of the narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass
Analysis of the narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave book report
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12 years a slave and The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass are important works to show the racial climate of the late 1800s. You have the protagonist in 12 yeas a slave, Solomon Northup, a free African-American man still forced to live his life as a slave for 12 long years due to being kidnapped. Among all of the obvious problems with what he had to experience, the one that stood out the most was that no one even cared to hear his story of true injustice. It drove home the idea that even when you had your “American Dream” and freedom, during that time you still were just another black face and not considered a real person. The freedom, America fought so valiantly for, was not for everyone and even if you had such precious freedom, …show more content…
it could be ripped away at an instant with no consequences for the takers of said freedom. In Douglass’s book he was born into slavery and his struggle was getting out of it a free man. Both men started in very different places, but had the same goal which was freedom. Equality was a more distant glimmer at the end of the tunnel and very unattainable during those times. Many years later and equality still has not been reached in America. During the beginnings of the settlers establishing America, they preached this message of freedom and equality. This course has illustrated and proven that the message they preached and the reality were opposing forces. These liberties were given to the elite who were middle to upper-class white men. The irony of seeing and reading the fights that slaves had to fight to obtain freedom from the people that left England because of the oppression and search for freedom is astonishing, but real. Douglass’s book was about his fight for freedom and seeing education as his key to that goal. He was disgusted with the idea that he was seen as essentially livestock, but it propelled him to utilize that knowledge to his advantage. Douglass fought hard to be of value to his slave owners as he saw that as a way to stay alive. The treatment of his grandmother who was born and died a slave was also a harsh reality for him. He illustrates her story and how she finally was free from slave work but still in no one had retained dignity, let alone equality. She essentially was moved to a hut to fend for herself and die alone. Douglas states,“there are none of her children or grandchildren present, to wipe from her wrinkled brow the cold sweat of death, or to place beneath the sod her fallen remains. Will not a righteous God visit for these things?” One thing to note with Douglass’s narrative was his life was essentially a series of misfortunate and fortunate events, meaning his life was mostly out of his control and he could have easily been killed at any point as a slave. The stories presented on slaves surviving that time are just 1 to the hundreds and thousands that did not survive. Ironically, a major reason of the settlers leaving England was due to religious persecution, but slave owners used the bible to justify slavery. His slave master became religious and that only made it worse for Douglass. He discusses, “I indulged a faint hope that his conversion would lead him to emancipate his slaves, and that, if he did not do this, it would, at any rate, make him more kind and humane. I was disappointed in both these respects.” Douglass was one of the fortunate ones that fought and earned his freedom in a country that had a constitution built on the dreams of equality and freedom. Unlike Douglass, 12 years a Slave introduces Northup, a free man who is kidnapped and sold into slavery.
This movie is a nightmare as its not fiction and truly happened during that time. It reinforced that even if you were granted freedom, you still had no equality in America. Northup is tricked by two well appearing gentlemen, drugged, and sold into slavery for 12 years of his life. He learns very quickly to play illiterate and not let people know who he really is as it could get him killed. He is systematically tortured and treated less than the livestock in which Douglass refers. The bigger issue is even though he had freedom, he still had no rights. He was a well-respected, law abiding citizen who had a heinous crime committed against him and no one even cared because of the color of his skin and their monetary gain. Again, his life is a series of misfortunate and fortunate events as he is one of the very few lucky ones to be returned to his family after enduring unimaginable torture. It very disheartening to see all of the emotional turmoil African-Americans were put through and the disregard for their mental health, even after if they became free. Even though he is returned to his family, his mental state must have been irreparable just as Douglass. Northup was never even granted justice against the men that kidnapped and sold him because they were white and he was black. Northrup and Douglass fought and survived the unimaginable and still managed to use their lives and journeys to aid in others gaining freedom that had been stolen away, despite the beliefs of the United
States. The United States during this course was a new place for the settlers. They fought valiantly for freedom against the tyranny of Britain and wanted to establish their own free world. However, they could not establish this new land alone. So, they killed, stole, and tortured humans while pushing the ideal of the American Dream. You can see some whites in the 12 Years a Slave, most notably Samuel Bass, who ultimate helped Northup regain his freedom see the direct hypocrisy and inhumane nature of slavery. However, most just accepted it as the way it had to be and a new normal. Freedom and equality was pushed for in the Constitution by many powerful men and presidents, but this freedom and equality was not meant for all. America became what it fought so hard to be free from, a nation of privileged and oppressed. There was no difference between Great Britain and early America, just instead of Kings we had elected officials and instead of poverty we had slaves. America still fights to be the great nation it always intended, but only time will tell if that truly happens. At this moment, we are all free, but still not all equal.
It shows that Negros were able to purchase their freedom and purchase the freedom of their family members. It shows a sense of equality in the way that free blacks could go to court and potentially win cases against white farmers. Free blacks owning slaves and indentured servants, some of which were white, could also be seen as equality. It also shows how free blacks had a thought of a future in the way that they drew up wills in which their family members were granted land and livestock. Knowing that white farming landowners and free blacks lived together in a sense of harmony goes back to the main theme of Myne Owne Ground. It shows that slavery is indeed an embarrassment to our nation. Knowing that blacks and whites were able to live together, trade, and be civil towards each other shows that slavery was unfounded and not
From before the country’s conception to the war that divided it and the fallout that abolished it, slavery has been heavily engrained in the American society. From poor white yeoman farmers, to Northern abolitionist, to Southern gentry, and apathetic northerners slavery transformed the way people viewed both their life and liberty. To truly understand the impact that slavery has had on American society one has to look no further than those who have experienced them firsthand. Frederick Douglass, an escaped slave and advocate for the abolitionist, is on such person. Douglass was a living contradiction to American society during his time. He was an African-American man, self-taught, knowledgeable, well-spoken, and a robust writer. Douglass displayed a level of skill that few of his people at the time could acquire. With his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave Written by Himself, Douglass captivated the people of his time with his firsthand accounts into the horror and brutality that is the institution of slavery.
1.) Fredrick Douglass’s purpose in this speech was to explain the wrongfulness of slavery in America. Fredrick Douglass states in his speech “Are the great principles of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us?” and “The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity, and independence, bequeathed by your fathers is shared by you, not by me.” These prove that the freedom and independence Americans have aren’t shared with the Africans when it should be that Africans have those rights as well. Frederick Douglass then talked about how badly whites treat blacks and how wrong it is. “There are 72 crimes in Virginia which, if committed by a black man, subject him to a punishment of death, while
...y afraid at first but finds out that there are many ex-slaves willing to take a stand and risk their lives to help their own. Douglass realizes that with the help from the ex-slaves he could also help his fellow slaves.
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, depicts a vivid reality of the hardships endured by the African American culture in the period of slavery. One of the many things shown in Frederick's narrative is how slaves, in their own personal way, resisted their masters authority. Another is how slaves were able to create their own autonomous culture within the brutal system in which they were bound. There are many examples in the narrative where Frederick tries to show the resistance of the slaves. The resistors did not go unpunished though, they were punished to the severity of death. Fredrick tells of these instances with a startling sense of casualness, which seems rather odd when comprehending the content of them. He does this though, not out of desensitization, but to show that these were very commonplace things that happened all over the South at the time.
“The law on the side of freedom is of great advantage only when there is power to make that law respected”. This quote comes from Fredrick Douglas’ book, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, written in 1845. Fredrick Douglas who was born into slavery in 1818 had no understanding of freedom. However, his words shed light on the state of our country from the time he made this statement, but can be traced back fifty-eight years earlier to when the Constitution was drafted and debated over by fifty-five delegates in an attempt to create a document to found the laws of a new country upon. However, to eradicate the antiquated and barbaric system of slaver would be a bold step to set the nation apart, but it would take a strong argument and a courageous move by someone or a group to abolish what had enslaved thousands of innocent people within the borders of America for centuries. There was an opportunity for the law to be written within the Constitution, which would support this freedom Fredrick Douglas alluded to. However, the power, which controlled this law, would as Douglas stated, “make that law respected”.
In a preface of Douglass' autobiography, William Lloyd Garrison writes, "I am confident that it is essentially true in all its statements; that nothing has been set down in malice, nothing exaggerated, nothing drawn from the imagination; that it comes short of the reality, rather than overstates a single fact in regard to SLAVERY AS IT IS."(Garrison, 34). The significance of this statement validates and promises that Douglass' words are nothing but the truth. This made the narrative more marketable to the white audience and people were listening. Douglass realized that he did not need assurance from white people to be respected. That's why he addressed his master for all the wrong things done to him. Slaves are looked as not human. Douglass completes his journey from slave to man when he creates his own identity. He speaks out, fighting as an abolitionist and finally becoming an author. Douglass tells his story not simply as a search for fr...
...edge. In his narrative, Douglass layers the many brutal, cruel, inhumane, and true components of slavery in his life, underlying each story with a political motive and relation. This method of writing was for his audience removed from slavery, those ignorant of slavery, uninformed, misunderstood, and those who were fortunate to have freedom. Douglass illustrates living conditions, experiences, tragedies, and struggles to great depths. Everywhere, African Americans escaped the binds of slavery due to Frederick Douglass' determination. He revolutionized America, being one of the greatest leaders of the abolition, being the reason for so many freed lives, and leading to the complete abolition and illegality of slavery in America.
Slave narratives were one of the first forms of African- American literature. The narratives were written with the intent to inform those who weren’t aware of the hardships of slavery about how badly slaves were being treated. The people who wrote these narratives experienced slavery first hand, and wanted to elicit the help of abolitionists to bring an end to it. Most slave narratives were not widely publicized and often got overlooked as the years went by; however, some were highly regarded and paved the way for many writers of African descent today.
The detail present in the narrative helps convey the tones of liberation and fear. Douglass recalls the “blessedness of freedom,” of not having to wonder if it will be a day of “life or death,” yet he was able to live and “succeed in reach{ing} New York without the slightest interruption.” Attaining freedom was the highest goal for Fredrick Douglass. As a slave each day he would wake up wondering if he would live to see tomorrow, due to his strength he was able to live on and succeed in reaching the safe state. However, once freedom was attained he felt as though he “had escaped a den of hungry lions” with “money loving kidnappers” causing him to “trust no man.” Douglass feels as though he is prey in this free state where kidnappers are awaiting to make some easy money and take him back to slavery.
When first introduced to Douglass and his story, we find him to be a young slave boy filled with information about those around him. Not only does he speak from the view point of an observer, but he speaks of many typical stereotypes in the slave life. At this point in his life, Frederick is inexperienced and knows nothing of the pleasures of things such as reading, writing, or even the rights everyone should be entitled to. Douglass knowing hardly anything of his family, their whereabouts, or his background, seems to be equivalent to the many other slaves at the time. As a child Frederick Douglass sees the injustices around him and observes them, yet as the story continues we begin to see a change.
The history of slavery dates back to the dawn of time, pre-dating any written records. We study our history and learn from our mistakes, this is how we grow as human beings. This essay is the comparison of two slaves who were able to write about their experiences and have their story heard. There are similarities in their retellings, but there are also many significant differences in the outcome of their time as slaves. Millie Evans tells of her life in a very upbeat and positive way, while Frederick Douglass endured and witnessed some very horrible things. While there does seem to be a “typical” slave experience, there are also certain factors that occurred in each authors life that made it anything but typical.
During the period after the emancipation many African Americans are hoping for a better future with no one as their master but themselves, however, according to the documentary their dream is still crushed since even after liberation, as a result of the bad laws from the federal government their lives were filled with forced labor, torture and brutality, poverty and poor living conditions. All this is shown in film. First, after emancipation, federal laws revived slavery into new form. After slaves were freed during post- civil war, the whites especially those in the south faced problems in running their plantations; since there was no free labor force from slaves, and also some whites who had never owned slaves saw the African Americans as undesirable competition. I think the laws enforcements eventually became the method through which slavery of blacks take its new form.
The topic of slavery in the United States has always been controversial, as many people living in the South were supportive of it and many people living in the North were against it. Even though it was abolished by the Civil War before the start of the 20th century, there are still different views on the subject today. Written in 1853, the book Twelve Years a Slave is a first person account of what it was like for Solomon Northup to be taken captive from his free life in the North and sold to a plantation as a slave in the South, and his struggle to regain his freedom. Through writing about themes of namelessness, inhumanity, suffering, distrust, defiance, and the desire for freedom, Northup was able to expose the experiences and realities of slavery.
...a lot of atrocities at the hands of their owners, who were successful in using ignorance as a tool of slavery, besides treating them as personal property. However, the slaves struggled to gain education on their own, ultimately knowing their rights and questioning some of the heinous acts. Slave owners ensured that slaves worked tirelessly so that they do not get time to idle around and gather in groups that would shake the administration. The narrative, through highlighting the experiences of Douglass himself, painted a true picture of the type of life slaves were undergoing under the surveillance of their slave masters in the United States, a picture that the slaveholders did not want to be brought to the limelight.