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Materialism is defined by Webster's Dictionary as "a preference for material objects as opposed to spiritual or intellectual pursuits" (172). Life in 2002 is very materialistic. I am a part of a generation that has been focused on "what we have." Materialism is something that I have just realized is an issue for me. Into the Wild and The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass opened my eyes to how complicated materialism makes life. After completing the novels, I visited with my mother as she has had a different experience in her lifetime. I also interviewed my wife as she has a different upbringing from myself. All of this information has provided for a new perspective for me on materialism.
My wife and I have become accustomed to purchasing or getting whatever we like. It is hard for me to imagine Chris McCandless giving all of his money away and living on hardly anything. He made the choice to "just get by." Living off the land is something McCandless strongly promoted. In his letter to Franz, McCandless encouraged Franz to "do it economy style" (58). We have always given to charities and to the Church, but we have also made sure we have more than the necessities. McCandless's choices showed me that maybe we could live with a little less. I cannot see my family going to the point of giving up our home, our cars, and many of our things. I am able to see us looking more carefully as our purchases and how much "stuff" we really need.
Federick Douglass never had a choice when he was a slave. Money and materialism were the least of his concerns. When he did make money, Douglass had to pay his master a sizeable portion of the money. He is "lay up a little money each week" (96). I, again, cannot imagine having to scrape by just to pay expenses. I have worked since I was fourteen to ensure I had money to buy the things I wanted.
When Douglass became a free man, he found "the most astonishing as well as the most interesting thing...was the condition of the colored people...living in finer houses, and evidently enjoying more of the comforts of life, more than the average slaveholder in Maryland" (102-103). I think made materialism a strong reality to him.
Different types of literature have been part of America since the 1630’s and the varieties of literature still exist to this day. Frederick Douglass’s work and speeches during his lifetime caught the attention of many people in the United States, including slave owners themselves. Douglass has not only changed American literature, he has also inspired many other writers and speakers to seek freedom of expression for themselves. Even though he had a rough childhood because he was a slave, Douglass found ways to make the most of it. Fortunately it was because he had a nice and caring owner who taught him to read and write. Furthermore, because he had a warmhearted owner, he was able to express himself through his work to many different people of his time. Douglass’s works and speeches remain of great impact, and continue to influence and inspire many people in literature to this day. He influenced many people during his travels to Northern free states and overseas to England and Ireland where he explained and changed their mindset of the cruelty of slavery, which ultimately lead to the adjustment by the people to understand the reality of slavery.
Materialism is a key part of our society. It is something that exists in real life, and is portrayed in Literature. A real life representation of materialism in our society is Kanye West. Kanye West is one of the most successful rappers of our time. He is known for his extreme rants and controversial verses and sayings. Literature is also known for creating materialistic characters. Jay Gatsby from The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a great example of materialism. Jay Gatsby is known as romantic, mysterious man with an unknown past. Kanye West and Jay Gatsby are similar in their tough past, intense love, and crazy parties.
I feel like materialistic best fits me, because I am externally into name brand items. Sometimes I place myself on a pedestal above everyone else, and if I don’t have the best material things or someone has something that I want but don’t have, I will through a huge fit until I get it. Once I get it there will be something else that I have to have to ensure that I’m better than the next person. From my socks to my suits, if it’s
There are a number of key arguments in “The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass”. A few of which include inequality, education, and Christianity as the keys to freedom in terms of its true values within the institution of slavery. While Frederick Douglass made some key arguments, he also made common ground to make his appeal for the abolition of slavery.
Douglass’s life in the city was very different from his life in the country, and living in the city changed his life. In the city, he worked as a ship caulker which he excelled at, compared to a a field hand in the country which he was not skilled at. In the city he was treated better and always fed, but in the country he was experienced lack of food most of the time. The city opened his mind to escaping, and with the help of abolitionists he was able to successfully escape. In the country he did not knowledgable people to help him and was turned in by an ignorant, loyal slave. The city’s better opportunities and atmosphere led Frederick Douglass to escape freedom and dedicate the rest of his life fighting to end slavery
Within the “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave” Douglass discusses the deplorable conditions in which he and his fellow slaves suffered from. While on Colonel Lloyd’s plantation, slaves were given a “monthly allowance of eight pounds of pork and one bushel of corn” (Douglass 224). Their annual clothing rations weren’t any better; considering the type of field work they did, what little clothing they were given quickly deteriorated. The lack of food and clothing matched the terrible living conditions. After working on the field all day, with very little rest the night before, they must sleep on the hard uncomfortably cramped floor with only a single blanket as protection from the cold. Coupled with the overseer’s irresponsible and abusive use of power, it is astonishing how three to four hundred slaves did not rebel. Slave-owners recognized that in able to restrict and control slaves more than physical violence was needed. Therefore in able to mold slaves into the submissive and subservient property they desired, slave-owners manipulated them by twisting religion, instilling fear, breaking familial ties, making them dependent, providing them with an incorrect view of freedom, as well as refusing them education.
During Douglass lifetime one of his most important significances is about the 13th amendment, which still is very relevant in today’s society. The 13th amendment made it illegal to own slaves, and it was taken in to effect in 1865. (Fletcher, George P. pg. 52) The 13th amendment wasn’t an easy amendment to get through since slavery was such a big part of the society, especially in the south where many people owned multiple slaves. However, due to the fact that Douglass was a high ranked politician, and had great oral skills he was able to influence both the people in the society, congress, and House of Representatives. Though, it wasn’t only because he was a high ranked politician he was able to influence people and make them understand how horrific the slavery actually was. Twenty years before the 13th amendment was passed in congress, Douglass released an autobiography book “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.” In his autobiography book he explained about how it was to be a slave, what he had to do and how terrible it was. Additionally, he also explained about his escape from slavery and how he got in to politics, and different Anti-Slavery organizations. It’s very important to have Frederick Douglass in mind when talking about the 13th amendment because without him the 13th amendment most likely wouldn’t have passed
His main argument in the speech is that it 's unjust and hypocritical for a country to celebrate its freedom while it still has slaves. Now that in itself is a morally viable argument, and it has never been more relevant than today in our racially hate fueled world where every situation is turned into a hate crime. However, back in those days majority of slaves were sold into slavery by their own people. Most slaves were sold by rival tribes as prisoners of war, or trouble makers of the tribe, thus giving us the “bottom of the barrel” of the groups. Another counter to Douglass was that even though slaves were people, they were still considered property. A hard working farmer could have used his last penny in order to purchase that slave because he was unable to tend his farm and provide for his family. One common misconception was that all slaves were beaten and treated lower than swine, while to the contrary some were treated well being given a bed and meals every day in exchange for their hard work. While Douglass may have had a bad time under the ownership of Auld, most northern states did not treat their slaves in this manner. This is one of the main reasons Douglass learned how to read, yet no credit is given to his former owner. Most slaves developed a relationship with their owners, in which their owners taught them useful skills such as reading, writing, simple math and farming skills. Another argument brought into Douglass’ speech was that most churches were segregated, and in turn perpetuated the racism that helped keep slavery alive in well. He proposed that a God that wouldn’t allow such evil and disservice in this world would contradict everything the bible proposes and teaches. He praises the writers of the constitution, considering them his equal and thanking the signers of the Declaration of Independence, calling
In his speech he tries to make white people consider the behavior of black people. Specially their feelings towards a national occasion such as Independence Day. At the time of Douglass’s speech America were actually two different nations, white and black. Two separated nations one had great benefits
the fact that his work was compelling, powerful and had a purpose. Take for example his speech titled, “The Need for Continuing Anti-Slavery Work”. It was written in May of 1865 at the thirty-second annual Meeting of the American Anti-Slavery Society. During his speech he stressed the importance that the Abolition community must continue their work for the rights of African Americans and the once again advocates for black enfranchisement. When supporting his stance on the continued work of the American Anti-Slavery Society Douglass wrote, “I take this ground; whether this Constitutional Amendment is law or not, whether it has been ratified by a sufficient number of States to make it law or not, I hold that the work of Abolitionists is not done.while the black man is confronted in this legislation of the South by the word “white”, our work as Abolitionists, as I conceive it, is not done”.
Frederick Douglass’ source, “The Desire for Freedom” was written in 1845. He was born into slavery in 1818 and became an important figure in the fight for abolition. Douglass was also involved in other reform movements such as the women’s rights movement. He “experienced slavery in all its variety, from work as a house servant and as a skilled craftsman in Baltimore shipyard to labor as a plantation field hand” (Pg.207¬). “The Desire for Freedom” was meant to document how his life was within slavery and how his education could someday help him escape it. Douglass meant to speak to American slaves and those who did not really understand slavery in order to help persuade everyone that life was meant to be lived freely. In order to obtain this future, Douglass wrote about his own personal experience and how he believed that enslavers were “in no other light than a band of successful robbers, who had left their homes, and gone to Africa, and stolen us from our homes, and in a strange land reduced us to slavery” (Pg. 208). This source brings on the idea that slaves were willing to fight back, wanted to be educated, and, most importantly, wanted the chance to live life freely.
In this final research analysis, I will be doing a comparison between the “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” and the “Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson” to show how both Douglass and Rowlandson use a great deal of person strength and faith in God to endure their life and ultimately gain their freedom.
“Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe”( Douglass). This famous quote epitomizes the philosophies of Frederick Douglass, in which he wanted everyone to be treated with dignity; if everyone was not treated with equality, no one person or property would be safe harm. His experience as a house slave, field slave and ship builder gave him the knowledge to develop into a persuasive speaker and abolitionist. In his narrative, he makes key arguments to white abolitionist and Christians on why slavery should be abolished. The key arguments that Frederick Douglass tries to vindicate are that slavery denies slaves of their identity, slavery is also detrimental for the slave owner, and slavery is ungodly.
Auld, he was introduced to education which gives him a sense of humanity back. Mrs. Auld taught Douglass the alphabet and how to spell small words. However, Mr. Auld found out and disapprovingly said “ if you teach that n- - - - - how to read… it would forever unfit him to be a slave” which Douglass took note of to (250). Douglass realized the importance of his master being scared of him reading and spelling and noticed the value in having and education. Having an education and realizing the importance of that was a major building block in forming Frederick Douglass’s identity.
Douglass’s mistress only taught him three letters within the alphabet. Only learning three letters from alphabet and teaching yourself the rest, is really insane. If I was only taught three letters then it would've been extremely hard me to learn it all by myself. It takes patience and other skills to achieve this go. I believe Fredrick Douglass is an influential man due to his circumstance. He took a negative statement about slaves and used it as energy boaster to push him to succeed. Douglass put his life in jeopardy because he was teaching himself how to read and write. Usually when slaves try to educate themselves, they get punish from the slave master. They either get wiped or a finger chopped off. He wanted to prove that he will educate himself and become somebody. If I was only taught three letters it would've been extremely hard me to learn it all by myself. Fredrick Douglas mistress gave him a small foundation which led to him building a pathway to