During the 18th and 19th centuries, an afflux of slave narratives were published in forms of books, pamphlets, and memoirs, capturing the disheartening experiences of the slaves while being imprisoned at plantations and mines. The assaults engraved on their minds and bodies are recaptured in such narratives with the purpose of exposing slavery’s partiality, oppression, and dehumanization. Nearly six thousand former slaves printed an account of their lives while being enslaved. Much of what was published of their enslavement reported stories of hardships, general spiritual journeys, and religious redemption. In spite of every narration being horrendously truthful, The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass, an American Slave not only narrated the anguishing journey of imprisonment, but also left an impassioned affect on the audience as it fueled political movements, particularly the abolitionist movement of the early 19th century. Furthermore, Frederick Douglass’s remarkable spread of literacy and knowledge encompassed much of The Narrative’s success. The Narrative’s simple, coherent truth and credibility opened the eyes of many, and doors to a new perceptive of slavery.
Prior to enlightened thinkers criticizing the violations of the rights of man, the antislavery sentiments were continually suppressed. Many of the narratives published by slaves were less enthused in political movements, but aspiring only to be heard by other
The Essay on The Bondwoman’s Narrative Slave Hannah Writes
The Bondwoman's Narrative The Bondwoman's Narrative is a manuscript written by Hannah Crafts, a slave from North Carolina. The book is the story of her life, written as she experiences it. She invites the reader into the minds and hearts of a slave as she tells of her personal experiences. She writes of the trials and tribulations of being enslaved, and how degrading it feels in such a situation. ...
fellow slaves. Douglass, conversely, sought escape and freedom after recognizing the motifs behind keeping blacks enslaved, illiterate, and handled like brutes. At the age of thirteen, Douglass was a ‘ready listener.’ At thirteen, he understood if a slave did “anything wrong in the mind of a slaveholder, it was spoken of as a fruit of abolition.” (Douglass 46) The word abolition depicted freedom, a pathway, and a destination to Douglass. After obtaining ‘freedom’, a goal Douglass had been building on in secrecy, Douglass now specified his struggles and fears as an escaped slave. This new stage in his life defined the meaning of freedom for him, and for others. Upon escaping to New York, Douglass’s mindset remained on freedom; “escaping from the dens of a lion” was not enough. Once again Douglass was “seized with a feeling of great insecurity and loneliness,” and still felt himself a slave; unsafe and still liable to the evils of slavery. (Douglass 93) Once free, Douglass jeopardizes his and others lives with the strength of will to help other slaves free themselves. While trying to find an identity for himself, Douglass finds redeeming work as an activist and aiding to the abolitionist movement, and subscribing to the Liberator, straining the value of being liberated. However, by speaking his mind did he feel the true “degree of freedom.” (Douglass 99) Through such narration did Douglass accomplish in offering his readers, and later historians, the viewpoint of a slave and aid the cause of Abolition. Preceding The Narrative, white abolitionists had established limits to which Douglass could speak of the tortures of slavery. After its publication, however, Douglass was given the analytical advantage and credibility to speak his mind freely, as well as continue more ambitious work and commendable speeches. Unlike Douglass, most narratives lost the urgency to get rid of
the evils of slavery, much less endorse in abolitionist beliefs. For example, former slave Tempe Herndon Durham believed, “Freedom is all right, but de niggers was better off befo’ surrender, kaze den dey was looked after an’ dey didn’ get in no trouble.” (Jordon, 284) Her lack of faith in the perception of freedom is further enhanced as she explains the slaveholder’s whipping could straighten up a ‘sassy slave’ and if ill, they are medicated, fed, and taken care of. Tempe refuses to see the negative aspect of such treatment of slaves, and that they are being nursed only to be treated like uncivilized animals. For others, freedom being the sole ambition in the slave’s lives, once acquired, their motive was the fulfill living the years missed. Hence, some former slaves invested the majority of their novel informing readers the transition of life after emancipation, leaving little room to inspire other black and white men as Douglass succeeded in doing so.
The Essay on The “Narrative life of Frederick Douglass”
... Narrative life of Frederick Douglass” was more than an autobiography. It summarized historically, politically and legally what it was like to be a slave ... and non-stop fighting is what ultimately gave Douglass freedom. After Douglass escaped to the north, he finally had achieved ... exhausted. Until then, Fredrick describes its readers how a “ man was made a slave” stripped from his entire god given ...
Fredrick Douglass understood something most failed in doing so. Douglass acknowledged “the pathway from slavery to freedom” by absorbing as much knowledge as possible. (Douglass 41) Through this revelation, Douglass was able to inform himself of various subjects through newspapers and books. The Narrative explains with meticulous detail as to how and why literacy and freedom are interconnected, and are unattainable without one another in his predicament. Furthermore, Douglass skillfully
taught himself to read, observe, and analyze situations, places, and persons. The
autobiography effectively portrays the environment in which the blacks were being enslaved and battered. Douglass selects specific dialect to inform the readers of the conditions he survived, compelling its readers to voice an opinion against such prejudice. Whereas Douglass exposed the truth about slave plantations to the north, other slaves concentrated on encouraging fellow slaves to rise and speak up. Although done with good intentions, this was not as influential, powerful, or persuasive as Douglass’s speeches and his Narrative because of their lack of knowledge and ability to articulate. The eloquent introductory notes by the white brothers in the abolitionist movement, William Lloyd Garrison and Wendell Phillips, served to guarantee the authenticity of The Narrative. Followed by such support was Douglass’s prim persuasion and strikingly truth of all characters and situations depicted in his memoir. Due to the slave’s lack of literacy, most slave narratives were written amateur and lacked expertise; therefore, many did not authenticate correctly. For instance, former slave Walter Colloway recalls, “”Marse John hab a big plantation an’ lots of slaves. Dey treated us purty good, but we hab to wuk hard…He whupped a nigger gal ’bout thirteen years old so hard she nearly die.” (Calloway, 52) Colloway summons up memory of an incident at his slave plantation, and even bears in mind their names. Nevertheless, an incident delivered as such did not carry the similar outcome as Douglass.
The Essay on Frederick Douglass Slave Fredrick Life
In fact, knowledge gives Douglass the courage and resourcefulness to become one of the greatest speakers and writers of all time. Without education he may have forever remained a prisoner of the southern slave masters." Frederick Douglass became a slave owner's worst nightmare when he learned to read. Douglass' literacy helped secure both his mental and physical freedom and guided him to a life ...
Fredrick Douglass found himself midst tricksters and quickly detected their techniques and strategies to keep the blacks inferior in society. Finding himself ruled and crushed by such a system, Douglass determinedly learns to read and write, teach others,
and by his own trickery system, free the majority of others upon whom the same agony is
being inflicted. By adopting the skill of persuasion, his Narrative and narrative-like speeches helped his fellow slaves and the near generations seek freedom and self-pride. Douglass’s impact on the abolitionist movement is an efficient reason as to why his Narrative and the man himself is worshipped, respected and celebrated more than other slaves. Recognizing such torment and effectively executing the plan to free him and others of it is praiseworthy. Slave narratives as a whole are all celebrated, read, and in the public eye on the topic of slavery. However, The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass, an American Slave narrates an idealistic story and reveals the deception and anguish that not only Douglass, but each and every slave suffered through while being under slaveholders. It remains not only a classic, but also a reminder of human’s capability of evil to the level of dehumanization of man.
