A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

8/13/2019 A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

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Cvetkovic 1

Katarina Cvetkovic

Natasa Karanflovic

XIX century American literature

Maj 16, 2011

Freerick !ou"lass #s $orkA narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass

an American slave written by himself, is an auto%io"ra&'y, $ritten %y a

(u"itive slave) It $as &u%lis'e in 1*+, as an antislavery ocument in

$'ic' !ou"lass s&ecife 'is &ersonal 'istory an e-&erience $'en %ein" a

slave) .e satirically &resente a ark $orl o( slavery to auience, &roviin"

many etails concernin" 'is li(e in Marylan) /'e &ur&ose o( t'is testament

$as to convince Americans to &ut t'e en to t'e slavery as soon as &ossi%le)

'en talkin" a%out criticiin" slavery, it $as im&ortant (or !ou"lass to

criticie slave masters a lot) .e e-em&lifes (alse C'ristianity %y &ortrayin"

saistic, %ar%arous an reli"ious slave'olers, $'o, accorin" to 'is o&inion

$ere t'e $orst)

lavery 'a e-iste aroun t'e $orl almost as lon" as t'ere is a

recor o( 'uman activity) 3eo&le mainly %ecame slaves in t'e American

colonies) It all %e"an slo$ly in t'e Cari%%ean, Nort' an out' America

$'ere A(rican slaves $ere trans&orte to &er(orm various ty&es o(

e-'austin" $orks) C'allen"es to slavery, &articularly %y 4uakers, %e"an to

%e 'ear in t'e ei"'teent' century an "ro$in" increasin"ly in t'e est,

5reat ritain an t'e 7nite tates) out'erners $ere emanin" slavery to

s&rea more an more, %ut since some $ere su&&ortive o( it, some not, t'e

ar"uments over slavery cause t'e civil $ar, $'ic' laste (rom 1*61 until

1*6) Finally 5reat ritain ene slavery in its Cari%%ean colonies in 1*88,

an t$o years later slavery $as a%olis'e in t'e 7nite tates 9Anre$s an

Mc Feely:)

A(ter esca&in" (rom slavery, Freerick !ou"lass %ecame a leaer o(

t'e a%olitionist movement in ante%ellum America) .is "oals $ere to a%olis'


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slavery on t'e $'ole, to %rin" (reeom to t'e t'ree million o( enslave

&eo&le, to %rin" %ack t'e ri"'ts o( %lacks an %rin" a%out t'e a%olition o( t'e

/ransatlantic lave /rae) Not many &eo&le in ritain unerstoo t'e evils o(

t'e lave /rae, an t'ose $'o i, ar"ue a"ainst it in every &ossi%le $ay)

.e consiere a%olition t'e only true resolution to slavery) ;t'er resolutions

$ere (alse an $oul (ail just as t'e Missouri com&romise $'ic' trie to limit

slavery "eo"ra&'ically in 1*20) At frst, many &oliticians $ere not su&&ortive

o( a%olitionism, %ut later t'ey e(ene it stron"ly 9Keit':) A%ra'am


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enure 9Anre$s an Mc Feely:) /'ey encoura"e slaves to marry, &ro%a%ly

%ecause t'en t'ey $oul %ecome less incline to revolt) At t'at time, %e(ore

t'e eyes o( t'e state, t'e only one $'o $as al$ays to %e "uilty is a slave)

lavery $as &rofta%le an t'at $as t'e only t'in" t'at masters care a%out)

In all t'ese 'orri%le conitions, slaves $ere alone an lonely, se&arate (rom

t'eir &arents an (amilies as in(ants an no%oy care a%out it) ;ne o( t'e

masters> (avourite acts $as se&aratin" c'ilren (rom &arents, 'us%ans (rom

$i(es an leavin" t'eir 'earts esolate) 'i&&in" $as a daily therapyslaves

"ot) /'ey $ere (re@uently $'i&&e $'en least eservin" it, an esca&e

$'i&&in" $'en most eservin" it) 'enever

slaves trie to com&lain, no

matter 'o$ unjust t'at com&laints $ere, t'ey $ere not allo$e to say a

$or) Courts an community o( /al%ot country, Marylan i not treat killin"

a slave ille"al or a crime 9Anre$s an Mc Feely:) /'is enotes t'at slaves

$ere &erceive as t'in"s an o%jects o( ni'ilistic &eo&le)

lavery $as an evil, %ut co'erent social system in $'ic' slave o$ners use

'ar &unis'ments in orer to make t'eir slaves &rouce cro&s on t'e

&lantations) Alt'ou"' slaves $ere reluctant, not coo&erative, an

sometimes iso%eient, t'ey i not 'ave any c'oice, %ut to o as t'e

master orere) Actually, any attem&t o( iso%eience $oul cause some

kin o( &unis'ment) 'en master $as s&eakin", t'e only t'in" t'at slave

s'oul o $asB #>stan, listen an trem%le>> 9Anre$s an Mc Feely, 21:) /'is

inicates t'at on no account $ere t'ey allo$e to e(en t'emselves, even

i( it $as a (alse, unjust accusation) It $oul %e certainly s'ame(ul (or a

master i( t'e slave turne out ri"'t %e(ore t'e eyes o( t'ousan o( slaves)

/'is system coul only (unction i( t'ese victims %ore in t'eir mins t'at

t'ey $ere not'in" %ut instruments (or "ainin" &rofts)

!ou"lass e-&lains 'o$ small %lack c'ilren learne t'eir &osition in

societyB >> I 'ave no accurate kno$le"e o( my a"e>> 9Anre$s an Mc

Feely, 12:) /'is tells us t'at t'e $is' o( all masters $as to make slaves

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i"norant) A lar"e num%er o( slaves i not kno$ t'e ay o( t'eir %irt', nor

t'e names o( t'eir mot'ers an (at'ers) /'us, !ou"lass i not 'ave t'e

s&ecial ay to cele%rate 'is iniviuality, an reacte to 'is mot'er>s eat'

as i( s'e $ere a stran"er) De"arin" 'is (at'er, 'e sus&ecte t'at it $as 'is

master 9Art'ur:)

;ne mi"'t $oner 'o$ slave o$ners mae all t'at &eo&le into slaves)

!i slaves acce&t t'e terror o( reality, or s'o$e any si"n o( iscontentE

7lric' ) 3'ili&s, $'o $as t'e

'istorian o( slavery, assume t'at A(rican

American slaves $ere a &rimitive c'illike &eo&le $'o reaily acce&te t'e

"uiance o( t'eir maters 9Art'ur:) /'is $as also one o( t'e t'in"s !ou"lass

criticie, %ut t'is time re"arin" slaves) No $oner 'e coul not unerstant'eir in(eriority) =ven $'en t'ese &oor creatures $ere treate most cruelly,

t'ey i not rener t'e re%ellious s&irit, nor trie to %rin" murerous masters

to court) !ou"lass>sNarrative "ives etails on 'o$ youn" %lack c'ilren

$ere %rou"'t in t'at social system)

.o$ever !ou"lass $as ierent) Alt'ou"' %orn into t'e slave system, 'e

$as not @uite &art o( it)

As a youn" %oy 'e "aine certain e-&eriences t'at

'el&e 'im later skipt'e &rocess o( socialiation an conse@uently, 'e $as

amon" (e$ $'o succeee to run a$ay (rom terrifc li(e on t'e &lantation)

.is story 'a a 'a&&y enin")

In aition, !ou"lass 'a (ortune to 'ave a mistress (rom t'e Nort',

$'o intene to teac' 'im to rea an $rite) As s'e $as not in(orme t'at

slaves $ere %anne (rom any kin o( eucation, s'e (oun 'ersel( in an

uncom(orta%le situation) 'en !ou"lass>s master (oun out s'e starte

teac'in" 'im, 'e an"rily amonis'e 'erB >> A ni""er s'oul kno$ not'in"

%ut to o%ey 'is master to o as 'e is tol to o) learnin" $oul s&oil t'e

%est ni""er in t'e $orl #>9Anre$s an Mc Feely, 2?:) /'ere $as a rule t'at

slaves $ere to %e ke&t illiterate %y la$, an ue to t'at, many remaine

com&letely illiterate, alt'ou"' t'ey $ante to "ain just %asic kno$le"e)

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an carry o a re%ellious s&irit (or some time) Actually, t'at $as t'eir only

&rivile"e "rante %y merciless slave o$ners, an t'at $as one $it' a

certain &lan) As a result o( t'at, slaves $oul %ecome more su%missive,

$'ic' t'ey o%viously $ante) /'ose $'o $ere not &unis'e or i not reject

t'is (avour, $ere allo$e to s&en 'oliays $it' t'eir (amily mem%ers) It $as

a traition to rink a lot on ays like t'ese, t'ere(ore masters encoura"e

slaves to rink e-cessively 9Anre$s an Mc Feely:)

/'is may soun &ositive an (rienly, %ut it $as not) /'at $ay masters

only esecrate t'e 'allo$e ays, since t'ey tene to invert everyt'in"

incluin" reli"ion, more s&ecifc C'ristianity) /'e most es&ica%le c'aracter

in !ou"lass>s $ork is =$ar Covey, an 'e is to %e mentione since!ou"lass encountere conGict $it' 'im, %ut eventually esca&e severe

&unis'ment) .e $as kno$n as a snakeamon" slaves, %ecause 'e $oul

cra$l aroun an take %y sur&rise anyone in t'e mile o( $ork 9Keit':)

!ou"lass live in a reli"ious community, an re&orts t'at t'e reli"ious slave

'olers $ere t'e $orst) .e $as a true, evote C'ristian $'o stron"ly

criticie (alse C'ristianity) ;%viously %ona"e 'a its o$n C'ristianity, as

$ell as rules an moral) everal masters, a(ter convertin" to C'ristianity,

%e"an, (or some reason, to %e'ave more %rutally to$ars slaves) out'ern

c'urc'es $ere also corru&t) As slaves $ere victims o( slave trae, c'urc'es

%enefte money (rom t'at &rocess an $ere com&licit in t'e in'uman

cruelty o( slavery 9Anre$s an Mc Feely:)

Accorin" to !ou"lass, =manci&ation $oul %e t'e only resolution to

ismantle out'ern inversion o( /rue C'ristianity) It $as a reli"ion o( ictorian

America, $'ile slavery $as a la%our system $'ic' 'a ao&te C'ristianity,

%ut inverte all its values 9Keit':) lavery $as acce&te an su&&orte %y

t'e Nort' an t'at $as t'e reason $'y Freerick ecie to s&eak

&assionately a"ainst it, to 'is reaers)

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laves $ere not reco"nise as le"al su%jects an &ur&ose o( t'eir li(e

$as mere $ork) All c'ilren an $omen $ere o%li"e to $ork nine 'ours &er

ay an $ere "iven minimal amounts o( (oo) /'ey ate (rom a trou"' like so

many &i"s 9Art'ur:) =very e-am&le t'e $riter uses makes us come u& $it'

t'e conclusion t'at slaves $ere treate as animals, or %etter as tools) For

Freecrick !ou"lass, connection %et$een slaves an animals $as constantly

rein(orce) Men, $omen an c'ilren $ere on t'e same scale 9Art'ur:)

'ite %oys use to say t'at it $as $ort' a 'al( a cent to kill a ni""er

9Art'ur:) Not only $ere t'e slave 'olers allo$e to kill, sell or %uy a slave,

%ut t'e $'ite c'ilren as $ell) For an instance, %lack slaves coul not testi(y

in court a"ainst t'e $'ite) It seeme t'at t'ey "aine a sense o( &o$ersim&ly %y %ein" $'ite) lack slave c'ilren $ere "iven no s'oes, jackets an

s'irts until ol enou"' to $ork in t'e fels, an masters $ere more strict

to$ars t'em t'an to t'e $'ites) Anot'er ierence to %e mentione is t'at

%lack c'ilren coul not turn to t'eir (amilies (or com(ort) /'ese c'ilren i

not 'ave a s'ouler to cry on as t'ey $ere se&arate)

It can %e notice t'at &eo&le c'an"e uner t'e inGuence o( slavery an t'at

c'an"e $as only to $orse) It is kno$n t'at what doesnt kill us, makes us

stronger, %ut uner t'e inGuence o( %ein" surroune (rom all sies %y evil,

you $ill (or sure trans(orm yoursel( unconsciously into a %east) ometimes

slaves inentife $it' t'eir su&ervisors)

Not only $ere men an c'ilren mistreate, %ut $omen as $ell) /'ey

$ere &'ysically an &syc'olo"ically a%use an t'e most 'orri(yin" $as

$'i&&in" t'em) .o$ever, $e s'oul not omit t'e in(ormation t'at t'eir

%oies $ere (re@uently ke&t nake (or everyone to see) /'is ee $as

e@ually &ain(ul as $'i&&in" itsel() As a c'il, Freerick 'a %een un(ortunate

to o%serve a very traumatic event relate to 'is Aunt .ester) 'i&&e to

eat', s'e $oul scream late in t'e ni"'t an a$ake 'er cousin) /'e more

s'e screame, t'e more master $'i&&e, an so until s'e $as covere $it'

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%loo) For 'im, t'is $as t'e entrance to t'e 'ell o( slavery, t'e ima"e t'at

(orms in one>s min is o( one>s sister, mot'er, aunt 9Martin:) Masters $oul

kee& t'eir youn" $omen tie u& in 'orri situation (our or fve times at a

time) ome $oul tie t'em u& early in t'e mornin" an $'i& t'em %e(ore

%reak(ast, t'en leave t'em, return at inner, an $'i& t'em a"ain 9Anre$s

an Mc Feely :)

'en turnin" to critics, Frances Foster $as amon" t'e frst ones to

introuce t'e enslave $oman as a se-ual victim) 'e o%serves t'at t'ere is

a ierence %et$een male an (emale narratives) Female narratives 'arly

contain any se-ual a%use or scenes o( ra&in", $'ile male narratives o

9Anre$s an Mc Feely:) As it $as mentione t'at !ou"lass coul not

unerstan slaves> inierence, 'ere 'e also "ives us an e-am&le o( t'eir

im&otence) /'ey $ere totally &o$erless an im&otent onlookers, conemne

to $atc' t'e a%use) /'e $riter escri%e many $'i&&in"s in etail) .e

moves our attention to Mr) 3lummer, t'e overseer, $'o $oul #>cut an slas'

t'e $omen>s 'eas>> an #> seem to take "reat &leasure>> in it 9Anre$s an

Mc Feely, 1J6:) =very scene inicates t'at t'ey $ere more t'an saistic)

/'eir food$as &oor slaves> moans, saness an a"ony) !ou"lass &rovie

reaers $it' many etails on every as&ect o( slavery, es&ecially on t'is

relate to $'i&&in" an se-ual a%use o( $omen)

ent t'rou"' all &at's o( arkness, !ou"lass coul not e-&ress

everyt'in" 'e $ante in $ors) /'ere $ere some e-tremely &ain(ul souns,

'orri moments an %looy scenes) /ime to time, 'e s'o$e si"ns o(

iscontent a%out 'is mani(esto, an also 'esitatin" $'et'er to &u%lis' t'e

Narrative or not, %ecause 'e $as a(rai to reveal 'is ientity to &u%lic) .e i

s'are "enuine an-ieties $it' 'is auiences an 'is account o( slavery an

&ersonal e-&eriences $as t'e %est receive auto%io"ra&'y in t'e ante%ellum

era) It attracte t'e $iest critical attention, an es&ite all ou%ts a%out 'is

eucation an skills, t'is $ork emonstrate sincerity an 'onesty, an later

a&&eale to everyone, even to revie$ers unsym&at'etic to slavery an its

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(eatures 9Anre$s an Mc Feely:) /'ey ackno$le"e its values an

&ersuasiveness) .e 'arly c'an"e any etail o( 'is &ersonal 'istory in t'e

%ook)

/'is %ook &reominantly (ocuses on $rtiter>s emotions an (eelin"s

t'at marke 'is %rutal e-&erience) From t'e %e"innin" o( t'e %ook, 'e nees

us to %elieve 'im) .e emans t'at $e ienti(y an sym&at'ie $it' 'im an

all t'e 'ars'i&s 'e $ent t'rou"') /'ere(ore, 'e escri%es every scene in a

"reat many etails, so t'at it a&&ears in our min vivily an &ictures@uely)

e %ecome (amiliar $it' 'is &ersonal e-&erience on t'e &lantations, %ut also

$e are &rovie $it' t'e in(ormation (rom Freerick !ou"lass as a $itness

an an o%server urin" t'e $'i&&in" o( 'is Aunt .ester) 'en talkin" a%outslaves, Freerick !ou"lass al$ays leas us to t'e main &oint slaves $ere

iscriminate an treate %rutally) laves $ere not only victims o( "ainin"

&roft, %ut victims o( saism as $ell) Many trie to esca&e a%usive

slave'olres, (e$ succeee in it) /'ose $'o i succee, %ecame (ree only

(ormally, %ut never a"ain $ere ca&a%le o( livin" normal lives) It can %e

conclue t'at slaves lacke o&tions, an it seeme t'at t'e only one $as

eat')

Nevert'eless, no matter 'o$ many instances o( as&ects o( slavery 'e coul

"ive, $e $ill never %e a%le to unerstan $'at it $as like) e can ima"ine,

%ut not (eel t'e &ain) !ou%tless, to e-&ress accumulate an"uis', "rie( an

is"ust, $as t'e most icult task (or 'im, in an attem&t to (ulfll t'e

e-&ectations o( auience an mark t'e most e'umaniin" &erio o(

mankin)

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orks citeB

Andrews William L and !c Feely William ", #Narrative of the life of

Frederick Douglass an American slave written by himself, A norton critical

edition WW Norton $ %ompanyNew &orkLondon, '(()

!iller, *eith D and *ocher +uth llen , #"hattering *idnappers -eavenly

.nion/ 0nterargumentation in Douglasss 1ratory and Narrative, 2reader3

4ilversmith, Arthur, Douglasss Narrative in historical conte5t, Douglasss #

perple5ing di6culty, 2reader3

*lammer, !artin, Douglasss narrative in introductory courses, # 7eaching

Douglasss Narrative in an 0ntroductory -umanities %ourse, 2reader3

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A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass