Introducing the Autobiography

Literary Focus: Diction

Reading Focus: Analyzing a Writer’s Purpose

Writing Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer

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from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

by Frederick Douglass

How does conflict lead to change?

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

by Frederick Douglass

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from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Introducing the Autobiography

Human beings are so made that the ones who do the crushing feel nothing; it is the person crushed who feels what is happening. Unless one has placed oneself on the side of the oppressed, to feel with them, one cannot understand.

Simone Weil (1909–1943)

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Introducing the Autobiography

In this excerpt, Frederick Douglass recounts a critical incident in his life under slavery.

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Introducing the Autobiography

Douglass depicts in plain language and unsettling detail . . .

• his brutal treatment at the hands of a slave master

• his reactions to the mistreatment and their far-reaching effects

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Introducing the Autobiography

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Ornate: Lend me your ears.

Diction is a writer’s or speaker’s choice of words.

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Literary Focus: Diction

Diction can be . . .

Plain: Listen, please.

Informal: Listen up.

Formal: Give me your attention.

ordinary common words that are clear, effective, and precise.

In this excerpt from his autobiography, Douglass fundamentally chooses . . .

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Literary Focus: Diction

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About three o’clock of that day, I broke down; my strength failed me, I was seized with a violent aching of the head, attended with extreme dizziness; I trembled in every limb.

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

• persuasion

In many cases, writers combine several modes of expression—such as

• description

• narration

• exposition

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Reading Focus: Analyzing a Writer’s Purpose

. . . in order to accomplish their purpose.

Frederick Douglass, like other writers of his era, knew that a serious purpose could call for multiple tactics.

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Reading Focus: Analyzing a Writer’s Purpose

description

narration exposition

persuasion

Description uses words that appeal to our senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste.

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Reading Focus: Analyzing a Writer’s Purpose

Rat-a-tat-tat! The young drummer boy sounded his call over and over. He wanted this photograph to show his mother how important he was to the Union army. Rat-a-tat-tat! he pounded out over and over until the photographer shouted at him to stop.

Narration tells about a series of events, usually in chronological order.

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Reading Focus: Analyzing a Writer’s Purpose

Seth, caught behind enemy lines, silently rowed his makeshift raft across the river. He would be safe on the other side.

Exposition explains something. The term is most commonly used in nonfiction, but it also refers to the part of a fiction plot in which the reader is given important background information.

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Reading Focus: Analyzing a Writer’s Purpose

The Union encampment was situated in a large field, surrounded by woods. A nearby stream provided fresh, clear water. There was plenty of grass for the horses and mules.

Persuasion uses reason and emotional appeals to convince a reader to think or act in a certain way. Persuasion is used almost exclusively in nonfiction, particularly in essays and speeches.

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Reading Focus: Analyzing a Writer’s Purpose

“It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.”

from “Gettysburg Address” by Abraham Lincoln

Douglass’s autobiography does not rely solely on persuasion to prove that slavery is dehumanizing.

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Reading Focus: Analyzing a Writer’s Purpose

As you read, look for details showing how

Douglass describes a life in slavery and narrates his experience for the

purpose of persuasion.

Instead of making obvious persuasive appeals, Douglass uses description and narration.

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Reading Focus: Analyzing a Writer’s Purpose

descriptions of the horrors of slavery

Purpose

to prove that slavery is dehumanizing

narration of Douglass’s personal experiences

Into Action As you read, record passages that are especially effective in helping Douglass persuade readers about the dehumanizing nature of slavery.

Why It’s Persuasive

Passage

“. . . I was seized with a violent aching of the head; I trembled in every limb. Finding what was coming, I nerved myself up, feeling it would never do to stop work.”

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from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

It uses both description and narration to show the total powerlessness that characterized life in slavery.

Find it in Your Reading Douglass often uses a matter-of-fact style to describe dramatic events. As you read, record examples of Douglass’s understated style. For each example, point out the dramatic event that Douglass is describing.

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from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Writing Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer

Tech Focus As you read the selection, think about how Douglass might share his experiences if he were alive today.

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from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Vocabulary

comply v.: obey; agree to a request or command.

epoch n.: noteworthy period of time.

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Vocabulary

subjected v.: made to experience some action or treatment.

interpose v.: put forth in order to interfere.

gratification n.: satisfaction; delight.

Though an epoch often suggests a period of time significant to an entire nation or culture . . .

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Vocabulary

. . . an individual’s life may also feel divided into epochs.

Which one of these inventions clearly belongs to an epoch different from the others?

In your opinion, which device from the earlier epoch had the most lasting impact?

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Vocabulary

The word comply can suggest either a willing or a required response to a command.

It’s easy to comply with rules you helped make.

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Vocabulary

Being forced to go along with rules is less pleasant.

The word comply, divided into its prefix and root, literally means bend (ply) with (com).

Do these people appear to have been forced to comply with a command?

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Vocabulary

Whenever someone is subjected to something, the experience is not a pleasant one.

Expect the word subjected to have a negative connotation.

When will this athlete know if the tough training she subjected herself to was worth it?

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Vocabulary

The word interpose suggests something put forth intentionally and intended as interference.

We decided to interpose a fence between our yard and the empty lot to keep the weeds out.

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Vocabulary

Were we successful?

The traffic-control officer agreed to interpose himself between the stalled car and on-coming traffic. Therefore, he stood

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Vocabulary

a. on the curb beside the car

b. in the street next to the car

c. in the crosswalk near the car

The traffic-control officer agreed to interpose himself between the stalled car and on-coming traffic. Therefore, he stood

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Vocabulary

a. on the curb beside the car

b. in the street next to the car

c. in the crosswalk near the car

Something that provides one individual with a sense of gratification may be quite different from what delights someone else.

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Vocabulary

Can you see the gratification in these expressions?

Which one of these words is NOT a synonym for gratification?

Her diploma in hand, and a job interview set for Monday, Alma had never felt such gratification.

delightreward conceit

satisfactionpleasure

from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Vocabulary

joy

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The End