The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Written by Himself

Introduction

Background

Discussion Starters

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The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Written by Himself

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: Introduction

If you lived your whole life under oppressive conditions, do you think you’d be able to fight back?

What do you think your most important tool for resistance might be?

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: Introduction

Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in Maryland around 1818.

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: Introduction

Like many slaves, Douglass was

• separated from his mother,

• treated like an animal,

• fed and clothed poorly,

• and forced to sleep on the floor.

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: Introduction

But his life changed at age seven, when the mistress of the household began to teach him to read.

He had just started to learn when she stopped the lessons because she learned that teaching slaves to read was against the law.

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: Introduction

Douglass decided that if slaves were not allowed to read, reading must be very important.

Determined to learn, he tricked street boys into teaching him to read.

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: Introduction

It also taught him there was no way out of slavery. Yet.

Reading changed Douglass’s view of the world.

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: Introduction

Douglass decided that he should also learn to write.

One step at a time, he transformed himself, working to win his freedom and developing into the powerful voice for abolition that he became.

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: Introduction

What obstacles still stood in his way once he’d learned to read and write?

Once the seed of freedom had been planted, how did it change Douglass?

How did he gain physical freedom as well as mental freedom?

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: Background

In the mid-1800s, there were many people in slavery in the United States.

During the 1800s, abolitionists—people who opposed slavery—used writing to speak out against slavery.

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: Background

David Walker’s Appeal called for revolt.

The antislavery newspaper The Liberator urged that all slaves be freed immediately.

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: Background

Slave narratives—personal accounts of enslaved people’s lives—were popular with readers and helped reveal the horrors of slavery.

Writers went on tour to describe what life in slavery was really like.

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: Background

The public was surprised to learn of the love in slave families and the way they were split up by the system.

Slave narratives also revealed violent physical abuses, kidnappings, and staggering workloads.

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: Background

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass sold thirty thousand copies between 1845 and 1860.

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: Discussion Starters

Discuss (1)

Douglass is given lessons in reading and writing for a brief time. Then he must find ways to get an education on his own.

• Why do you think slaveholders wanted to prevent enslaved people from reading and writing?

• What is the value of learning to read and write?

• What would life be like if you couldn’t read or write?

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: Discussion Starters

Discuss (2)

• Why do you think Douglass decided to write the story of his life?

• If you lived in Douglass’s time, how do you think his autobiography would have affected you? Why?