Frederick Douglass A Slave To Freedom Analysis

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Travis Lampton ID# 0540720 Frederick Douglass, a slave to freedom. In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas, Frederick Douglass gives a recount of his life as a slave growing up in the southern state of Maryland during the early to mid-1800’s. He provides detailed accounts as to the mistreatment of slaves in the south and the means in which he gained the ability to free himself from enslavement, through self-education and sheer willpower. This paper will review Douglass’ story as to how it relates to the institution of slavery in the south and the abolitionist movement, and will evaluate the quality of Douglass’ writing and focus on any areas of weakness within the narrative. An insight into the development of slavery in the United States …show more content…
He attempts to recall memories and events to the best of his abilities ranging from his childhood to his adult life. In these events Douglass is awoken to his own self-being and worth and the realizations of slavery and how slave owners attempt to maintain the practice. The first experiences he recalls deal with his loss of kinship with his family. He then begins to see the harshness that slave owners would deal with the slightest injustices and how they would also at the same time reward individuals with what seemed to be better positions. There then came a turning point for Douglass when Mrs. Auld began to teach him to read and was promptly forced to quit by her Husband. In this knowledge Douglass became aware of the most powerful means of maintaining enslavement, the restriction of …show more content…
Many felt that Douglass could not speak and write so eloquently and be a product of slavery. The main purpose of the narrative was as a telling of events that would put to end the questions of Douglass being a slave. Through all these events there is much evidence that brings to light the proof of Douglass being a slave. In his descriptions of the cruelty imposed on slaves at the whims of their masters and the lack of justice for these acts further shows the regard southern individuals had for slaves as mere property. However Douglass makes a point to describe with varying degrees different slaveowners treated and mistreated their slaves. This shows the all too human nature of slaveowners and that while not all had evil intentions many would find justification in the acts the
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