Frederick Douglass Message
The autobiography, “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” is about the physical and mental journey of a former slave and his escape to freedom. It conveys a powerful message about the brutality and immorality of slavery. Frederick Douglass’s story proved wrong the misconceptions and justification for slavery during the antebellum period. His personal experiences and observations are realistic and vivid, each having a different purpose in supporting his message. The rawness of his writing style successfully touches the reader's’ emotions as well. The book greatly contributed to the abolitionist movement by enlightening people in both American and Britain and promoting an anti-slavery sentiment. It was a chance for the slaves’ untold
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It correlates strongly with racism, an idea that contributed greatly to the white man's justification of slavery. For example, Frederick Douglass states “Frequently, before the child has reached its twelfth month, its mother is taken from it . . . to destroy the natural affection of the mother for the child” (Douglass 2). This use of pathos conveys dehumanization, because the slaves are not treated as human beings who need love. The lack of a bond of the mother and child, which is crucial to the child’s development, portrays the cruel and lonely environment in which he or she grows up in. The slaves are treated worse than animals, since even animals have their mothers to depend on at birth. Slaves are not viewed as living beings, but as inanimate tools with no feelings or capability to love, created only to serve the superior race. Dehumanization is also present during the valuation of property, when the slaves are accessed, ranked, and given to new slaveholders. “Our fate for life was now to be decided. Any single word from the white men was enough — against all our wishes, prayers, and entreaties— to sunder forever the dearest friends, dearest kindred, and strongest ties known to human beings” (Douglass 27). He is infuriated by how the slaves treated only as property to be passed down from owner to owner. Their fates are decided for them, and they have no voice to defend themselves. This contradicts the principles of equality and rights of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” in which America was founded on in its Declaration of
It correlates strongly with racism, an idea that contributed greatly to the white man's justification of slavery. For example, Frederick Douglass states “Frequently, before the child has reached its twelfth month, its mother is taken from it . . . to destroy the natural affection of the mother for the child” (Douglass 2). This use of pathos conveys dehumanization, because the slaves are not treated as human beings who need love. The lack of a bond of the mother and child, which is crucial to the child’s development, portrays the cruel and lonely environment in which he or she grows up in. The slaves are treated worse than animals, since even animals have their mothers to depend on at birth. Slaves are not viewed as living beings, but as inanimate tools with no feelings or capability to love, created only to serve the superior race. Dehumanization is also present during the valuation of property, when the slaves are accessed, ranked, and given to new slaveholders. “Our fate for life was now to be decided. Any single word from the white men was enough — against all our wishes, prayers, and entreaties— to sunder forever the dearest friends, dearest kindred, and strongest ties known to human beings” (Douglass 27). He is infuriated by how the slaves treated only as property to be passed down from owner to owner. Their fates are decided for them, and they have no voice to defend themselves. This contradicts the principles of equality and rights of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” in which America was founded on in its Declaration of