The Representation Of Violence A Comparison Between Frederick Douglass Slave Narrative And Richard Wrights Autobiography Black Boy

Author : Frederick Douglass
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 116 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (21 download)

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Download or read book Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass written by Frederick Douglass and published by . This book was released on 2021-03-12 with total page 116 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave is a memoir written in 1845 by a former slave who went on to become a famous orator. Eleven chapters long, it chronicles Douglass's life, which was characterized by a will to become free. Douglass recalls his life in factual detail but also spends time undermining the logic and legacy of slavery with an expository style, demonstrating that it belongs in the category of a moral crime.Douglass starts his memoir by conveying that he does not know his birthday; instead, he chose a date for himself: February 14, 1818 (making him roughly twenty-seven years old at the time of the memoir). His mother passed away in his early childhood. Because he was so young, he finds it difficult to remember her, knowing also that mothers who were slaves are rarely given time with their children. Still, he recalls a few times at night when she was able to visit him. Douglass hypothesizes that his father is the slave owner who owned his mother and him. As a young boy, he remembers his aunt Hester being whipped for an unknown minor transgression. Douglass explains many features of the cruel relationship between slaves and their owners. Among these features are the behavioral norms imposed on slaves while in front of their masters. Douglass explains fear is the primary mechanism for keeping the slaves from rebelling, asserting that the fear is grounded in trauma from horrible violence inflicted on them historically. When Douglass is about ten, his owner, Master Anthony, dies, leaving his estate to be divided between his son and daughter. The slaves are given monetary values as if they are farm animals, upsetting Douglass more than ever before. He remembers this being a formative moment when he began to question the reality of slavery.Next, Douglass goes to live under a new mistress, Mrs. Sophia Auld, the daughter of Master Anthony. He says that had he not been moved into this second life, he would still be a slave and would probably never get an opportunity to be free. The move causes Douglass to feel hope for his future. However, though Mrs. Auld is initially very kind, she turns malevolent over time. She helps Douglass learn the alphabet and how to construct simple words. When Hugh Auld discovers this, he is outraged, saying that if slaves knew how to read, they would no longer be good slaves because they would be able to reflect on their lives and fall into endless melancholy. When Douglass hears this, he has the insight that reading is extremely valuable, opening up a world of future possibilities. He tries to read and absorb as much knowledge as possible. Sometimes, his new skill does, indeed, cause him pain. As he learns, he discovers the word abolition and resolves to escape to the North where slavery has been abolished. He learns to write and read fluently as he labors for the Aulds. Passing through a few more owners thereafter, Douglass eventually is sent to St. Michaels to work for Hugh Auld. Here, he regrets having been afraid to run away. However, he realizes that he has moved further northeast, bringing him closer to the North, his ultimate destination. During his tenure at St. Michaels, he is treated brutally and sometimes starved. He is sent to work for Mr. Covey for a year as part of a lending agreement between the two masters, and considers himself fortunate because he is better fed there. However, Mr. Covey has a reputation as a "negro-breaker," a term that means he delights in breaking down the resolve of slaves.At Mr. Covey's, Douglass faces the worst abuse of his life. He is whipped severely almost every week. On one occasion, he bites Covey's hand in self-defense. Once after being beaten to the point of exhaustion, he collapses in a field. His owner responds by beating him again. Douglass complains to Auld, who sends him back anyway. Several days later, Covey tries to bind Douglass in order to abuse him. Douglass manages to win the fight...