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“THE Narrative of the Life of Frederik Douglass: An America Slave” is a useful in-depth text in understanding of 17th to 19th century slavery in America.In the first person narrative, Douglass enlists the reader to trust his version of slave life through the employment of various literary devices making the text compelling and captivating.
Typical of an autobiography, the text vividly paints a picture of a reality laced with the inclusion of actual dates, actual places, and actual names of characters all interweaving to create a picture of the horrendous existence under slavery.
The setting is methodical, starting with an estimation of his probable date of birth, birth place, growing up on a slave plantation, a teenager socialised into a young man quite conscious of the demeaning nature of the colour of his skin.
Unlike in fictition writing, in the “Narrative of the Life of Frederik Douglas: An American Slave” reality manifests itself as a historical record authenticated by the first person narrative and a highly personalised and emotional tone.
The exquisite erudition of the text initially led many people at the time to cast aspersions against Douglass version as an ex-slave.
However, these doubts were effectively squashed by anti-slave crusaders in the mould of William Lloyd Garrison and Wendell Phillips who respectively crafted the preface and the “Letter to a Friend”, which form two of the critical components of the book.
The preface is essential in that it endorses Douglass’ narration as factual and uncontestable narration of life under servitude.
Garrison had learned the printer’s trade becoming a journalist and publishing The Liberator in Boston. He was also president of the Anti-Slavery Society and represented a radical wing of abolitionism.
Thus Garrison’s preface is important in that it thrusts Douglas firmly within the abolitionist movement and also gives legitimacy to a work by an unknown writer who was an ex-slave.
In other words, Garrison’s prominence in the anti-slavery movement assisted Douglass in creating interest in his work.
Similarly, Wendell Phillips – who was educated at Harvard – was a well-known abolitionist in the America Anti-Slavery Society of the 1840s and 1850s.
Like, Garrison he championed a variety of other social causes, including women’s rights, penal reform, Indian rights and legislative protection for workers.
As a slave, Douglass survives on meagre rations and at one time witnesses the wanton murder of a slave without any reprisal from the law or the community.
In his narrative, he debunks the notion that singing by slaves is an expression of happiness or contentment. Instead, he likens singing to crying.
He also highlights the false value system created by slavery in which allegiance to the slave-master is of greater significance than that to fellow slaves.
At the age of seven or eight, Douglass is sent to live with the Auld family where he is tasked with taking care of their son, Thomas.
Out of instinctual compassion, Mrs Auld teaches Douglass to read until her husband prohibits her to do so.
Through his readings Douglass discovers the existence of abolitionist movements in the North, including those run by Irish Catholics.
The death of his first owner results in Douglass being sent to a poor farmer, legendary for his brutality, known as Mr Covey.
Several themes are explored.
Ignorance kept slaves unaware of events outside their plantations thus denying them an opportunity to garner sufficient self-pride and confidence.
Ignorance was a way of keeping slaves “manageable, happy, placid and content”.
Religion is used to conceal the system’s inherent corrupt and evil nature.
Ignorance was a way of keeping slaves “manageable, happy, placid and content”.
Douglass brings awareness to the fact that slavery dehumanises both the slave and the slaveholder and has the effect of changing someone from being naturally kind and fair to someone who delights in the abuse of power, like with Mrs Auld.
The abuse of women is rampant in the text. They were often victims of rape and relentless beatings.
Douglass’ work as one of the pioneering abolitionist writers could be credited for the eventual demise of slavery worldwide.
It is at Mr Covey’s plantation that the genesis of Douglass’ resistance and eventual escape is mooted.
He is later sent to live with slave master William Freeland, who is a bit kinder but will not free him. It is from this plantation that Douglass manages to escape and settles in New Bedford, Massachusetts, with his wife, Anna Murray.
Although he still lives with the fear of being caught and returned to the South, Douglass attends an anti-slavery convention, where he is encouraged to speak and it is here that his life in the public eye begins.
Several themes are explored.
Ignorance kept slaves unaware of events outside their plantations thus denying them an opportunity to garner sufficient self-pride and confidence.
Ignorance was a way of keeping slaves “manageable, happy, placid and content”.
Religion is used to conceal the system’s inherent corrupt and evil nature.
Douglass’ eventual escape is sure proof of the fact that his struggle for freedom was the paragon of patience, endurance and fortitude. His path to “individuality and fullness” of self is not paved with blood.
The narrative is in that sense not a mere narration of a harrowing tale of an escape from slavery but rather a story of a boy becoming a man.
Douglas comes of age “from childhood to adulthood, ignorance to knowledge, slave to freedom and from being an object to a subject”.
The myth that friendship among slaves was impossible is also debunked by the situation at Freeland Farm where slaves loved and consulted each other in all matters and were prepared to sacrifice their lives for each other.
Douglass brings awareness to the fact that slavery dehuminises both the slave and the slaveholder and has the effect of changing someone from being naturally kind and fair to someone who delights in the abuse of power, like with Mrs Auld.
The abuse of women is rampant in the text. They were often victims of rape and relentless beatings.
Douglass’ work as one of the pioneering abolitionist writers could be credited for the eventual demise of slavery worldwide.
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