Book Review
By Mary Elizabeth Ralls
Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass: An autobiography written by Frederick Douglass Millennium publication, 1945edition 75 pages
Frederick Douglass whose real name was Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey approximately birthdate is in1818, the month or day is not known, he died in 1895. He is one of the most famous advocates and the greatest leaders of anti-slavery in the past 200 or so years. He was a champion of women’s rights and he was a great writer and autobiographer. I chose to write this review about this autobiography because he was a great soldier of human rights and he gave us a firsthand look on what it was like to live as a slave and actually escape to freedom, and live to tell the world how slaves were treated in the United States.
Narrative of The Life of Frederick Douglass is an autobiography written by Frederick Douglass a famous abolitionist who was an advocate for the civil rights of himself and other slaves, he championed his cause during the Civil War era and also he championed his cause during the reconstruction which followed the Civil War era, he was born in Talbot County Maryland to Harriet Bailey who was also a slave herself. Douglas dwelled on the fact that his mother was a darker complexion than his grandmother and great-grandmother. He never knew his mother because women who bore children in slavery were soon separated from the child due to an
Picture this going through life without the ability to read or write. Without these abilities, it is impossible for a person to be a functioning member of society. In addition, imagine that someone is purposely limiting your knowledge to keep a leash on your independence. Not only is an American slave raised without skills in literacy, he cannot be taught to read unless someone breaks the law. In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, the reader is given a detailed explanation of why slave masters keep their slaves ignorant and the effects such a strategy has on the slaves’ lives. In his autobiography, Douglass describes how the knowledge he obtains has substantial positive and negative effects on his psyche. He is given renewed passion and hope for freedom while struggling with the burden of enlightenment of his situation. Ultimately, however, education shapes his fate, and he achieves freedom and prominence as an advocate for abolition.
Born into slavery in 1817, Frederick Douglass was soon separated from his mother and sent to Baltimore, where he learned to read and write. After he tried to escape many times, he finally got free with a free man’s papers. When free, he got married and started to speak at anti-slavery meetings, where he impressed an abolitionist leader and was asked to be an agent for them. Sadly, people doubted whether he actually could have been a slave, which convinced him to write an autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Fearing his cover would be blown, he embarked on a lecture tour of the British Isles.
Frederick Douglass was an African American social reformer, abolitionist, and writer. Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey was born into slavery in Talbot County, Maryland on February1818 and he died on February 20, 1895. And was named by his mother, Harriet Bailey. But the exact date of Douglass birth is unknown. After escaping from slavery, he becomes a leader of the abolitionist movement. He know that as a living counter is a example to slave holders augments that slaves lacked the intellectual capacity to the function as independent American citizens. He was known as the narrative of the life of American slaves. His dialogue was “I have no accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen any authentic record containing it”. He was of mixed race, which included Native American on his mother side as well as African and European. He is author and narrates of the Narrative. Douglass has always thinking about views regarding the slave owner’s interpretation of Christianity. He is the rhetorically skilled and spirited man is a abolitionist movement. He talks about the religion, Resistance, Coming of age, the importance of friendships, the poverty of slavery, and the abuse of women.
Frederick Douglass, a world-renowned abolitionist and orator, was born into enslavement in the deep south, but by the time of his death he was a free man and wrote this autobiography sharing his many life experiences. The narrative is the first of three, written by the self-taught author. It illustrates the hardships that he, as an American slave, encountered throughout his life, and confirms his reasoning behind his decision to not only join, but to lead the abolitionist movement that made such an impact in the nineteenth century. He was committed to convincing those who participated in the enslavement of the African people of how immoral the enslavement in the South truly was. Throughout the autobiography, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick
Frederick Douglass, an abolitionist who altered America's views of slavery through his writings and actions. Frederick's life as a slave had the greatest impact on his writings. Through his experience as a slave, he developed emotion and experience for him to become a successful abolitionist writer. He experienced harsh treatment and his hate for slavery and desire to be free caused him to write Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. In his Narrative, he wrote the story of his miserable life as a slave and his fight to be free. His motivation behind the character (himself) was to make it through another day so that maybe one day he might be free. By speaking out, fighting as an abolitionist and finally becoming an author,
Frederick Douglass’s life a slave was brutal. He was beaten by his master day in and day out. His master was named Captain Aaron Anthony. Douglass was born into to slavery so he lost his mother at a very young age and never knew his father. Since he was born into slavery Douglass did not have much of a life as a child. All he ever knew was to work. In 1825 Douglass’s owner sent him to another slave farm. He was sent to Baltimore, Maryland, since they were from the north Douglass was not treated as badly as he was before. The wife of his new slave owner even began to teach Douglass reading and writing until her husband put a stop to it. Even though his life was not as bad as it was beforehand, Douglass still did not enjoy the life he was living and wanted to do something about it.
Frederick Douglass was well known for his role as an abolitionists during the 1820’s which is a person who is in favor of the abolishment of cruel movements which during that time was slavery. Being raised in slavery only made the fight for freedom and equality to each and every African American in the U.S. that much more important. Douglass ended up becoming a very significant individual during the civil war and throughout history his story has been shared to show how much determination and hard work it was that led him to the point of success in his career. Frederick Douglass through his narrative gives descriptive details about his hardships during the civil war that led him to being one of the most well known abolitionists in history and
In 1845, Douglass published his first book which was an autobiography called the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. This book became very successful, becoming an American best seller and going international. He wrote many other books and became a famous influential writer. Douglass was a great voice for hope, making many speeches, against slavery and racism. He even traveled to other countries to speak about his story. During the Civil War, he advised President Abraham Lincoln, he worked as a propagandist for the Union’s views and freeing slaves.
The “Narratives of the Life of Frederick Douglass” is the story of Frederick Douglass’ life from the time he was born into slavery, to the time he escaped to freedom in the north. When Douglass wrote this book, slavery was still legal in a large portion of the United States. After Douglass’ escape to freedom and his continuation of his education, he became an abolitionist through his works of literature and speeches. In “The Blessings of Slavery”, by George Fitzhugh he states that southern slaves for the most part are the freest and happiest people in the world. He also goes on to say a number of other things that basically establish that slaves live an easy and good life compared to others. Frederick Douglass’ pure story telling in the “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” directly goes against any argument for slavery from Fitzhugh, by revealing the harshness of the institution of slavery and the individuals behind it. In each piece of literature both authors also unknowingly touch on topics of early American history such as free labor ideology and paternalism therefore deepening our knowledge of popular understandings during this time period. Douglass refutes Fitzhugh’s pro-slavery argument of the average slave living an ideal life, by disproving early ideas of the free labor system and paternalism through real life encounters of the physical oppression slaves faced on the day to day basis in the forms of inhumane treatment and violence, as well as the true harsh
revised in later years: in final form, it appeared in 1882 under the title Life and
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass was written in 1845 by Frederick Douglass, an American writer and orator. Douglass’ memoir recounts his time as a slave and his motivation to become a free man. Douglass first realized he was a slave when he sees his master brutalizing his Aunt Hester. He recalls,
Being a slave in the United States was not uncommon in the 19th century. There were many brutalities of being a slave including physical and spiritual abuse. Slaves were considered property and not as human beings. They were mistreated and kept illiterate. The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave is a autobiography written by Frederick Douglass himself that told of his experiences of being a slave in the United States. He expresses the brutality the slave owners and how he struggled with running away to become a free human being. The themes of his story include: the ignorance of slaves, the treatment of slaves as property, religion used as justification, and the victimization of female slaves.
Patrick Henry once said, “give me liberty, or give me death.” In the eyes of Frederick Douglass and countless others enslaved, this took on a much deeper meaning to them. “It was doubtful liberty at most, and almost certain death is we failed.” [51] Frederick Douglass was one of the most commonly known slaves to have existed. Slavery has been around since the 1700s, but the subject of slavery is controversial because it not only includes information written from former slaves, but information acquired from historians. The question that has with stood the test of time is, “are these encounters that have been written out, exaggerated or the whole truth and nothing but the truth?” In the early 1800’s Frederick Douglass was born in Tuckahoe, Maryland, and grew up on Colonial Edward Lloyd’s plantation. Children would be separated from their mothers before they were twelve months in age-Frederick too was separated from his mother. As a result of entering slave-hood at an early age, he did not know his birthdate (like most slaves). Frederick Douglass’s account on slavery could be seen as biased as a result of first hand experiences with being held as a slave. Although, Douglass is able to be direct our thoughts to these experiences in such a light, you feel as if you are witnessing it happen right before you. Because of Douglass’s quest for freedom, his daring attitude, and determination to learn, he shows us the way through American Slavery in his eyes. Douglass provides
In the biography of Frederick Douglass written by Nathan Irvin Huggins, covers the life of a magnificent man who lived his life as a slave, only to flee for his freedom to be a foremost advocate against slavery. Douglass was a black leader in the time of hostilities towards his race and became the foremost leaders of the abolitionist movement. He fought to end slavery within the United States in the decades prior to the Civil War and even harder after. He was also a great writer, husband and father to four children.
Frederick Douglass was born in Maryland in 1818 as a slave to a maritime captain, Captain Anthony. After decades of enslavement, Frederick Douglass escaped to the North and became one of the prominent members and drivers of the abolitionist movement. In an effort to provide an eye-opening account of the harsh treatment of slaves, Douglass wrote Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. In his autobiography, Frederick Douglass detailed his life beginning from his meager early years through his escape to the North. In writing his autobiography, Douglass utilized a variety of techniques including the use of the three rhetorical strategies: Ethos, Pathos and Logos to create a powerful and influential argument against the institution of