Slavery is a crucial part of American history, the oppression of a singular race kidnapped from Africa and the idea of their inferiority has shaped America in significant ways. Frederick Douglass 's narrative on slavery serves as a medium to understand our history, clarify its moral boundaries, and remind us of our shared notions of what is right when we have to address these wrongdoings. This heart-rending narrative recounts his experience as a slave and sheds light on the brutalizing effects the chains of slavery has on the humanity of both slaves and slaveholders. The treatment inflicted upon slaves created hatred that resulted in the loss of humanity within slaveholders and deprived slaves of liberty, affection, and ambition for freedom.
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Douglass recalls seeing his mother no more than four or five times in his life before her death. She walked twelve miles after dark to rest next to him at night but only for a short duration because she had to return to the plantation before sunrise. Also, when his master died, all of his slaves were separated and sent off to different locations. Among these slaves was his grandmother, whom he cared for dearly. Due to her old age and tender frame, she was left to live alone in the woods under a hut, unable to be with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren during the end of her life. Douglass describes the final moments of his grandmother’s life as a time where she needed affection from her children the most but was instead confined in a small hut to die alone. Frederick Douglass presents graphic descriptions of his story that illustrates a time of profound significance in American History. The institution of slavery had brutalizing effects on the humanity of both slaves and slaveholders. Inhumane treatment of slaves produced a hatred influenced heavily by retaining a position of power and easily gave rise to a greedy temperament in the slaveholder. This temperament then went on to deprive slaves of natural rights and human
Douglass recalls seeing his mother no more than four or five times in his life before her death. She walked twelve miles after dark to rest next to him at night but only for a short duration because she had to return to the plantation before sunrise. Also, when his master died, all of his slaves were separated and sent off to different locations. Among these slaves was his grandmother, whom he cared for dearly. Due to her old age and tender frame, she was left to live alone in the woods under a hut, unable to be with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren during the end of her life. Douglass describes the final moments of his grandmother’s life as a time where she needed affection from her children the most but was instead confined in a small hut to die alone. Frederick Douglass presents graphic descriptions of his story that illustrates a time of profound significance in American History. The institution of slavery had brutalizing effects on the humanity of both slaves and slaveholders. Inhumane treatment of slaves produced a hatred influenced heavily by retaining a position of power and easily gave rise to a greedy temperament in the slaveholder. This temperament then went on to deprive slaves of natural rights and human