Frederick Douglass: A Life Of Slavery

Frederick Douglass is known frequently as the slave to free himself and escape from slavery. He had the ability to capture onlookers and listeners with his words and vast vocabulary, which was extremely rare, perhaps even unknown, as a trait of a slave. This being that slaves were kept illiterate and ignorant, seeing as any knowledge would likely lead to the discovery and want for a life of freedom, which their masters obviously discouraged by whip. Frederick Douglass, who although does not know his exact age, was born to a black slave woman and a white man, possibly her master, around 1817 in Tuckahoe, Maryland. Although half-black and half-white, Douglass was seen as a “negro” and was thus forced into a life of slavery. This noble slave was brought into life on the plantation of a Master Anthony. He was raised by his grandmother on the outskirts of the plantation, shielded from the brutal violence and immorality of slavery, until he came of the age of …show more content…
This led to Frederick being assaulted severely and removed from that job. Soon after he was removed from this line of work, he offered to hire himself out for master Hugh. In this arrangement Douglass was allowed to bear all the responsibilities of a free man. This agreement was brought to an end after four months due to Douglass not being on time with a required payment after hiring out his time and staying longer than expected. Frederick made a second set of plans for escape knowing that if he were caught this time his fate as a slave was sealed, that he would certainly be put to death. Douglass succeeded in reaching New York without interruption of any kind (does not share details of said escape for he wished not to hinder his path useless to any others caught in the arms of slavery who wish to use it).Once he arrived he was utterly alone “in the midst of thousands, and yet a perfect stranger.” (p.