Frederick Douglass was known to be one of most prominent abolitionist in the 19th century. He was known for his methodical moving speeches that ignited mass insurrections within the time period of occurrence of slavery. He was also a well established author. He had the ability to write about his own experiences to which others could identify with. He spoke the trust without fear of how it be interpreted by others. Frederick Douglass, was a someone who had a unique powerful voice when it came to talk about social injustices. One of his most well known works of literature was the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave. This essay will discuss the various thematic issues brought up within the book in regards to the role
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74). They provided a means to produce more slaves for their slave owners. It allowed them to have a way to have more slaves without having to buy other ones. As said in the book slavery became hereditary generations upon generations could have the same master for their entire lifetime. If children who were of no monetary use were hardly given anything to survive. If they could work in the field they had no “shoes, stockings, jackets, nor trousers” (Douglass, pg. 26). They were often walking around naked if they didn't have any clothes. The children did not get to bond with their mother they were taken from their mother before “its twelfth month” (Douglass, pg. 20). The reasons being was, “to hinder development of the child's affection toward its mother, and to blunt and destroy the natural affection of the mother” (Douglass, pg. 20). Much of the children went on not knowing their mother or rarely seeing their mother. Frederick describes only seeing his mother at night time where she would lay next to him and leave before sunrise. He describes instances of being unaware of family members passing away until weeks later. Not everyone was lucky enough to know who their parents were or had experienced a sense of family. Those who did know who their parents were they were torn from their families. Children who were a product of an African American mother and white father were known as “mulatto children” …show more content…
They had something to believe in that was bigger than themselves and what they were experiencing. It provided them the means of escape to the hardships they were enduring. They continuously prayed to a god in hope that he would help them come out of the difficult situation. Religion was seen as a road to freedom. They sang religious songs or used psalms as “expressions of resistance, encoding messages about secret gatherings or carrying directions for escape” (Slavery and the Making of America. The Slave Experience: Religion). When it comes explaining the role in religion in regard to slaveowners Douglass states, “religion of the south is a mere covering for the most horrid crimes, a justifier of the most appalling barbarity, a sanctifier of the most hateful frauds, and a dark shelter under which of the darkest, foulest, grossest, and most infernal deeds of slaveholders find the strongest protection” (Douglass, p.86). It provided the slaveowners with the excuse for the cruel acts against the slaves. Their actions were seen as god's will. It also allowed them from being free of any guilt that might experience due to their
74). They provided a means to produce more slaves for their slave owners. It allowed them to have a way to have more slaves without having to buy other ones. As said in the book slavery became hereditary generations upon generations could have the same master for their entire lifetime. If children who were of no monetary use were hardly given anything to survive. If they could work in the field they had no “shoes, stockings, jackets, nor trousers” (Douglass, pg. 26). They were often walking around naked if they didn't have any clothes. The children did not get to bond with their mother they were taken from their mother before “its twelfth month” (Douglass, pg. 20). The reasons being was, “to hinder development of the child's affection toward its mother, and to blunt and destroy the natural affection of the mother” (Douglass, pg. 20). Much of the children went on not knowing their mother or rarely seeing their mother. Frederick describes only seeing his mother at night time where she would lay next to him and leave before sunrise. He describes instances of being unaware of family members passing away until weeks later. Not everyone was lucky enough to know who their parents were or had experienced a sense of family. Those who did know who their parents were they were torn from their families. Children who were a product of an African American mother and white father were known as “mulatto children” …show more content…
They had something to believe in that was bigger than themselves and what they were experiencing. It provided them the means of escape to the hardships they were enduring. They continuously prayed to a god in hope that he would help them come out of the difficult situation. Religion was seen as a road to freedom. They sang religious songs or used psalms as “expressions of resistance, encoding messages about secret gatherings or carrying directions for escape” (Slavery and the Making of America. The Slave Experience: Religion). When it comes explaining the role in religion in regard to slaveowners Douglass states, “religion of the south is a mere covering for the most horrid crimes, a justifier of the most appalling barbarity, a sanctifier of the most hateful frauds, and a dark shelter under which of the darkest, foulest, grossest, and most infernal deeds of slaveholders find the strongest protection” (Douglass, p.86). It provided the slaveowners with the excuse for the cruel acts against the slaves. Their actions were seen as god's will. It also allowed them from being free of any guilt that might experience due to their