Frederick Douglass Chapter 6 Analysis

In chapter 6 of the Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass, an American Slave, author Frederick Douglass explores the poor and harsh treatment of slaves in the city compared to the slaves in the South. He is taken aback by his new owner’s kindness, however her kindness was short-lived. She transformed from a woman of nice smiles to pure meanness. Using Mrs. Auld as an example, Douglass shows that even the kindest of hearts can be corrupted by the truth of slavery. Douglass observed that slaves in the city were better fed, clothed, and treated than slaves in the South. In the story Douglass explained two city slaves Henrietta and Mary as being those that were well fed and clothed slaves. These two slaves were horribly mistreated and Douglass himself described them as the skinniest and disfigured slaves. The cruelty of each slave owner differed in the way they were or how harsh they wanted to be. Either way they were all cruel in their own way. Douglass uses harsh imagery to …show more content…
Douglass’s forbidden pursuit of knowledge is what Mr. Auld dreaded and Douglass so desired. Douglass’s purpose is to reflect on his revelation that power is knowledge as well as to inform the reader on the inhumanity and cruelty of slavery, both physically as well as mentally. The author achieves his purpose expertly through his use of language, vivid imagery, powerful, and strong use of antithesis. The author’s purpose was to reflect on the mistreatment of slaves throughout the United States as well as to inform the audience that the cruelty of slavery does not exist only in the South but everywhere else. However, Douglas intends to bring awareness to the inhumanity of slavery that exists in all regions of the United States, not simply in the South. Douglass’s story was intended for the white slave owners in the