Frederick Douglass Chapter 6 Summary

In chapter six From Narrative of The Life of Frederick Douglass , Douglass focuses on how slavery has affected not just the slaves, but also the slave-owners themselves. In addition, he explains how slavery changes people behaviors. Also, he talks about women. He analyze White women in general and then talks about Sophia specifically. He think that all people are victims in slavery, but they are different in the degree of suffering. Douglass was thrilled with his mistress when their first meeting. He is surprised by the kindness of his new mistress, Sophia Auld. She has never owned a slave before and she does not realize how cruel the institution of slavery is. Douglass is confused by her. Not like any other white …show more content…
However, When Hugh Auld recognizes what she is doing, he commands her to stop instructing Douglass immediately, explaining that education could ruin slaves, making them unhappy and unmanageable. Therefore, to maintain control over slaves, all the white men have to do is to prevent their slaves from education which could lead slaves to think about their lives and freedom. Douglass hears what Hugh said, he was surprised and astonished. It was his first time that he heard something like that, but this moment is the most precious moment in his life. He could finally realizes the strategy that white men use to enslave blacks. He understands the secret that he must do to win his freedom. Although he is so sad to lose his education and his kind teacher Sophia, he appreciates what Hugh said and considered it as an enlightenment. Therefore, Douglass decides to carry on in education which he sees it as a first step toward freedom. However, he knows that it is hard but it is the only …show more content…
Even Though it is Sophia, who has been instructing Douglass to read, Douglass values and appreciate Hugh Auld’s lesson more. Douglass presents this moment as a refusal female education and kindness in favor of male knowledge and experience . Douglass agrees with Hugh by placing himself in opposition to Hugh. He realizes that what Hugh most loved, that he most hated, Is the logic that he should fellow to get his freedom. All the way through the narrative, Douglass is trying to demonstrate the white males authorities and power over black slaves by following certain strategies besides depriving their slave of education. He also thinks that slave owners are victims once the slavery reaches their souls. On the other hand, he uses women to demonstrates the progress of how a person can lose all human qualities and becomes a body without soul, mercy or compassion. He shows the readers how white women are being victims and corrupted under the institution of slavery. However, he does not want the readers to forget the real victims in this dark world. The slaves whose their guilt is that they are just being slave are the real