The Consequences of Gender on Freedom In antebellum America, a new genre of literature emerges as freed or escaped slaves begin to write about their experiences in bondage. In a time period of institutionalized slavery and general compliance to its role in society, people know and care little about the issues that slaves faced; but with the emergence of this new genre, general education on the lives of slaves begins to make an impact. The rise of the abolitionist movement is fueled by these accounts, and opens up discussion on many new topics about the legitimacy of slavery. One of the most notable writers of this time is Frederick Douglass, a former slave who became educated and wrote his account, Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass,
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As slaves, gender roles during this period may have affected their view on freedom; yet through their shared value of education, they form their own definition of …show more content…
Douglass greatly enjoyed being allowed to work independently by Mr. Auld, but being forced to pay most of his wages to him seemed very unjust and drove him to pursue freedom and the ability to work for himself, not his enslaver: “I could see no reason why I should, at the end of each week, pour the reward of my toil into the purse of my master… But in spite of him, and even in spite of myself, I continued to think, and to think about the injustice of my enslavement, and the means of escape” (Douglass 101). Having to give up his hard-earned wages strikes a chord in Douglass, but it is only one of the factors that formed his decision to escape. Being enslaved constantly questioned his manhood, and after being “broken-in” by Mr. Covey, he resisted one last time, reigniting the fire in his heart that longed to be free: “[The] battle with Mr. Covey… rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom, and revived within me a sense of my manhood. It recalled the departed self-confidence and inspired me again with a determination to be free” (Douglass 78). Douglass seeks freedom in order to reclaim his life as a man; slavery limits his male expressions, as male
As slaves, gender roles during this period may have affected their view on freedom; yet through their shared value of education, they form their own definition of …show more content…
Douglass greatly enjoyed being allowed to work independently by Mr. Auld, but being forced to pay most of his wages to him seemed very unjust and drove him to pursue freedom and the ability to work for himself, not his enslaver: “I could see no reason why I should, at the end of each week, pour the reward of my toil into the purse of my master… But in spite of him, and even in spite of myself, I continued to think, and to think about the injustice of my enslavement, and the means of escape” (Douglass 101). Having to give up his hard-earned wages strikes a chord in Douglass, but it is only one of the factors that formed his decision to escape. Being enslaved constantly questioned his manhood, and after being “broken-in” by Mr. Covey, he resisted one last time, reigniting the fire in his heart that longed to be free: “[The] battle with Mr. Covey… rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom, and revived within me a sense of my manhood. It recalled the departed self-confidence and inspired me again with a determination to be free” (Douglass 78). Douglass seeks freedom in order to reclaim his life as a man; slavery limits his male expressions, as male