Rhetorical Analysis Frederick Douglass

As it is well known about Fredrick Douglass, he was a slave who became free and made a huge impression on history, as we know it. In the context of this close reading we are going to see the heartache and yarning for freedom of not only the body but also the mind as his hope is dwindling. Douglass in this context is releasing his inner emotions that he tries to keep cool and calm, but wants them to run free so that he may have some sort of peace. These sections will be taken from chapter 10 paragraph 5. For some context he is speaking out loud to himself in front of the Chesapeake Bay, while watching ships go to and fro. It starts with the line, “You are loosed from your moorings, and are free; I am fast in my chains, and am a slave!” We see a comparison between Douglass and the ships that are free to move about as they please. He is tied up or restrained being held back by objects that way him down instead of being able to float and have control. The last part, “I am a slave,” he gives himself a name that separates him from the world and just like every boat has a unique name that separates them from other boats alike. …show more content…
The boat is pushed along genteelly and guided by the wind, verses being instructed and forced by a whip which draws nothing but pain and suffering. This next part also ties in, “You are freedom’s swift-winged angels, that fly around the world; I am confined in bands of Iron! O that I were Free!” I think there is a double meaning hear as we can see that the boat is free, but is referred to as an angel. Angels help and protect followers of Christ as instructed by God and therefore I think he is also referring to the fact that they can be used to escape slavery upon the boats. They travel around the world, instead of being locked up by being on the ship the possibility of getting out of a slave state is very