Famous author and orator, Frederick Douglass, addresses the mythologies of slavery in his novel. He elaborates on the horrors he’s seen and endured as a slave. Douglass believed that only through education can freedom be obtained. His determination to no longer live the life of an ignorant slave was fueled by his conviction for liberation. Ultimately, he strived to be a literate and free man. During his journey, he was given the opportunity to influence fellow slaves who shared the same goal. Douglass found inspiration through literature, individuals, and himself. In his narrative, he highlights the controversial issues regarding the romantic image of slavery, the mistaken belief of black intellectual inferiority, and the disloyalty among slaves.
The romantic image of slavery consisted of the false idea that slaves enjoyed their forced lifestyle. In the novel, Douglass refutes this myth through his own …show more content…
Douglass rejects the idea of slaves being pleased with their enslavement. He also explains the inherent fallacy rooted in the arguments of racists stating that the black man is intellectually inferior. He conveys the point that the white men control the amount of education a slave receives; therefore, the white man controls the intelligence of the enslaved black man. The slave is not innately inferior, but is made inferior by his/her limitations. The violent institution of slavery was a primary reason for this disunity between slaves. Douglass illuminates this theory when he writes about his Sabbath school. Douglass writes how he and the slaves that he taught “loved each other” (48). The love and care between this group of people was able to exist outside of the boundaries of slavery. Douglass succeeds in disproving the mythology of slavery in his narrative by proposing that the shackles of slavery are heavy and contain a vast amount of deceit and
The romantic image of slavery consisted of the false idea that slaves enjoyed their forced lifestyle. In the novel, Douglass refutes this myth through his own …show more content…
Douglass rejects the idea of slaves being pleased with their enslavement. He also explains the inherent fallacy rooted in the arguments of racists stating that the black man is intellectually inferior. He conveys the point that the white men control the amount of education a slave receives; therefore, the white man controls the intelligence of the enslaved black man. The slave is not innately inferior, but is made inferior by his/her limitations. The violent institution of slavery was a primary reason for this disunity between slaves. Douglass illuminates this theory when he writes about his Sabbath school. Douglass writes how he and the slaves that he taught “loved each other” (48). The love and care between this group of people was able to exist outside of the boundaries of slavery. Douglass succeeds in disproving the mythology of slavery in his narrative by proposing that the shackles of slavery are heavy and contain a vast amount of deceit and