The Role Of Hopelessness In Fredrick Douglass '

Linden, Hopelessness is a horrible emotion to feel. Empathy is a light term, in this case, to use for understanding slavery at that time. Unfair treatment is something that we can understand, but not in the same sense as American slaves had to. For most people who experience a hard time, hope for a resolution is what is held tightly. Without hope, life would be boring, lackluster, and lifeless. It is difficult for me to agree fully with slaves only hope being death. If hope is looking forward to a particular goal, then all of the slaves had hope, especially after the war. Fredrick Douglass was an image of the hope that many could have. If you look at every writing by the slaves we read about this week, it was hope that made them react the way they did in their circumstances. …show more content…
This is true, that he felt hopeless, but not true that he had “a” hope for a better future. If he remained hopeless, why would he revolt and strive for freedom? If death was the only hope, it seems that suicide would have been a big topic of that time. Not to say that suicide did not occur, but not all slaves took their life. Religion was a large image of hope as well. Throughout our studies in this class, we see how religion played its role inside the slave community and religious beliefs eventually played a large role in the outlaw of slavery. I hope that I do not offend you by saying I feel slaves had hope, but without hope, it is hard for me to see success. Fredrick Douglass became a successful freeman and played a large role in the American society using his papers. A feeling of hopelessness was part of the slave's lives, no doubt, but hope itself was there