The themes of dehumanization and religion presented throughout Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass play a vital role in shaping the institution of slavery, as slave owners employ tactics concerning these ideas to maintain superiority over slaves and justify their malignity. By viewing slaves as property rather than people, slave owners rationalize the cruel treatment of slaves due to their subhuman status. Likewise, the false depiction of faith slave owners sustain despite the blatant hypocrisy and sin aids white men in resolving their guilt and excusing their unjust behaviors. Dehumanization, the most impactful theme in Douglass’s narrative, provides a lasting image of the true horrors of slavery, as multiple experiences Douglass describes
