Frederick Douglass Essay - 506 Words

Frederick Douglass The narrative piece written by Frederick Douglass is very descriptive and, through the use of rhetorical language, effective in describing his view of a slave’s life once freed. The opening line creates a clear introduction for what is to come, as he state, â€Å" the wretchedness of slavery and the blessedness of freedom were perpetually before me.† Parallel structure is present here, to emphasize the sanctity he has, at this point in his life, associated with freedom and the life-long misery he has associated with slavery. This justifies what he chooses to do next, as he leaves his chains and successfully reaches New York, a free state. The metaphor used within this description is also effective, as chains give the†¦show more content†¦He also states that he feels â€Å"like one who had escaped a den of hungry lions,† implying that he had been given an incredible sense of relief. This near-bliss feeling is shortly subsided as he realizes he is a stranger in this new land, for fear of falling into the wrong hands once again. Douglass describes the slave-owners as, â€Å"money-loving kidnappers,† and himself as the â€Å"panting fugitive slave;† while making another comparison yet, â€Å"as the ferocious beasts of the forest lie in wait for their prey.† Each of these images demonstrates the intense fear and inferiority Douglass feels toward slave-owners, even in his new state of freedom. He no longer views this as a free land, but â€Å"a land given up to be the hunting-ground for slave holders.† He fears everyone is against him, and he is forever being hunted, â€Å"as the hideous crocodile seizes upon his prey,† the slave owners feel no mercy, and would, if provided the opportunity, seize his life in an instant with no regrets, as the crocodile devours their prey. He continues with this trend of metaphors and similes to comp are slave-owners to â€Å"merciless men-hunters,† â€Å"wild beasts,† and â€Å"monsters of the deep,† while describing himself as, â€Å"perfectly helpless,† a â€Å"half-famished fugitive,† a â€Å"helpless fish,† and â€Å"the toil-worn, whip-scarred fugitiveShow MoreRelatedTrickery in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass1880 Words   |  8 Pagesthus they do not survive. In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass, Douglass harnesses the ability to conform to the world of trickery and conveys his journey to freedom. Through his appeal to pathos, use of dramatic asides, and application of anecdotes, Douglass expresses the necessity of slaves to play the game of trickery to survive in the world of tricksters. Effectively establishing an appeal to pathos, Douglass emphasize his raw emotions to the reader, allowing theRead MoreFrederick Douglass Essay817 Words   |  4 PagesAfrican-American man Frederick Douglass wrote his famous speech, â€Å"The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro†, America was in a time of great distress. It was the year 1852, and the view of abolitionists was quickly spreading. It was the time of both provocative literatures such as Uncle Tom’s Cabin, as well as important resolutions, such as the Dredd Scott decision, showing the contrast between views at the time, both positive and negative towards slavery. Frederick Douglass was a freed African-AmericanRead MoreFrederick Douglass : A Man949 Words   |  4 PagesDaniel Lee 12/6/15 Frederick Douglass Essay How did Frederick Douglass move from being a slave to a man? In Frederick Douglass’s autobiography, â€Å"Frederick Douglass,† Frederick Douglass, a black man born into slavery, went from being a slave to a man. His actions proved he was a man. Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in Tuckahoe, Maryland. Like many slaves, Frederick Douglass didn’t know his exact age or birthday, but he knew an estimate of his age. â€Å"I come to this, fromRead More Frederick Douglass Essays505 Words   |  3 Pages The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave is an account of Frederick Douglass’ life written in a very detached and objective tone. You might find this tone normal for a historical account of the events of someone’s life if not for the fact that the narrative was written by Frederick Douglass himself. In light of the fact that Douglass wrote his autobiography as a treatise in support of the abolishment of slavery, the removed tone was an effective tone. It gave force to hisRead MoreFrederick Douglass Essay691 Words   |  3 PagesFrederick Douglass Frederick Douglass was one of the most important black leaders of the Antislavery movement. He was born in 1817 in Talbot County, MD. He was the son of Harriet Bailey and an unknown white man. His mother was a slave so therefore he was born a slave. He lived with his grandparents until the age of eight, so he never knew his mother well. When he turned eight, he was sent to Aunt Kathy, a woman who took care of slave children on the plantation of Colonel Edward Lloyd. WhenRead MoreFrederick Douglass And Slavery.1438 Words   |  6 PagesFrederick Douglass and Slavery Frederick Douglass the most successful abolitionist who changed America’s views of slavery through his writings and actions. Frederick Douglass had many achievements throughout his life. His Life as a slave had a great impact on his writings. His great oratory skills left the largest impact on Civil War time period literature. All in all he was the best black speaker and writer ever. Douglass was born a slave in 1817, in Maryland. He educatedRead MoreEssay on Frederick Douglass658 Words   |  3 Pages Frederick Douglass nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Frederick Douglass was a man who was active until the day he died. Frederick Attended Anti-Slavery meetings and also attended meetings for Women?s rights. He believed everyone was equal it didnt matter if one was white, black, or green it also didnt matter what sex you were he believed everybody was equal. He achieved many things during his hard but great life. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Born on a plantation in Tuckahoe, near Easton, in TalbotRead MoreThe Slave By Frederick Douglass972 Words   |  4 Pagesthousands of years later. In â€Å"What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?† Frederick Douglass, a former slave, addresses an audience of white abolitionists on July 5th of 1852. He focuses on the disparity between the American values celebrated on the Independence Day and the issue of slavery. To do so, Douglass raises the question of to whom those values apply and explains why and how it should be different. Analyzing Douglass’ effort, we see that he is using arguments that trace back to the ancientRead MoreThe Narrative Of Frederick Douglass1835 Words   |  8 PagesIn Frederick Douglass article Figuring out how to Read and Write he clarifies the imperative part instruction plays in a man s life, and the things that you can achieve by figuring out how to peruse and compose. Figuring out how to make a contention did offer Douglass some assistance with obtaining his flexibility, as well as offered different slaves some assistance with getting their opportunity and annul subjugation. We can say that Douglass was fortunate he was taught by his paramour andRead MoreFrederick Douglass Essay559 Words   |  3 PagesFrederick Douglass Born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey on Marylands Eastern Shore in 1818, he was the son of a slave woman and, her white master. Upon his escape from slavery at age 20, he adopted the name of the hero of Sir Walter Scotts The Lady of the Lake. Douglass immortalized his years as a slave in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave (1845). This and two other autobiographies, My Bondage and My Freedom (1855) and The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass