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Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide by Course Hero PDF Free Download

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Narrative of the Life of

Frederick Douglass

Study Guide by Course Hero

What's Inside

j Book Basics 1 .................................................................................................

d In Context 1 .....................................................................................................

a Author Biography 2 .....................................................................................

h Characters 3 ..................................................................................................

k Plot Summary 6 .............................................................................................

c Chapter Summaries 11 ...............................................................................

g Quotes 23 ........................................................................................................

l Symbols 24 .....................................................................................................

m Themes 25 .......................................................................................................

e Suggested Reading 26 ..............................................................................

j Book Basics

AUTHOR

Frederick Douglass

YEAR PUBLISHED

1845

GENRE

Autobiography

PERSPECTIVE AND NARRATOR

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is told from a first-

person point of view. This perspective allows Douglass to

share his deep and honest emotions about his experiences

with slavery.

TENSE

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is told in the past

tense.

d In Context

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass was published in

1845. Douglass had been speaking about his experiences since

1841, when he was first employed by William Lloyd Garrison as

an abolitionist speaker for the American Anti-Slavery Society.

Abolitionist Movement

The abolitionist movement in the United States began to take

shape in the late eighteenth century, when activists began

lobbying to end the foreign slave trade in the United States.

Though this goal was accomplished in 1808, the practice of

slavery continued on American shores, particularly in the

South.

Beginning around the early 1830s abolitionists mobilized once

again, focusing this time on ending the practice of slavery

outright. Many Americans in the North and South viewed the

abolitionists as radicals. Other groups argued for slavery to be

ended but were willing to accept that emancipation would be a

gradual process.

The abolitionists wanted immediate, unconditional

emancipation and strove to appeal to the individual American's

conscience. They employed people who worked as

missionaries to create local antislavery societies throughout

the country. These local societies formed the American Anti-

Slavery Society, which had nearly a quarter of a million

members by 1838, mostly in the Northeast. The society's

activities often attracted violent responses from people hostile

to their message.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Author Biography 2

By the 1840s, when Douglass became involved with the

movement, the group had splintered into various factions. The

faction with which Douglass associated was led by Garrison.

William Lloyd Garrison

Garrison began publishing the abolitionist newspaper the

Liberator in 1831. The majority of the paper's readers were free

African Americans. Garrison also wrote a book on the topic

called Thoughts on African Colonization. It inspired many

people to join him in calling for the immediate abolition of

slavery. Douglass became a reader of the Liberator shortly

after he moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Garrison, one of 60 delegates who founded the American Anti-

Slavery Society, believed slavery was a sin that must be

abolished immediately. In the 1840s Garrison became

convinced that a revolutionary change was needed in

American spiritual values if emancipation was to be achieved.

Garrison began advocating for women's rights as part of his

demand for moral persuasion.

Garrison and Douglass met in 1841 at an antislavery convention

in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Douglass was a speaker at the

convention, and Garrison was impressed by his speech.

Douglass's Authorship

Douglass became a regular spokesperson for the American

Anti-Slavery Society. Although he impressed and moved his

listeners, many people began to doubt the truthfulness of his

slave background. Critics contended that Douglass was a

fraud, basing their opinion on the fact that he was so eloquent

and erudite. Surely, a man who had escaped slavery only a few

years earlier could not possess such skills.

It is for this reason that Douglass wrote Narrative of the Life of

Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. He hoped that having

his story in print would convince critics of his genuineness. He

included names, places, and dates that could be verified.

Douglass also emphasized the fact of his authorship by placing

the words "Written by Himself" prominently on the book cover.

a Author Biography

Frederick Douglass was born around 1818 in Talbot County,

Maryland. His given name was Frederick Augustus Washington

Bailey. As an infant, Frederick was separated from his mother,

who was a slave. He saw her only a handful of times before she

died when he was around seven. All he knew about his father

was that he was white; he suspected that his mother's white

master was his father.

Frederick lived with his maternal grandmother until he began

working in the home of the plantation owner. Early on, he

witnessed the horrors of slavery, including brutal whippings.

Along with the other slaves, he was often cold and hungry.

Later, Frederick was sent to Baltimore to serve in the home of

Hugh and Sophia Auld. Sophia taught Frederick the alphabet

and some simple words but stopped teaching him after her

husband forbade her. However, Frederick continued to learn to

read and write on his own and with help from others in the

neighborhood. This skill impacted him greatly and inspired him

to challenge the idea of his enslavement.

After being returned to the plantation, Frederick fought back

against a slave breaker (a person who specializes in destroying

the wills of unruly slaves) and began orchestrating an escape

to freedom, but his plan was discovered before it could be

carried out. He was then sent back to Baltimore and the Auld's.

Frederick eventually escaped to New York, where he married

Anne Murray, a free black woman he'd met while in Baltimore.

The couple settled in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and

adopted the surname Douglass.

Douglass regularly attended abolitionist meetings and

eventually shared his story. Other abolitionists were impressed

with Douglass, and he became a regular speaker and lecturer.

Douglass wrote his Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass,

an American Slave, Written by Himself (the first of his three

autobiographies) around this time. It was well received,

became a best seller, and brought Douglass publicity in the

United States and in Britain.

Douglass went on to become one of the most renowned

African Americans of his time. He was a prolific writer and

speaker. He was the first African American to be nominated for

the vice presidency of a political party, the Equal Rights party.

He was an advisor to President Abraham Lincoln and served as

minister to Haiti. He died on February 20, 1895, in Washington,

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Characters 3

DC.

h Characters

Frederick Douglass

Douglass is the narrator of the story, and he shares his life

story, beginning with his first memories of enslavement. At the

time of the writing of the book, Douglass is living as a free man

in Massachusetts. The experiences Douglass discusses trace

his growth from an uneducated child with few expectations to

a man who has become a powerful speaker within the

abolitionist movement. Douglass is intelligent, fierce, and

proud. Once Douglass acquires the ability to read, he can no

longer accept being a slave. Ultimately, he fights back against

Edward Covey, a notorious slave breaker. Douglass says the

event "was the turning-point in my career as a slave." It is only

a matter a time until Douglass will attempt to free himself.

Though his first attempt is foiled, he won't be denied.

Mr. Covey

Mr. Covey is a poor man who rents slaves for periods of time to

work fields that he also rents. He has a reputation as a slave

breaker (a person who specializes in destroying the wills of

unruly slaves), and this is how he meets Douglass. Covey is a

hard worker and is often out in the field with his slaves. He

often sneaks up on them by slithering on his belly like a snake

in order to see if they are working. Covey does this so that the

slaves won't ever feel that they can rest. He feeds his slaves

well but gives them a limited amount of time to eat. His cruel

ways nearly break Douglass, who ultimately fights back. After

their confrontation, Covey can no longer intimidate Douglass.

Sophia Auld

Sophia Auld, who lives in Baltimore, becomes the owner of

Douglass when she and her husband bring him to their home

when he is approximately eight years old. Upon first meeting

Sophia Auld, Douglass sees "a white face beaming with the

most kindly emotions." She is a decent woman who has never

owned slaves. Sophia Auld teaches Douglass the alphabet and

a few words before her husband forbids her to continue. After

this, her behavior toward Douglass changes, and she becomes

cruel.

Hugh Auld

Hugh Auld, husband of Sophia Auld, believes in the institution

of slavery and forbids his wife from teaching Douglass how to

read. Ironically, this event inspires Douglass to learn on his

own. Douglass eventually leaves Hugh Auld but returns to him

later on. At that point, Hugh Auld has Douglass learn a trade.

The money Douglass earns is turned over to his master. When

Douglass is beaten up at work, Hugh Auld tries to help, but the

authorities do nothing to pursue the case.

William Freeland

Freeland rents Douglass temporarily. Douglass appreciates

that Freeland is more decent and fair than his other masters.

Freeland does not commit cruel acts and then hide behind

religion. While a slave to Freeland, Douglass begins a Sabbath

school and has nearly 40 slaves as pupils. Douglass forms

strong bonds with some of them and plots to escape slavery

with a few of them. Their plan is foiled, and Freeland's mother

blames Douglass.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Characters 4

Character Map

Slave and pupil

Slaveowner

and teacher

Sophia Auld

Teaches Douglass;

turns evil

Hired

slave

First master,

possible father

Slave, possible

son

Employer/

Clerk

Slave/

Master

Mr. Covey

Slave breaker

William Freeland

Firm yet flexible

slaveholder

Captain Anthony

Clerk on Lloyd's

plantation; Douglass's

possible father

Colonel Edward

Lloyd

Slaveholder; Douglass's

first master

Hugh Auld

Douglass's second

master; hires

Douglass out

Frederick Douglass

Escapes slavery;

becomes abolitionist

speaker and author

Spouses

Slave/

Master

Slave

breaker

Slave/

Master

Main Character

Other Major Character

Minor Character

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Characters 5

Full Character List

Character Description

Frederick

Douglass

Douglass is born into slavery in

Maryland before ultimately escaping

to freedom.

Mr. Covey

Mr. Covey is a notorious slave breaker

who gets control of Douglass for one

year.

Sophia Auld

The wife of Hugh Auld, Sophia

teaches Douglass the alphabet and

simple words.

Hugh Auld Hugh Auld lives in Baltimore and is

Douglass's master.

William

Freeland

Freeland rents Douglass for a year.

Douglass considers him to be the

most decent of his owners.

Captain

Thomas Auld

Captain Thomas Auld becomes

Douglass's master when his father-󰾬in-

law dies; he is very cruel despite his

dedication to religion.

Colonel

Edward Lloyd

Colonel Edward Lloyd is Douglass's

master, and he punishes slaves

harshly and unfairly.

Captain

Anthony

Captain Anthony is Douglass's first

master and probably his father.

Andrew

Anthony

Andrew Anthony is the son of Captain

Anthony; he is a violent drunk.

Lucretia Auld Lucretia Auld inherits Douglass after

her father passes away.

Aunt Hester

Aunt Hester is Douglass's attractive

aunt; she is whipped often by Captain

Anthony.

Betsy Bailey

Betsy Bailey is Douglass's maternal

grandmother; she is eventually turned

out of the plantation to live alone.

Harriet Bailey

Harriet Bailey is Douglass's mother.

He sees her only a few times, and she

dies when he is around seven.

Demby

Demby is Colonel Lloyd's slave; he is

killed by Gore, who is not punished for

his crime.

Mr. Gardner Mr. Gardner is a shipbuilder who hires

Douglass from Hugh Auld.

William Lloyd

Garrison

William Lloyd Garrison is a leading

abolitionist who provided a preface to

Douglass's Narrative.

Rowena

Hamilton

Rowena Hamilton is Captain Thomas

Auld's second wife.

Thomas

Hamilton

Thomas Hamilton is Douglass's

neighbor in Baltimore; he brutalizes his

slaves.

Austin Gore

Austin Gore is a cruel, serious, and

merciless overseer at Colonel Lloyd's

plantation.

Henny

Henny is a slave of Thomas Auld's;

she is disabled due to a childhood

accident.

William

Hamilton

William Hamilton is Douglass's

master's father-󰾬in-󰾬law; he captures

Douglass when he is planning to

escape.

Henry Harris

Henry Harris is part of the group of

men with whom Douglass plans to

escape.

John Harris

John Harris is part of the group of

men with whom Douglass plans to

escape.

Nathan

Johnson

Nathan Johnson is an abolitionist who

takes in Douglass and his wife when

they arrive in New Bedford.

Sandy Jenkins

Sandy Jenkins is a slave and a friend

of Douglass's who gives him a root for

good luck.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Plot Summary 6

Anna Murray

Anna Murray is a free woman who

marries Douglass when he escapes to

New York.

Wendell Phillips

Douglass's friend and president of the

American Anti-󰾬Slave Society, Wendell

Phillips is an abolitionist who provided

a letter included in the Narrative.

Charles

Roberts

Charles Roberts is Douglass's uncle

and one of the men caught planning to

escape.

David Ruggles

David Ruggles assists Douglass when

he arrives in New York and helps him

get to New Bedford.

Mr. Severe

Mr. Severe is a cruel overseer at

Colonel Edward Lloyd's Great House

Farm.

k Plot Summary

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass traces Douglass's

life from its very beginning until the time he wrote the

autobiography. However, the main focus is on Douglass's

enslavement and the institution of slavery.

The narrative begins with Douglass's birth in Talbot County,

Maryland. Because he was born into slavery, his birth was not

recorded in any official capacity, and he is unsure of the date

or even the exact year.

Because his mother works all day in the fields, he sees her only

a handful of times, always at night. She passes away when he

is around seven years old. Her death does not have much

impact on him, as he had not been allowed to form a

relationship with her. Douglass is uncertain of the identity of his

father. He knows he is a white man and suspects that his

master is his father.

The ugliness of slavery becomes well-known to Douglass at an

early age. His aunt is brutally whipped, and he fears he will be

next. Douglass describes the poor conditions under which

slaves live, emphasizing how they are poorly clothed and suffer

from a lack of decent bedding. At this point, Douglass lives on

the Great House Farm, which is owned by Colonel Lloyd and

run by Captain Anthony, who is Douglass's master.

When Douglass is seven, he is selected to go to Baltimore and

live with Hugh Auld, the brother of Captain Anthony's son-in-

law, Thomas Auld. Now responsible for looking after Hugh

Auld's son, Douglass is happy to get away from the plantation

and excited to see a big city like Baltimore. Later, when

reviewing his past, Douglass says the move was one of the

most interesting events of his life. He credits it with allowing

him to not be "confined in the galling chains of slavery."

Sophia Auld, the wife of Hugh Auld, greets Douglass with "a

white face beaming with the most kindly emotions." The

positive impression proves to be accurate, as Sophia Auld

treats Douglass well and teaches him the alphabet and how to

spell. Hugh Auld finds out about the lessons and orders his

wife to stop them, insisting that education makes slaves

unmanageable. Not only does this end the lessons, but Sophia

Auld begins to treat Douglass poorly. Douglass blames her

changed behavior on the evils of slavery.

Though the lessons have ended, they inspire Douglass to learn

to read and write on his own and with the help of anyone who

will offer it. His education, just as Hugh Auld predicted, impacts

Douglass greatly. After reading a book called the The

Columbian Orator, in which a master and slave debate slavery,

Douglass feels despair until he resolves that one day he will

escape.

After seven years, Douglass is sent back to the plantation.

Though living with the Aulds had grown difficult—largely due to

Hugh Auld's drinking and Sophia Auld's cruelty—Douglass

observes, "A city slave is almost a freeman, compared with a

slave on the plantation." Douglass views Thomas Auld, his new

master at the plantation, in a particularly negative light. While

Thomas Auld claims to be a good Christian, he treats his slaves

cruelly. Thomas Auld rents Douglass out to Mr. Covey, a

notorious slave breaker (a person who specializes in

destroying the wills of unruly slaves), for one year.

Six months after being sent to work for Mr. Covey, Douglass is

nearly broken. The exhaustive work and merciless whippings

have taken take a terrible toll on him. On one extremely hot

August day, Douglass collapses and is unable to get up. Mr.

Covey whips him. Douglass decides to go to his master and

complain, but his master will have none of it. On his way back

to Mr. Covey's place, a fellow slave gives Douglass a root that

he says is good luck. Douglass accepts it, though he does not

believe in its power.

Douglass fights back against Mr. Covey. He writes that the

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Plot Summary 7

fight "was the turning-point in my career as a slave." It revived

him, rousing in him once again "a determination to be free." Mr.

Covey never touched him again.

Soon, Douglass finds himself rented out to William Freeland,

whom he calls his best master "till I became my own master."

During his first year with Freeland, Douglass begins secretly

educating fellow slaves in a Sabbath school at a free black

man's house. During his second year working for Freeland,

Douglass hatches an escape plan with four other slaves. Just

as they are about to execute their plan, it is discovered. The

men are jailed. After some time, Douglass is sent back to

Baltimore to serve Hugh and Sophia Auld.

During his second go-round in Baltimore, Douglass learns a

trade—ship caulking. Douglass gives his earnings to Hugh Auld,

who occasionally lets Douglass keep a fraction of the earnings

for himself. This arrangement causes Douglass great

frustration. He works out a deal with Hugh Auld in which

Douglass finds his own work and pays his master a fixed

amount. Douglass is happy to have this arrangement because

"it [is] a step towards freedom." However, Douglass and Hugh

Auld eventually run into a problem. Though they resolve the

problem, it is the last straw for Douglass, who decides that he

will "make a second attempt to secure my freedom."

The book reveals very few details of Douglass's actual escape.

This is intentional; of his flight from Baltimore, Douglass writes,

"How I did so ... I must leave unexplained." This is because it

could cause others "embarrassing difficulties" and make it

harder for other slaves to escape.

Douglass's first stop as a free man is New York, where he

marries Anne—Murray, a free black woman from Baltimore.

The couple moves to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where

Douglass—born Frederick Augustus Washington

Bailey—adopts the surname he is known by today. Douglass

works in various jobs and reads an abolitionist newspaper

called the Liberator. This inspires him to speak publicly about

the cause and his experiences. Later, he gives a speech at an

antislavery convention in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Douglass

writes, "From that time until now, I have been engaged in

pleading the cause of my brethren." These speeches lead him

to write his Narrative.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Plot Summary 8

Plot Diagram

Falling Action

Rising Action

Resolution

Climax

Introduction

1. Frederick Douglass is born.

Rising Action

2. Douglass's mother passes away.

3. Douglass witnesses the brutal whipping of Aunt Hester.

4. Douglass is sent to Baltimore.

5. Douglass learns how to read and write.

6. Douglass is suicidal, thinking he's a slave for life.

7. Douglass is sent back to the plantation.

8. Douglass is broken by Mr. Covey.

Climax

9. Douglass fights back against Mr. Covey.

Falling Action

10. Douglass teaches slaves to read at Sunday school.

11. Douglass and four other slaves are caught trying to escape.

Resolution

12. Douglass escapes slavery and speaks out against slavery.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Plot Summary 9

Timeline of Events

c. 1818

Douglass is born into slavery. His master and probable

father is Captain Anthony.

1824

Douglass's mother dies. He is not particularly moved as

he had seen her only a handful of times.

1824

Douglass is traumatized as he sees his Aunt Hester

brutally whipped. Fearing he is next, he hides.

1825

Douglass is sent to Baltimore to serve Hugh and Sophia

Auld.

1825–1832

Sophia Auld teaches Douglass the alphabet and to spell.

He later teaches himself how to write.

January–July 1833

Mr. Covey, a cruel slaveholder, whips and works

Douglass so hard he considers suicide.

August 1833

Douglass refuses to get whipped by Mr. Covey and

fights back. He vows to never get whipped again.

1834

Douglass forms a secret Sunday school where he

teaches slaves how to read.

1835

While readying to follow through on an escape plan,

Douglass and four other slaves are arrested.

1838-1841

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Plot Summary 10

Douglass escapes slavery, joins the abolitionists, and

speaks to audiences about slavery.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Chapter Summaries 11

c Chapter Summaries

Preface and Letter

Summary

Preceding the text of Narrative of the Life of Frederick

Douglass is a preface by William Lloyd Garrison and a letter by

Wendell Phillips.

In the preface, Garrison recalls his first meeting with Douglass,

which occurs at an antislavery conference in Nantucket,

Massachusetts. A friend of Douglass's convinces him to speak.

Despite his hesitancy, Douglass's speech about his life as a

slave greatly impresses Garrison and the rest of the audience.

Garrison approaches Douglass and asks him to "consecrate

his time and talents to the promotion of the [antislavery]

enterprise." At first, Douglass hesitates because he feels he is

not up to the task. However, after thinking it over, Douglass

decides to give speaking a try. "Ever since that period,"

Garrison writes, "he has acted as a lecturing agent" for

antislavery organizations. Garrison notes that Douglass has

been successful and persuasive.

Garrison praises Douglass's demeanor. He adds that Douglass

has a "union of head and heart, which is indispensable to ...

winning ... the hearts of others." Garrison is especially

impressed with Douglass because he has endured so much as

a slave. "Nothing has been left undone to cripple their

intellects," says Garrison of the way slaves are treated.

Garrison confirms that the entire Narrative was written by

Douglass, saying that the text "is essentially true in all its

statements." Garrison writes that while some people will not

believe what they are reading, what Douglass relates is typical

of how slaves are treated. Garrison notes that a slaveholder or

overseer can do anything he wants to a slave and will not be

convicted of any crime. Garrison, like Douglass, believes

Christianity and slavery do not mix.

In his letter to Douglass, Wendell Phillips notes he is glad that

Douglass is telling his story and that the facts about slavery will

become well known. He is also greatly moved by Douglass's

account and salutes the bravery it takes to come forward with

such a testimony. "I shall read your book with trembling for

you," Phillips states.

Phillips asserts that Douglass's narrative is truthful. He believes

Douglass deserves praise for writing the book, which shows

his bravery because it is "still dangerous, in Massachusetts, for

honest men to tell their names." Finally, Phillips expresses his

hope that "the tones shall reach every hut in the Carolinas."

Analysis

William Lloyd Garrison and Wendell Phillips, both white men,

were widely respected and prominent abolitionists. Having

their endorsements would raise the status of the book and its

potential for sales.

There is a common theme in the preface and the letter. Both

Garrison and Phillips vouch that Douglass wrote the book and

that it is truthful. Their testimony was important because many

slave narratives at that time were ghostwritten—that is,

someone other than the named author wrote the text. While

these former slaves' stories could be harrowing and disturbing,

their lack of authorial authenticity diminished their truthfulness

and ultimate effect on the reader. Therefore, the fact that

Douglass wrote his Narrative himself is important. It attests to

his education and eloquence and to the capability of black

men, a point that Garrison brings up.

The need for Garrison and Phillips to vouch for the authenticity

of Douglass's work is unfortunate. Douglass, despite being a

free man, still needed the assistance of whites to publish his

book.

Chapter 1

Summary

Frederick Douglass begins the narrative by stating where he is

from: Tuckahoe, in Talbot County, Maryland. Douglass notes

that he does not know his age, which he says is typical of

slaves. He says he always felt that "a want of information ...

was a source of happiness."

Douglass discusses the background of his mother, Harriet

Bailey. He was separated from her when he was an infant,

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Chapter Summaries 12

which is one way that masters strip slaves of their humanity.

Because they met only a few times, and then only briefly,

Douglass and his mother were unable to form a true bond. She

dies when he is about seven years old. Hearing the news,

Douglass describes his emotions as "much the same I should

have probably felt at the death of a stranger."

Douglass says that he is not clear about the identity of his

father; another way to dehumanize slaves is to keep them

uninformed about the simple facts of their lives. The only thing

Douglass knows for sure about his father is that he is white.

Rumor has it that his father is his first master, Captain Anthony.

Either way, there is a law that says that the children of slave

women shall in all cases "follow the condition of the mother."

Douglass explains that slaves who are the children of their

masters "suffer greater hardships." The mistress usually sees

the child as a reminder of her husband's infidelities and tends

to be especially hard on the child. In such cases, the master

usually sells the child. Douglass notes that there are many such

children.

Slaves are born for one reason, and that is to serve their

masters. Throughout his life, Douglass has two masters,

beginning with Captain Anthony, who owns a few farms and

about 30 slaves. He is especially cruel, and Douglass is often

awakened in the night by the screams of slaves being whipped

by Captain Anthony.

Douglass relates the terrible episode of Aunt Hester. She is a

beautiful woman, and Captain Anthony is especially concerned

about her comings and goings. Hester apparently had an

ongoing love interest and was previously warned by Captain

Anthony to discontinue it. As Douglass says, "My master had

ordered her not to go out evenings and warned her that she

must never let him catch her in company with a young man

who was paying attention to her." When Hester defies him,

Captain Anthony strips her, "leaving her neck, shoulders, and

back, entirely naked." He then ties her hands together and

attaches them to a hook before calling her names and

whipping her. Douglass is so scared that he hides in a closet,

fearing that his turn is next.

Analysis

Autobiographies typically begin with the subject discussing his

or her background. This initial information usually provides a

solid foundation and springboard for the details that follow in

the narrative. Douglass's Narrative is no different. Douglass

tells the reader where he is from—but that is the end of his

background information. As a former slave, he has few details

on his own history, except for his approximate age when his

mother died and the fact that his father is white.

Chapter 1 establishes Douglass's narrative style and

announces his purpose: to educate readers about the horrors

of slavery. His style of writing utilizes informal vocabulary and

simple and direct language, reflecting the tastes of 19th-

century readers. Although he reveals sensitive and horrific

details about slavery, his style is straightforward, rarely

becoming emotional. Though he does not explore his own

emotions, he sometimes uses descriptions and images that

elicit sympathy. For instance, when he sees ships on the

Chesapeake Bay, they are beautiful to a freedman but look like

"so many shrouded ghosts" to a slave. For the most part, he

lets readers judge for themselves.

Chapter 2

Summary

Douglass discusses Captain Anthony and his family. Captain

Anthony is a superintendent on a plantation owned by Colonel

Edward Lloyd, who grows tobacco, corn, and wheat. The

wheat crop is shipped to Baltimore; slaves who man the ship

that takes the crop to Baltimore are envied by the others.

Colonel Lloyd has a plantation called Great House Farm and

several neighboring farms. His wealth affords him the luxury of

hiring overseers to supervise the slaves. Mr. Severe is one, a

cruel man with a fitting name who is vile in temperament and

behavior. He dies and is replaced by the kindly Mr. Hopkins.

The slaves call Mr. Hopkins a good overseer.

The amount of clothing that slaves receive is woefully

inadequate. The lack of clothes is particularly notable in

children. Douglass says that children under 10 are often naked.

Slaves sleep on the floor. Their bedding consists of "one

coarse blanket," and children get nothing. Despite the poor

conditions, the slaves are able to sleep because their work is

so exhausting. They are awakened each morning by a horn

that summons them to the field.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Chapter Summaries 13

Slaves want to be sent on errands to the Great House Farm, as

they consider it a demonstration of the overseer's confidence

in them. As they travel through the woods to the farm, they

sing loudly. The songs often, if not always, contain impromptu

lyrics that are deeply moving. Douglass writes, "They would

make the dense old woods for miles around reverberate with

their wild songs, revealing at once the highest joy and the

deepest sadness."

Douglass says he did not understand the songs when he was a

child, but as an adult, the songs "deepen my hatred of slavery,

and quicken my sympathies for my brethren in bonds."

Douglass notes that people sometimes mistake the songs as

evidence that slaves are content. The truth is, the songs help

to drown out the slaves' sorrows.

Analysis

While Douglass is kept in the dark about certain key details

about his own background, he is quite clear on the background

of his master, Captain Anthony, who works for someone else.

There is also a hierarchy in the slaves' world. Those who are at

the Great House Farm are elevated because they are at a

more comfortable place. Certain jobs, such as working on the

sloop, and certain tasks, like going on errands to the Great

House Farm, are desirable. The slaves' desire for these prized

jobs and errands is a reminder of how little power and how few

choices they have.

One of Douglass's goals in his Narrative is to explain the

intricacies of slavery. Slaves have few outlets for their

emotions, as they are kept busy with work. Music, especially

singing, is an outlet for their aching souls. Douglass says this is

something Northerners do not understand. Douglass is calling

for those in the North to hear the cries of his chained brethren.

Chapter 3

Summary

Colonel Lloyd has a beautiful garden on the plantation. People

come to the plantation from all over to visit the garden. The

garden abounds "in fruits of almost every description." For the

slaves, who are poorly fed, the fruit is a great temptation.

Douglass says that during the summer, "Scarcely a day passed

... but that some slave had to take the lash for stealing fruit." To

prevent the slaves from stealing the fruit, the Colonel puts tar

on the fence that surrounds the garden; slaves found to have

tar on their bodies are whipped. The stealing stops.

The Colonel also keeps horses who are "of the finest form and

noblest blood." The two slaves who manage the stable face a

daunting task, as there is nothing that the Colonel is more

particular about than the management of his horses. If the

slaves do not meet the Colonel's unreasonable demands, they

face severe punishment. When the Colonel expresses

dissatisfaction to his slaves, "The slave must answer never a

word." Instead, the slave must "stand, listen, and tremble."

Douglass notes the great wealth of the Colonel. Included in his

wealth are more than 1,000 slaves, many of whom he does not

know and who do not know him. One time the Colonel meets a

slave who tells him he is owned by Colonel Lloyd. The Colonel

does not share his identity and asks the slave how he is

treated. The slave says not well. A few weeks later, the slave is

sold "for having found fault with his master."

Spies are sometimes sent to ask slaves about the masters. If

the slaves say anything, it is usually something positive,

"especially when speaking to an untried man." Besides fear,

another reason for this behavior, Douglass explains, is that the

slaves "seemed to think that the greatness of their masters

was transferable to themselves."

Analysis

This chapter is filled with examples of irony, which the author

leaves to his readers to recognize.

The garden is maintained by slaves, and so keeping the

delicious fruit away from the slaves is doubly cruel. The

gardens bring delight to those who visit, but its main purpose,

feeding people, does not help the slaves.

The great care that the horses receive stands in stark contrast

to how the master cares for his slaves. The horses' every need

is considered. The needs of the slave are never recognized.

Colonel Lloyd's inhumane priorities are an example of the ways

in which slavery dehumanizes the slaveholder as much as it

does the slaves. Douglass provides many such examples

throughout the narrative.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Chapter Summaries 14

Despite their horrific treatment, slaves feel pride. With no

outlets available to utilize their own gifts and skills, the slaves

look to their owners as a way of expressing pride. For example,

slaves might take pride in the fairness or wealth of a master.

Douglass notes that it is deemed a disgrace to be a poor man's

slave.

The slaveholders want their slaves to be content. If slaves

express discontent, they can be sold. Slaveholders go to great

lengths to rid themselves of dissenting slaves, including spying

on them. The slaves, however, lie about their condition out of

fear. These lies eventually convince them that their situation is

better than that of slaves owned by someone else. In this way,

slaves police one another, just as the master polices them.

In this chapter, Douglass, as protagonist, is mostly absent.

Instead, he simply provides factual information, and his lack of

commentary gives the stories power. The stories are windows

into the cruelty and horrific conditions that slaves suffer, and

they provide a convincing argument for supporting the

abolitionist movement.

Chapter 4

Summary

Kind Mr. Hopkins is released by Colonel Lloyd, and Mr. Gore

takes over as the overseer at the Great House Farm. Douglass

says he possesses "all those traits of character indispensable

to what is called a first-rate overseer." According to Douglass,

"Mr. Gore was proud, ambitious, and persevering. He was

artful, cruel, and obdurate. He was just the man for such a

place, and it was just the place for such a man." Gore tortures

slaves for the smallest of reasons. "To be accused [by Gore]

was to be convicted, and to be convicted was to be punished."

Gore insists that there is no talking back. He is always serious

and displays "inflexible firmness and stone-like coolness."

Douglass provides this example: Demby, a slave, is whipped so

harshly by Mr. Gore that he runs into a creek to ease his pain

and refuses to come out. Mr. Gore warns Demby that he must

come out by the time he counts to three. When Demby does

not respond after the third call, Mr. Gore shoots and kills him.

Later on, Colonel Lloyd asks Mr. Gore why he killed Demby. Mr.

Gore explains that Demby was "setting a dangerous example

to the other slaves." Mr. Gore claims that if Demby had not

been made to pay a price, the other slaves would have copied

his example. Ultimately, Mr. Gore asserts, the slaves would be

freed and the whites enslaved. This explanation is satisfactory

to Colonel Lloyd, and Mr. Gore gains respect as an overseer.

Douglass notes that in Talbot County, Maryland, murdering

slaves and black people "is not treated as a crime, either by the

courts or the community." Douglass shares stories of other

slaves being murdered and their murderers suffering no

punishment. A man named Thomas Lanman gruesomely

murders two slaves, knocking one's brains out with a hatchet

and joking about it later. The wife of Mr. Giles Hick commits the

murder of a teenaged female slave and is not even charged.

Mr. Beal Bondly murders an elderly slave in plain sight of other

eyewitnesses and the case is "hushed."

Douglass concludes by pointing out a saying among white

children: "It was worth a half-cent to kill a 'nigger,' and a half-

cent to bury one."

Analysis

Douglass makes the point that even children in the South know

that a slave's life has no value. This indoctrination reveals the

attitude toward slaves that was prevalent in the South. Under

this perverted system, a murderer like Mr. Gore is admired for

keeping the slaves in line and doing his job.

The cruelest overseers and masters live in a state of paranoia

that they use to justify their heinous actions—they claim they

are simply protecting themselves. This fear serves to enable

overseers such as Mr. Gore. Their cruelty toward slaves is

regarded as preserving the way of life of in the South.

As in Chapter 3, Douglass makes his case by relating stories.

"Whilst I am detailing bloody deeds which took place during my

stay on Colonel Lloyd's plantation, I will briefly narrate another,"

he tells readers. His passionate anger is evident in his choice

of words and the specificity of his details. Mr. Gore's "presence

was painful; his eye flashed confusion; and seldom was his

sharp, shrill voice heard, without producing horror and

trembling." His "savage barbarity" is equalled only by his

"consummate coolness."

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Chapter Summaries 15

Chapter 5

Summary

Douglass describes his own treatment while on Colonel Lloyd's

plantation and notes it is similar to the way other slave children

are treated. Though he is not old enough to work in the field,

he is assigned chores. His leisure time is spent helping Master

Daniel Lloyd find birds after he shoots them. The relationship

has some benefits to Douglass, as his master sometimes

shares food with him.

Overall, Douglass says he suffers"little from anything else than

hunger and cold." He notes that the children receive food in the

same manner as does a pig, eating out of a trough without any

utensils. He wears only a knee-length shirt in "hottest summer

and coldest winter." To deal with the cold, Douglass sleeps

headfirst in a bag, which he stole. His feet stick out, which

causes them to crack from the frost.

When Douglass is seven or eight, Captain Anthony sends him

to Baltimore to live with Hugh Auld, the brother of Captain

Anthony's son-in-law. Douglass is ecstatic about leaving the

plantation. He feels no connection or sense of home there. He

is especially excited to go to Baltimore after his cousin Tom

describes how impressive and beautiful the city is. Before

leaving, his mistress insists he clean himself thoroughly.

Douglass states he did this deed in earnest, for it was the first

time he ever "worked with the hope of reward." Afterward, his

mistress gives him his first pair of pants.

While sailing to Baltimore, there is a brief stop in Annapolis, the

state capital. Douglass thinks it "a wonderful place for its size."

Douglass is brought to Baltimore. Of his arrival, he writes, "Mr.

and Mrs. Auld were both at home and met me at the door with

their little son Thomas, to take care of whom I had been given."

He is shocked to see his new mistress, Sophia Auld, greet him

with a "face beaming with the most kindly emotions."

When looking back, Douglass says the move to Baltimore was

"one of the most interesting events of my life." If Douglass had

not moved to Baltimore, he believes he may never have

escaped from slavery. Looking back, he views the move as "of

divine Providence in my favor." He says that from his earliest

recollection, he believed that he would not always be in

slavery's "foul embrace," a belief he attributes to God.

Analysis

In Chapter 5, the focus returns to Douglass and his personal

story.

Though Douglass and most other children his age do not face

whippings, they still live a hard life. As Douglass says, "He that

ate fastest got most; he that was strongest secured the best

place."

Douglass uses a powerful image from his present life to

describe the frostbite he suffered as a child, writing that his

feet are still so cracked "that the pen with which I am writing

might be laid in the gashes." With this vivid, disturbing detail,

readers are reminded that their eloquent narrator is the same

man who was put through the degradation of slavery.

The move to Baltimore is a significant turning point for

Douglass. Of all the children who might have been sent to live

with the Aulds, he was the "first, last and only choice." Yet he

takes no credit for his selection, attributing it to the hand of

God.

Chapter 6

Summary

Douglass's initial assessment of Sophia Auld's character

proves to be accurate. He is full of praise for her: "I was utterly

astonished at her goodness." One way this goodness

manifests itself is through Sophia's willingness to teach

Douglass the alphabet and simple spelling.

The teaching sessions come to an end when Hugh Auld,

Sophia Auld's husband, learns about them. He forbids his wife

to teach Douglass and notes that doing so is unlawful. His

greater concern is that teaching a slave to read "would spoil

the best nigger in the world." Hugh Auld also believes that

education will make the slave unmanageable and cause him or

her to feel "discontented and unhappy."

Hugh Auld's words affect Douglass greatly. Douglass says that

they "only served to inspire me with a desire and determination

to learn." Learning how to read becomes a mission for

Douglass. He believes it is the pathway to freedom.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Chapter Summaries 16

Sophia Auld heeds her husband's warning, and her demeanor

toward Douglass changes. Douglass is the first slave Sophia

Auld owns, and she has been uncomfortable with the

formalities between slave and slaveholder. As time passes,

however, Sophia changes: "That cheerful eye, under the

influence of slavery, soon became red with rage."

Douglass notices a difference between the treatment of a

slave in the city as compared to the country. Compared to the

country, "A city slave is almost a freeman." City slaves are

generally better fed and clothed. According to Douglass, those

in the city possess "a vestige of decency, a sense of shame"

that those in the country do not feel. However, there are some

exceptions, including neighbors in Baltimore who treat their

slaves terribly.

Analysis

Sophia Auld exemplifies one of Douglass's key points: slavery

dehumanizes both the slave and the slaveholder. She

transforms from a decent person who sees Douglass as a

young boy in need of an education to a woman filled with rage.

The speech that Hugh Auld gives to his wife about the evils of

teaching slaves to read is precisely what inspires Douglass to

learn to read. The speech is a key point in Douglass's life and

development, and he realizes it instantly. Thomas Auld is

correct, as learning how to read helps Douglass realize that he

must have something better in his life. The key to escaping

slavery is education.

Readers can envision the bizarre standards by which city

slaveholders judge one another. The slaveholders in the city

feel some "sense of shame," though not enough to give up the

practice altogether. Instead, they are less cruel, and most give

their slaves enough to eat. For those Baltimore slave owners

who do mistreat their slaves, there is no punishment.

Chapter 7

Summary

During Douglass's seven years with Hugh and Sophia Auld, he

learns to read and write. This happens despite Sophia Auld's

vigilance. She has gone from a "tender-hearted woman" to a

woman whose "heart became stone." When Sophia Auld sees

Douglass reading, she rushes at him "with a face made all up of

fury." Slavery, Douglass says in a familiar refrain, has proven

"as injurious to her as it did to me."

Yet Douglass perseveres, educating himself by making friends

with as many little white boys as he can. He takes bread from

the Auld home—where it is always available, and he is welcome

to eat it—and trades it with the poor white children in the

neighborhood in exchange for "the bread of knowledge." Many

of these children pity Douglass for being doomed to slavery for

life. He feels tremendous gratitude and affection toward them.

Douglass regularly reads a book titled The Columbian Orator.

He focuses on a conversation between a master and a slave as

the two debate slavery. The debate convinces the master to

free his slave. Douglass learns from the book "the power of

truth over the conscience of even a slaveholder." This inspires

him and helps him clarify his thoughts and arguments about

slavery. It also causes him to hate the enslavers. When

Douglass contemplates spending his whole life as a slave, he

feels suicidal. At this point, he fears learning to read was a

curse, as it has shown him how terrible his condition is but

provided "no ladder upon which to get out." He envies illiterate

slaves for not being able to comprehend the helplessness of

their situation. It is during this time that Douglass first learns of

the abolitionists.

While at a shipyard, he speaks with two Irish sailors who learn

he is a slave and encourage him to run away. Douglass is

reluctant to trust them. Yet the idea of escape stays with

Douglass, and he becomes determined to do so one day.

Douglass continues going to the shipyard and sees carpenters

writing single letters on cargo. Douglass learns these letters.

He comes up with ways to learn how to write. He tricks boys

into teaching him how to write the letters and practices with

Thomas Auld's schoolbooks whenever he is alone in the house.

Analysis

Readers see Douglass's boldness, determination, and

cleverness in this chapter. His description of tricking other

children into teaching him how to write is worthy of Tom

Sawyer, the Mark Twain character who fools other children

into doing his work. The children's kindness to Douglass and

his deep affection for them show readers how much Douglass

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Chapter Summaries 17

values his education and illustrate the fact that attitudes

toward slavery are learned.

Hugh Auld has predicted that education will make Douglass

discontented and unhappy, as acquiring knowledge without

being able to use it is frustrating. This idea comes to fruition as

Douglass describes his despair and even contemplates suicide.

Previously, Douglass simply did as he was instructed, just as a

slave is taught. While he certainly had emotions and thoughts,

he had trouble expressing them. Reading enables him to gain

exposure to those who are against slavery. He learns about

abolitionists and the history of slavery. He wants the right to

think and act as a free man, and reading brings that world

closer—and yet it is still so far away.

A slave's life is isolating. While in the city, Douglass can move

about more freely. He finds time to go to the shipyards and

gets to go on errands. He is among many people, some of

whom are black and free. Yet in many ways, Douglass is still in

the chains of slavery. While at the shipyards, the Irishmen

suggest that Douglass run away. Though he hears the idea and

it stays with him, he does not respond to it, because he doesn't

trust the men. Again, readers are reminded that a slave can

trust no one.

Chapter 8

Summary

Chapter 8 moves backward in time, focusing on Douglass at

age 10 or 11. His old master, Captain Anthony, has died and left

no will, meaning that his property has to be valued so that it

can be divided between his two children, Andrew and Lucretia.

As a slave, Douglass is part of that property, and so he is sent

back to the plantation to be valued. Douglass is sad about

leaving Baltimore, as he is well aware that he is treated better

there than he will be on the plantation.

"We were all ranked together ... with horses, sheep, and swine,"

Douglass relates. Describing the "indelicate inspection," he

says he "saw more clearly than ever the brutalizing effects of

slavery upon both slave and slaveholder." After the valuation

comes the division between the two new owners, with the

slaves given no more voice in the decision "than the brutes

among whom we were ranked." Making the anticipation worse,

Andrew is known to be a cruel, common drunk.

Douglass, fortunately, "fell to the portion of Mrs. Lucretia." This

makes Douglass happy because he is immediately sent back to

Baltimore. Very soon after Douglass returns to Baltimore,

Andrew and Lucretia die, leaving all the property to Lucretia's

husband, Thomas Auld, and his daughter. None of the slaves

are set free. The treatment of Douglass's grandmother is

especially revolting to him. After serving loyally for many years,

she sees her family divided. Her new masters cast her out of

the plantation, building her a hut where she can support herself

"in perfect loneliness; thus virtually turning her out to die!"

Thomas Auld remarries and has a misunderstanding with Hugh

Auld, prompting Thomas to take Douglass away as a way of

punishing his brother. "Master Thomas said he would never let

me return again," Douglass writes. "The barrier betwixt himself

and brother he considered impassable." Douglass is not happy

about the separation, but it is not as painful as his previous

departure, as Hugh has become a drunkard and Sophia has

become increasingly cruel.

While sailing back, Douglass does not try to run away but does

note the direction the boats take to go to Philadelphia. He

decides that he will run away at the first "favorable

opportunity."

Analysis

Douglass makes two references to how slaveholders increase

their wealth in this chapter. The "indelicate inspection" refers

to the inspection of the slaves' genitals to make sure they can

produce children. His grandmother is described as "the source

of all [the old master's] wealth, for she has borne twelve

children, who in turn have had children and grandchildren." This

monstrous system is capped by the decision to send the

grandmother off to die alone. "Will not a righteous God visit for

these things?" Douglass asks.

Because it breaks the linear chronology of the narrative, this

chapter is somewhat awkward. In Chapter 7, Douglass tells

about his seven-year stay in Baltimore, relating how he came

to learn to read and write and dream of escape. In Chapter 8,

he moves back in time, describing his brief return to the

plantation and focusing primarily on the slaves who are valued,

treated, and exchanged like livestock.

Why does Douglass do this? The organization of the book is

tied to theme, not chronology. While Douglass is telling his

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Chapter Summaries 18

story, the book's greater purpose is to show the horrors of

slavery and why it should be abolished.

Chapter 9

Summary

Douglass is now permanently back on the plantation after

more than seven years in Baltimore. The biggest challenge is

the lack of food. While not feeding slaves sufficiently "is

regarded as the most aggravated development of meanness

even among slaveholders," there are plenty who do not abide

by the code. The new master, Thomas Auld, is one such

slaveholder, and Douglass and the other slaves, which include

his sister and aunt, are forced to beg or steal for food.

Douglass finds nothing redeeming about Thomas Auld and his

wife. They are "destitute of every element of character

commanding respect," and the trait that Thomas Auld most

consistently exhibits is meanness. As a new slaveholder,

Thomas Auld does not know how to deal with slaves, and his

inconsistency causes contempt "even by slaves." He is

considered a weak man with no presence. After Thomas Auld

attends a Methodist camp meeting, Douglass hopes his master

will become more humane or even emancipate the slaves.

Instead, Thomas Auld becomes crueler, as "he found religious

sanction and support for his slaveholding cruelty."

Outwardly, Thomas Auld acts piously. He prays regularly and

often has preachers at his home. A few of the preachers act

kindly toward the slaves, particularly Mr. Cookman, who has

successfully encouraged one slaveholder to emancipate his

slaves.

Douglass details some of Thomas Auld's cruel doings. Henny, a

slave who fell into a fire as a child and is nearly helpless,

suffers terrible treatment and severe whippings. Thomas Auld

finally emancipates her and tells her "to take care of herself,"

which she cannot do. Douglass says bleakly, "She was to

master a bill of expense."

Douglass frequently clashes with Thomas Auld and is severely

whipped. At one point, Douglass lets Thomas Auld's horse run

away because it gives him a reason to visit his master's father-

in-law, who feeds his slaves sufficiently. As a result of their

differences, Thomas Auld sends Douglass to Mr. Covey, a poor

man who has a reputation for breaking slaves.

Analysis

In previous chapters, Douglass introduces characters who are

cruel despite their ties to Christianity. Thomas Auld embodies

the hypocrisy of the religious slaveholder. Auld prays regularly,

is esteemed by his community, and hosts preachers, yet he is a

terribly cruel man with no redeeming qualities. "After his

conversion," Douglass writes, "he found religious sanction and

support for his slaveholding cruelty." The use of religion to

justify inhumane behavior was an issue in Douglass's time and

can resonate with a modern audience.

Douglass does not believe religion is synonymous with cruelty.

There are multiple examples in this chapter of preachers who

are kind and decent. Mr. Cookman, in particular, advocates for

the slaves and contributes toward the emancipation of several.

Figures such as Mr. Cookman recognize the tenets of religion

and act in a divinely inspired manner, in sharp contrast to

Thomas Auld.

Thomas Auld has become a slaveholder later in life. Because of

this late start, he is unclear about how a person should

properly manage slaves. Douglass notes that this is common:

"Adopted slaveholders are the worst." Thomas Auld's

uncertainty and attempts to imitate a born slaveholder are

noticed by the slaves, and they do not show him the respect he

craves.

Mr. Covey embodies the character of an evil slaveholder. Due

to his reputation as a slave breaker, he is able to acquire cheap

labor. Slaves come to him with fear, and slaveholders respect

him. Douglass shows that Mr. Covey and Thomas Auld, like all

slaveholders, are part of an evil system that forces them into

roles whether they are comfortable with them or not.

Chapter 10

Summary

Douglass arrives at Mr. Covey's on January 1, 1833, to work as

a field hand. Within a week, Mr. Covey whips him severely. He

continues to do so regularly for the next six months.

Ostensibly, the reason for the whippings is Douglass's

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Chapter Summaries 19

struggles to do field work. He relates an episode when Mr.

Covey sends him to the forest to retrieve a load of wood and

transport it using unbroken oxen. Mr. Covey briefly explains

how to drive oxen, but Douglass is nearly killed by the animals

and takes too long to complete the task. Mr. Covey orders

Douglass to return to the woods with him. Mr. Covey

repeatedly orders Douglass to strip, but Douglass refuses.

Finally, Covey makes a rush toward Douglass "with the

fierceness of a tiger," tearing off his clothes and lashing him.

Mr. Covey works the slaves hard. He has the slaves in the field

from sunrise to sunset and often works by their sides—except

in the afternoons, which he spends in bed. In the evenings, Mr.

Covey returns to the fields and harasses the slaves with his

words and his whip. He has a sadistic manner of operating and

is nicknamed "the snake." Even when Mr. Covey is not in the

fields, his slaves cannot rest, because they know he will

occasionally surprise them. He slithers through the fields on his

belly so as not to be detected, until he comes upon the slaves

and gets up and screams out, "Ha, ha! Come, come! Dash on,

dash on!"

Mr. Covey's deceitful ways extend to his religious life. "He

seemed to think himself equal to deceiving the Almighty,"

Douglass says with a rare flash of humor. Mr. Covey ultimately

deceives himself into believing that he is sincere in his worship

of God. Douglass highlights the extent of Mr. Covey's

hypocrisy by relating the story of how he once compelled a

female slave to have sex repeatedly with a married man. Mr.

Covey forced the woman to do this so she would become

pregnant, thus providing him with more slaves.

Douglass sees the time spent with Mr. Covey as the most

difficult of his life. The work is relentless and leaves him

exhausted. Within a few months, Douglass says, "I was broken

in body, soul, and spirit." Douglass spends his Sundays, which

are his only leisure time, lying under a large tree in an

exhausted state. He considers killing himself—or Mr. Covey.

The Chesapeake Bay is visible from where Douglass lies. He

sees the white sails of ships moving off to the ocean and is

jealous of them because they "are free; I am fast in my chains,

and am a slave!" Douglass questions God and the existence of

a God, then promises himself there is "a better day coming."

One hot August day, Douglass collapses from exhaustion. Mr.

Covey comes to Douglass and orders him to get back to work.

Douglass tries but collapses again, so Mr. Covey beats him on

the head. When Mr. Covey is not looking, Douglass escapes to

the woods, walks to his master's store, and asks him to

intercede with Mr. Covey. Thomas Auld hesitates but

eventually orders Douglass back to Mr. Covey.

Douglass heads back to Mr. Covey's place on Saturday

morning. When he arrives, Mr. Covey runs toward him with the

intention of whipping him again. Douglass escapes into the

cornfield. Later, while in the woods, Douglass sees an

acquaintance, Sandy Jenkins, who is a slave but is married to a

free woman. While spending the day with Sandy, Douglass tells

him about his situation. Sandy gives Douglass advice and

insists that he carry a certain root on his right side. Douglass

says that carrying the root is supposed to "render it impossible

for Mr. Covey, or any other white man, to whip me." Douglass is

reluctant to take the root but ultimately does so to please

Sandy.

Douglass returns to Mr. Covey on Sunday morning. Mr. Covey

greets him kindly, as he is on his way to church, which causes

Douglass to reconsider the power of the root. Things change

on Monday morning. While working with the horses, Mr. Covey

ropes Douglass's legs and pulls him down. Mr. Covey thinks he

has Douglass, but Douglass has another idea: "At this

moment—from whence came the spirit I don't know—I resolved

to fight." Mr. Covey is surprised at Douglass's reaction. The

fight drags on, and though Douglass is probably the winner, Mr.

Covey does not acknowledge this.

Douglass describes the battle as "the turning-point in my

career as a slave." For the next six months, Mr. Covey does not

touch him, and Douglass regains his confidence and sense of

manhood.

Slaves have the week off between Christmas and New Year's

Day. The slave masters encourage their slaves to get drunk.

Douglass believes that this is yet another strategy to keep the

slaves bound, its purpose being "to disgust [the] slaves with

freedom, by plunging them into the lowest depths of

dissipation."

At the end of his one-year lease to Mr. Covey, Douglass is sent

to serve Mr. Freeland, who treats his slaves with dignity and

kindness. Mr. Freeland owns only two slaves, and the rest of

his hands are hired help. Douglass writes of Mr. Freeland: "He,

like Mr. Covey, gave us enough to eat, but unlike Mr. Covey,

gave us sufficient time to take our meals. He worked us hard,

but always between sunrise and sunset. He required a good

deal of work to be done but gave us good tools with which to

work." Douglass describes Mr. Freeland as a Southern

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Chapter Summaries 20

gentleman and "the best master I ever had, till I became my

own master." Mr. Freeland does not pretend to be religious.

Douglass believes that "the religion of the [South] is a mere

covering for the most horrid crimes." This, according to

Douglass, is because the worst of the slaveholders are the

religious slaveholders.

While working for Mr. Freeland, Douglass starts a Sabbath

school at the home of a free black man. At one point, there are

as many as 40 people attending the Sunday school. Douglass

describes teaching his fellow slaves as "the sweetest

engagement with which I was ever blessed." Douglass also

teaches some of his fellow slaves at Mr. Freeland's place a few

evenings a week. He feels indebted to his fellow slaves,

favored by the opportunities bestowed on him due to divine

providence, but never superior to them.

Mr. Freeland hires Douglass out for a second year. While the

first year passed as smoothly as a year in enslavement can,

during the second year, he begins to want to "live upon free

land as well as with Freeland." Douglass is determined to

escape that year, and he and the other slaves encourage one

another about the prospect of acquiring freedom. Along with

four other slaves, Douglass hatches an escape plan. The plan

is to get a large canoe and paddle directly up the Chesapeake

Bay. At the head of the bay, "it was our purpose to turn our

canoe adrift, and follow the guidance of the north star till we

got beyond the limits of Maryland." It is believed that taking the

water route will make the escapees less liable to be suspected

as runaways.

Douglass is anxious, scared, and excited as the day draws

near. When the day arrives, Douglass correctly senses that

they have been betrayed, for he is seized and beaten.

The men stick together and admit nothing. They are concerned

that they might be sold to other owners and speculate about

who betrayed them. After spending some time in jail, the four

other slaves are taken back where they came from. Being left

alone hurts Douglass deeply. A week later, Thomas Auld

removes Douglass from jail with the intention of sending him to

Alabama. However, he changes his mind and sends him back

to his brother, Hugh Auld, in Baltimore.

A few weeks after returning to Baltimore, Douglass is hired out

to Mr. Gardner, a shipbuilder, to learn a trade. However, Mr.

Gardner has no time to teach him, and Douglass learns only

simple tasks and is given no responsibilities.

Douglass describes how, in Baltimore, freedmen work side by

side with white carpenters until the whites demand that the

blacks be let go, fearing they will take their jobs. Later, the

white apprentices feel it is degrading for them to work with

Douglass, and four of them attack him. He tries to fight back,

but there are too many of them, and he is forced to find a way

to escape.

Douglass tells Hugh Auld what occurred. The decency of the

Aulds returns, and they nurse Douglass. Douglass explains that

"the heart of my once overkind mistress was once again

melted into pity." Hugh Auld tries to get justice, but no one will

testify on behalf of a black man.

Hugh Auld finds Douglass a job in another shipyard, where he

learns caulking. Douglass is a fast learner and commands the

wages of the most experienced caulkers, bringing the money

home to his master. Though Douglass's overall situation is now

more comfortable, he is angry that he can't keep his earnings.

Once again, Douglass's thoughts turn to freedom.

Analysis

This chapter is by far the longest in the book and includes a

turning point in Douglass's life. While working with Mr. Covey,

his feelings swing between suicide, murder, and determination.

The slaves' reference to Mr. Covey as a "snake" calls to mind

the biblical story of Adam and Eve. In that story, the snake's

conniving ways bring about its own downfall, along with that of

Adam and Eve. Like the snake, Mr. Covey brings down

Douglass but later fears him.

In times of trouble, there is no recourse for Douglass. His

master, Thomas Auld, takes the side of his fellow slaveholder,

Mr. Covey. It is not just slaves on the plantation who have no

advocates. Slaves in the city also have no recourse. When

Douglass is nearly beaten to death by the white apprentices,

there are 50 white carpenters nearby and not one helps or

even says a kind word. When a witness is needed to press

charges, no one is willing to step up. Although Hugh and

Sophia Auld nurse Douglass back to health, they soon send

him off to work again so he can bring them more money. For

them, Douglass is an investment, not a person.

Despite his claims of being religious, Mr. Covey is interested

only in money. While he considers himself pious, he forces his

slave to commit adultery. Either Mr. Covey does not believe the

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Chapter Summaries 21

slaves are people, and therefore not subject to God's

commands, or he does not care about God's commands.

It is, however, religion that lifts Douglass when he is at his

lowest point. He contemplates a world without God, yet he

asks for help. At that moment, Douglass draws strength from

the boats that can lead him to freedom. Instead of suicide, he

declares, "There is a better day coming." However, Douglass

sees religion in the South not as a means to better days but as

a way to cover up for one's crimes. According to Douglass, too

many people in the South claim to be pious while in church or

with their neighbors but act barbarically toward slaves. As

Douglass sees it, many people use religion to condone their

own duplicitous ways.

Duplicity is also the reason why the slaves are given the week

off between Christmas and New Year's Day. Slaveholders give

their slaves time off as another way of entrapping them in

slavery. Without a break, the slaves might rebel. Thus,

slaveholders give them a week off but encourage them to get

drunk during that break. It is the slaveholders' hope that, when

drunk and unable to care for themselves, the slaves will

appreciate that their owners take care of them. They will

"disgust the slave with freedom, by allowing him to see only the

abuse of it." Douglass believes that if slaves were allowed to

use their time more wisely, they might be able to better their

situation.

Douglass believes in education and feels it is a key to

abolishing slavery. When he learns how to read, the world

opens up to him, and he is filled with ideas and thoughts he

was previously unable to express. The tremendous joy and

fulfillment Douglass gets from teaching his fellow slaves is not

surprising.

Douglass mentions repeatedly how much he loves his fellow

slaves at the school. This is the first time in the book that he is

so unabashed with his emotions. When his mother dies earlier

in the narrative, he is indifferent. For the schoolboys who help

him learn to read in Baltimore, he feels "affection." While he is

livid over the treatment his grandmother receives at the hands

of Thomas Auld, love is never mentioned. Other relatives,

including siblings, are also referred to in his narrative, but no

emotion is ever expressed.

A person without the ability to express emotions is not

complete. Slaveholders deliberately strive to keep slaves from

developing bonds of love and emotion toward their fellow

slaves. The love that Douglass and his fellow slaves feel for

one another shows that slaves long for the bonds of

brotherhood and community, as do all people. If slaves are not

fully realized, emotional beings, it is because of the

dehumanization of slavery.

Planning and making an escape attempt is heroic, but the

forces lined up against the slaves are unforgiving. Douglass

worries most about the prospects of success "because I was,

by common consent, at the head of the whole affair." As the

day for the escape nears, Douglass alludes to American

politician Patrick Henry's famous speech about liberty and

death: "With us it was a doubtful liberty at most, and almost

certain death if we failed." However, he does survive, and he

summons his incredible resources of focus and hope so that

he can make the most of his return to Baltimore and his former

master there.

It is clear that Douglass is more comfortable in a city, and in his

improved situation, he can dream of freedom. An important

step in this direction occurs when Douglass is hired by

Gardner, the shipbuilder. Though he must put up with the

insults and attacks from white workers, he can earn a wage. As

he did with Mr. Covey, he boldly and heroically fights back

despite the risks of striking white men.

While the fruits of a slave's labor are always strictly for the

benefit of the master, this situation is different. Douglass has

earned the money himself. The money comes to him directly,

but he gets no benefit from it. Though money has been

described as coined freedom, in this case it simply serves to

make Douglass a more useful slave.

Chapter 11

Summary

"I now come to that part of my life," Douglass writes, "during

which I planned, and finally succeeded in making, my escape

from slavery." He cannot state all the facts because he will

expose those who helped him. He expresses disapproval of

those who speak openly of the Underground Railroad, which

he thinks of as the "upper-ground railroad." Those who discuss

it make masters more vigilant.

In the early part of 1838, Douglass grows restless. Hugh Auld

sometimes gives Douglass a small fraction of the money

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Chapter Summaries 22

Douglass has earned. Auld thinks he is encouraging Douglass,

but Douglass believes it has the opposite effect. Douglass says

receiving part of the money "was proof, in my mind, that he

believed me entitled to the whole."

When Thomas Auld visits, Douglass asks him if he can hire

himself out, but Thomas Auld declines and warns Douglass

about trying to escape again. Two months later, Douglass

makes the same request of Hugh Auld, who, after some

thought and consideration, agrees. He and Douglass work out

a deal. While Douglass knows the deal favors Hugh Auld, he

agrees to it because "it was a step towards freedom to be

allowed to bear the responsibilities of a freeman."

For four months, the agreement works. Douglass finds his own

work as a caulker and pays Hugh Auld the agreed-upon

portion of his wages every Saturday. But one Saturday night,

Douglass attends a camp meeting (a religious revival) and is

unable to pay Hugh Auld until the next day. When Douglass

arrives on Sunday, Hugh Auld angrily forbids him from hiring

himself out. In retaliation, Douglass spends the next week not

working. Hugh Auld is furious. The next Monday morning,

Douglass goes back to work. He is determined to do so

because he has decided to make another break for freedom

on September 3. That day is three weeks away, and Douglass

needs to save money for the trip. The three weeks go

smoothly, and Hugh Auld does not suspect anything.

As the day draws near, Douglass fears getting caught, which

would seal his fate as a slave forever. He also notes the

difficulty of leaving friends behind. It is Douglass's belief that

many slaves would attempt to escape "but for the strong cords

of affection that bind them to their friends."

Douglass intentionally provides no details of his escape route,

for the reasons stated at the chapter's beginning of the

chapter. He reaches New York, a free state, "without the

slightest interruption." After his initial exhilaration, he feels

lonely and is afraid of being discovered and taken back to

slavery. He meets David Ruggles, who runs a boarding house

and helps former slaves. David Ruggles advises Douglass to go

to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he can practice his

trade. Anna, Douglass's intended wife, comes to New York

from Baltimore (she is a free woman), and the two are married.

They leave for New Bedford with their marriage certificate and

five dollars from David Ruggles.

When they arrive in New Bedford, Douglass and his wife go to

see an abolitionist couple, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. The husband

and wife are very helpful. Douglass, who was born with the last

name of Bailey, had changed his surname to Johnson upon his

arrival in New York. He now decides to change it again, as

Johnson is a common name in New Bedford. Mr. Johnson

suggests the surname of Douglass, inspired by a character in a

book he is reading.

Douglass is surprised at the apparent wealth in New Bedford.

The people appear to be in good health and seem stronger

than the people in Maryland. Douglass notes that even black

people live well in New Bedford; they live comfortably and look

out for one another. Douglass is unable to find work as a

caulker—too many whites refuse to work with black men—but

he is able to find a job loading oil on a ship.

Four months after arriving in New Bedford, Douglass begins

reading the newspaper the Liberator, which he very much

enjoys. He attends antislavery meetings, including one in

Nantucket in 1841, where he is encouraged to speak. He does

so reluctantly, as it is his first time speaking in front of white

people, but his brief speech is well received. From that point

forward, Douglass is engaged in "pleading the cause of my

brethren."

In an appendix to the narrative, Douglass explains his religious

beliefs. His criticisms apply only to the "slaveholding religion" of

the land, not to Christianity proper. One is as "good, pure, and

holy" as the other is "bad, corrupt, and wicked." He abhors the

hypocrites who hold a whip during the week and attend church

on Sunday and who preach against theft and adultery while

dealing in the sale of slaves.

Analysis

The system of slavery in the American South was an economic

issue as well as a moral one. Southern plantation owners

utilized blacks as an unpaid workforce, which enabled the

owners to increase profits. As seen with Mr. Covey earlier in

the narrative, slaves are a commodity used for economic gain.

How appropriate, then, that economics is what incites

Douglass to enact his escape plan. Douglass makes a sound

and profitable economic decision when he escapes the chains

of slavery.

When Hugh Auld gives Douglass money, Douglass prefers not

to keep it; he does not want to assuage Hugh Auld's guilt.

Unlike many other slaves and former slaves, Douglass shows

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Quotes 23

himself equally adept at the mind games that slaveholders play

with their slaves. He cannot be bought off with a weeklong

drunken bender. Douglass has a sense of his own value.

Money and economics continue to motivate Douglass on his

arrival in New Bedford. He is surprised at the wealth that exists

in the town. Even the home of Mr. Johnson, a laborer, is better

than those of "nine tenths of the slaveholders in Talbot County

Maryland," and the black residents also live well. But just as in

Baltimore, whites in New Bedford refuse to work with blacks.

While Douglass spends little time on this fact, it leaves the

reader wondering just how different the North is from the

South. In the South, there is slavery, and in the North, prejudice.

Douglass does not provide the details of his escape, and for

good reason. He hopes slaveholders will be confused and

uncertain about whether or not their slaves might escape. He

does not want to give away any information about escape

routes or how slaves might escape. He also wants to protect

those who help slaves escape.

Douglass mentions that it is hard to leave Baltimore because of

all his wonderful friends. This may come as a surprise to the

reader, as Douglass rarely discusses having friends earlier in

the narrative. In fact, the first time the reader is informed about

Anna Murray, Douglass's fiancé, is when she comes to New

York to marry him. The reason that he does not mention her

earlier is unclear. The union eventually resulted in the birth of

four children, which he also declines to mention.

While Douglass appreciates community, he thrives when he is

on his own. The key events depicted in the narrative all occur

when Douglass is self-reliant. These events include his learning

how to read, standing up to Mr. Covey, and escaping slavery.

Perhaps there is a subtle message here: while friends and

community are important, each individual is responsible for

securing his or her own freedom and happiness.

Douglass's appendix drives home the recurring theme of the

hypocrisy of Christian slaveholders, who profess to love God

but show no mercy to slaves.

g Quotes

"I received the tidings of her death

with much the same emotions I

should have probably felt at the

death of a stranger."

— Douglass, Chapter 1

When Douglass's mother passes away, he is indifferent. He has

never had the opportunity to forge a relationship with her.

"Slaves sing most when they are

most unhappy."

— Douglass, Chapter 2

The main purpose of the book is to teach about slaves and

slavery. People in the North misconstrue slaves' singing to

mean they are content.

"The fatal poison of irresponsible

power was already in her hands,

and soon commenced its infernal

work."

— Douglass, Chapter 6

Douglass is referring to Sophia Auld, of whom he spoke

glowingly when he first met her. She is good and decent until

she gets used to being a slaveholder and behaves like one.

"The argument which he so

warmly urged, against my learning

to read, only served to inspire me

with a desire and determination to

learn."

— Douglass, Chapter 6

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Symbols 24

Hugh Auld insisted that Sophia Auld stop teaching Douglass

how to read. He said it would make Douglass unmanageable

and unhappy. His words inspire Douglass to do anything he

can to learn.

"The dark night of slavery closed

in upon me; and behold a man

transformed into a brute!"

— Douglass, Chapter 10

Douglass is at his lowest point while working for Mr. Covey. He

has been broken physically and mentally. His zest for life and

learning has been snuffed out.

"The day had passed forever when

I could be a slave in fact."

— Douglass, Chapter 10

When Douglass fights back against Mr. Covey, he becomes

revitalized and is determined to become a free man.

"Their object seems to be, to

disgust their slaves with freedom,

by plunging them into the lowest

depths of dissipation."

— Douglass, Chapter 10

The slaves are given the week between Christmas and New

Year's Day off. The slaveholders encourage the slaves to get

drunk during this time, hoping the experience will leave them ill

and in need of protection.

"For of all slaveholders with whom

I have ever met, religious

slaveholders are the worst."

— Douglass, Chapter 10

One of Douglass's themes in the book is that the religion of the

South is corrupted. He makes this determination based on his

experience with religious slaveholders.

"To make a contented slave, it is

necessary to make a thoughtless

one."

— Douglass, Chapter 10

The power of education is a major theme in the book. Slaves

are kept uneducated and in the dark about the world around

them, so they have no aspirations for bettering their situation.

"My soul was set all on fire."

— Douglass, Chapter 11

Douglass fervently desires to help the slaves. Once he joins the

abolitionists, he finds like-minded people.

l Symbols

Books

Books represent education. Reading inspires Douglass, and he

is convinced it will do the same for his fellow slaves. Douglass

sees books and education as the key to enlightening the

slaves. At a certain point in his development, the education

imparted to him through books also represents frustration.

Because of this education, he now knows what is unjust about

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Themes 25

his situation, and it deeply troubles him.

In Chapter 6, Hugh Auld finds out that his wife, Sophia Auld,

has taught Douglass the alphabet. He insists that she stop,

saying that education makes a slave unmanageable and

discontented. His speech against education has the opposite

effect on Douglass, who is determined to learn.

In Chapter 7, Douglass reads his first book, The Columbian

Orator. Through reading the book, Douglass learns about the

history of slavery and comes to hate it even more. The book

enables him to articulate his thoughts on slavery and its evils.

In Chapter 10, Douglass talks glowingly of his time teaching

Sunday school. He writes, "They were great days to my soul,"

and he calls his time teaching "the sweetest engagement with

which I was ever blessed." The purpose of the Sunday school

is to teach slaves to read.

Whips

Slaveholders use the whip to enforce discipline and exert

control over the slaves. Sometimes, slaveholders seem

motivated only by the need to vent their aggression.

One of Douglass's first memories, depicted in Chapter 1, is of

his Aunt Hester being whipped. Her crime was going out to see

a man even though her master, Captain Anthony, had forbade

it. The whipping he gives her is horrid and frightens six-year-

old Douglass, who fears he is next.

Later, in Chapter 10, Douglass is whipped on a near-weekly

basis by Mr. Covey. These whippings, along with long hours of

forced labor, break Douglass's body and spirit. Douglass writes

that these beatings transform him into a "brute." During this

time, he contemplates suicide and murder.

Henny is a slave whose master is Thomas Auld. Due to a

childhood accident, Henny is nearly helpless and cannot use

her hands. Because of this handicap, Thomas Auld views her

as a burden and expense. This so angers him that his

treatment of her is terribly cruel. In Chapter 9 Douglass

describes a time when Henny is tied up all day. She is whipped

before breakfast and then again when the master returns

home for dinner.

Ships

During Douglass's lifetime, ships were commonly used for

travel. For Douglass, the ship represents his longing for

freedom. At one point in the narrative, he works for a

shipbuilder. While on the wharf in Chapter 7, Douglass assists

two Irishmen as they are loading a boat. When they find out

that he is a slave for life, they suggest that he run away.

Douglass pretends that he does not hear them. However,

Douglass writes, "I nevertheless remembered their advice, and

from that time I resolved to run away."

In Chapter 8, Douglass is sent from Baltimore back to the

plantation where he was born. He travels via boat. While he is

traveling, he pays careful attention "to the direction which the

steamboats took to go to Philadelphia." Watching these boats

revives Douglass's desire to run away.

In Chapter 10, Douglass reaches his lowest point; Mr. Covey

has worked him extremely hard and whipped him regularly. On

one Sunday, his day off, Douglass sits on the bank of the

Chesapeake Bay and sees the white sails of the boats as they

head off to the ocean. He is jealous of the boats, as they are

loosed from their moorings "and are free; I am fast in my

chains, and am a slave!"

m Themes

Education

Education is critical to Douglass's development. Learning how

to read and write opens up the world to Douglass and helps

him articulate his thoughts. Douglass strives to give this same

power to his fellow slaves. With education, his fellow slaves will

free their minds, even if their bodies remain chained.

Ironically, Douglass learns about the importance of education

from Hugh Auld, who says it ruins slaves. Hugh Auld's attitude

is common among slaveholders who strive to keep their slaves

uneducated. An educated slave, according to Auld, is a

discontented slave. This becomes true for Douglass, but his

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide Suggested Reading 26

education also compels him to action that empowers him.

Education becomes Douglass's life's work. He first gets

involved with education when he creates a Sunday school

(Chapter 10). His work as an abolitionist and as the writer of

the Narrative also serve educational purposes. Douglass is

striving to educate people about the horrors of slavery and

why it must be abolished.

Religion

Throughout the book, Douglass points out the hypocrisy of

religious slaveholders. He says, "For of all slaveholders with

whom I have ever met, religious slaveholders are the worst."

Douglass condemns those who claim to be religious and yet

treat their slaves with extreme cruelty. Thomas Auld, who is

discussed extensively in Chapter 9, is the prime example of

someone who claims to be religious but treats his slaves

terribly. Mr. Covey is another example. Mr. Freeland, who

Douglass says is his best master other than himself, "made no

pretensions to, or profession of, religion."

Douglass ends the Narrative with an appendix that explains

that he does not despise religion. In fact, he is a Christian

himself. Indeed, religion has proven to be a lifeline for

Douglass. He consistently refers to "divine providence" in

discussing his series of fortunate outcomes.

However, he points out that there are many people in the

South who claim to be religious but who are not real Christians.

Slavery

Douglass's Narrative is not simply an autobiography whose

purpose is to tell a man's life story. Douglass's purpose is to

educate people about the horrors of slavery. He also

emphasizes the distorted mentality that accompanies the

institution of slavery. Twisted thinking afflicts both the

enforcers and victims of slavery. Douglass expresses this

explicitly and implicitly.

One example of Douglass's explicit instruction is when he

discusses slaves and their singing in Chapter 2. Douglass

notes that some people in the North think that because slaves

sing, they are content and happy. Douglass explains otherwise,

noting, "It is impossible to conceive of a greater mistake."

Douglass implicitly tries to teach his readers about slavery

throughout the book. There are times, particularly in the first

few chapters, that Douglass's personal story is barely touched

upon. Instead, he focuses on sharing other horrors of slavery

with his readers. One such instance is when he discusses

Colonel Lloyd's treatment of the slaves who care for his

horses. Colonel Lloyd is excessively concerned about the

horses and beats his slaves for little reason. Douglass allows

his readers to draw their own conclusions about Colonel

Lloyd's behavior.

At the end of Chapter 11, Douglass explains that, in the present

day, he often gives speeches as part of his role in the

abolitionist movement. His Narrative is clearly an extension of

those speeches and has the same goal: to educate people

about the horrors of slavery and to convince them that it must

be abolished.

e Suggested Reading

Blight, David W. "The Slave Narratives: A Genre and a Source."

Web. 08 Apr. 2016.

Bosnicova, Nina. "God Is an Activist: Religion in Narrative of the

Life of Frederick Douglass and The Autobiography of Malcolm

X." Web. 08 Apr. 2016.

Douglass, Frederick. Douglass Autobiographies. New York: The

Library of America. 1994. Print.

Douglass, Frederick, William L. Andrews, and William S.

McFeely. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass:

Authoritative Text, Contexts, Criticism. New York: W.W. Norton,

1996. Print.

Gates, Henry Louis, Jr. Figures in Black. New York: Oxford UP,

1987. Print.

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