Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass, Term Paper Example

“Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” is a memoir written by one of the most famous ex-slaves of the times, Fredrick Douglass. The book is often called the best description of the former slave in the history. Before the story begins reader is given an insight in the preface by the famous leader William Loyd Garrison who basically sets the tone of the narrative.

At the beginning of his book Fredrick Douglass is giving some information about the fact that he knows little about the date of his birth or his parents. He tells the reader that his father is a slave owner while his mother, Harriet Bailey, is a slave herself. Throughout the story Douglass will numerously highlights the fact of white slave owners raping their slaves. There were two reasons behind this cruelty: firstly, to satisfy sexual desires and, secondly, to make sure slave populations was growing. In the first chapter of the narrative Fredrick Douglass brings readers’ attention to a low morale fact of Christian slave owners trying to justify their deeds through the religious teachings. His mother died when he was only seven years old and many people believed that the boy was a slave of his own father.

In the next several chapters the writer is introducing the terrible conditions in which slaves lived at those times. Douglass being a slave of Colonel Lloyd and Captain Anthony, goes through numerous difficulties and cruelties. He often sees the injustice that slaves face. He is a witness of brutal killing and beatings of many. Once he witnessed a slave being killed and he is disgusted with the fact that this murder went unnoticeably in the face of law and human nature itself. One of the important parts of the narrative includes the singing of the slaves. He is totally against the notion that those slaves who sing were happy. He compares their singing to weeping and a way to lessen the sorrows. Fredrick Douglass goes on pointing to the reader a fact of an unjust system of values that slave owners use. He shows how much stronger are slave owners. The slaves had to behave in a certain way in front of their masters. They had to always tell the truth, otherwise, they were severely punished.

In the next section writer brings reader to Baltimore, Maryland. Fredrick Douglass is living with the Auld family and is taking care of their son. Mrs. Auld happens to be a very kind woman at the beginning. Young Douglass learns alphabet and is taking classes. He even starts having the faith in a better life. Mr. Auld at the same time greatly disagrees with his wife kindness and disapproves that the slave is learning how to read. He justifies this by saying that if slaves eventually learn how to read and read Bible, then they will not fit for being slaves. When young boy hears this, he truly understands the power of learning and reading. He starts trading his bread for the classes. Soon Douglass finds out about the abolitionist movements in the North of the country. He comes to understanding of a true meaning of the word “abolition” and decides to run away.

However, the boy does not run away and at the age of ten years old, when his master dies, Fredrick finds himself in a more difficult life situation. He is being landed from master to master and even returns again to Mr. Auld who treats him with a particular cruelty. At this point of life Douglass is highly regretting that he did not run away when this idea only started to develop in his mind. Eventually the boy is sent to Mr. Covey for a year and he is glad that at least he will be able to eat and not suffer from hunger.

When Fredrick Douglass lives with William Freeland, whom he calls a kind master, young man is able to find a family among other slaves. Soon Douglass becomes a school teacher for others. He teaches them how to read and white and is greatly enjoying what he is doing. Even though his current situation is much better from what he had to experience previously, Douglass is still treasuring the idea of freedom and escape. Together with some other slaves, he tries to run away but he is caught and put to jail. After serving the sentence, Douglass comes out to master a new skill of trade. He becomes good at it, but still has to give all his money to Mr. Auld. With time and after numerous sufferings, Douglass finally talks his master into a deal of buying himself out and giving half of the money to Mr. Auld. He gets permission and starts saving money to escape to New York.

After his escape, Douglass moves to New Bedford together with his wife, Anna Murray. He is doing various jobs but is not able to find a job as a caulker since whites do not want to work with blacks. Still afraid of being enslaved again, Douglass returns to South and participates in an anti-slavery convention. He speaks there and it forms a new stage in this life. He is about to start his public life, to write and speak on the abolition of slavery.

“Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” went through controversial critics and faced various reactions from public. Mostly the book received positive reviews; however, there was a number of people who stood against the work of the writer. Some critics, such as Thompson, who was a neighbor of Mr. Auld during the times of slavery, pointed out that Douglass could not have written such a prominent work simply because he was a slave and an ordinary man. However, the work Douglass presented in an honest and clear manner described the horrors and truth about the times when black people were suffering from slavery and white owners.

Fredrick Douglass opens readers’ eyes to see the slavery in true colors. His narrative is something bigger than just a description of the facts that occurred long time ago. In his work author touches the main issues and topics that are important to every American today. These basic things include social justice, equal rights, freedom, etc. Throughout the history of America, the pursuit of freedom and equal rights was a common theme of its development. Key figures and activists fought, at times with their lives, to provide the realization of rights guaranteed by the American Constitution. The struggle itself went far beyond just the civil rights under law but touched down such fundamental aspects as respect, dignity, social and economic equality and freedom. The abolition movement has greatly transformed the society and culture of America. It brought about less tolerance towards racial and gender discriminations.

As the changes during late 90’s continued to happen and bring about positive changes and total abolishment of the discrimination, today with the President Obama people observe the strongest result of the civil rights movement. US being a recognized world power is setting a strong example for the leaders and countries worldwide.