He was giving an explicit speech about changes that needed to be made by strongly voicing to the audience that slaves did not have any place in the value structure. b. Having fled from slavery, Douglass was giving firsthand information to his audience, thus giving him full and complete credibility. Other than another slave giving this same speech, the argument would not have been compelling. c. The overall tone of Douglass’s speech would be very pessimistic as he shared his personal history with factual knowledge.
Even though Biography of a Runaway Slave was written much time later, way after the abolishment of slavery it’s intention was to give people a powerful descriptive story of what it was like to live in times that Esteban lived in our current times and it does a great job in telling a story of a runaway slave. Miguel’s style of writing shows true feelings of what Esteban felt about different types of slaves and what they meant to him. “Truth is that the blacks were honest.” (pg. 26) Many of the testimonials coming from Esteban are raw and he does not hold back. Every word is the truth and it gives a more sense of realness to the narrative.
In the south, slavery became an issue of liberty. The two concepts became intertwined in such a way that the people could not separate the two. Cooper states on page 267 that “liberty had always meant control of one’s own affairs and institutions, of one’s destiny.” The idea of liberty and slavery had become one and the same argument between the northern and southern states. He also states that “to southerners liberty was never just an abstract concept. It always involved their perception of their self-interest.
Question 1- How does Douglass show that slavery corrupts slave owners? Douglass shows that slave owners constantly deny the humanity of their slaves in order to justify their ownership of human beings. To convince themselves that their slaves are not quite human, slave owners treat them inhumanely. In treating his slaves like beasts, however, the master becomes a beast himself. Douglass depicts the negative effects of slaveholding on slaveholders through the characters of Thomas Auld and Edward Covey.
It is also true that while the slave codes of the southern states imposed some restrictions on slaveholders, the codes were designed primarily to restrain the behavior of slaves, not their masters” (140). In Celia’s case, her owner, Robert Newsom, took advantage of the fact that these laws would not be strictly enforced. He continued to sexually exploit Celia because as her master, he knew he would not get in trouble with the authorities for using her for sex. In his head, she was his property and he wouldn’t be looked down upon for doing as he pleased with his “property”. This demonstrates the attitudes of slaveholders during this time period.
She had bread for the hungry, clothes for the naked, and comfort for every mourner that came within her reach” (page 367). Frederick as a slave did not agree with slavery and by her actions being very different then the others, she had the same opposing opinion to slavery as did Frederick Douglass. He said “Slavery proved as injurious to her as it did to me” (page 367). 2. After he beat up the slave breaker named Mr.
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is a work of abolitionist writing created by himself with his own experiences. Douglass’s triumph of his humanity makes The Narrative one of the most compelling abolitionist works because it recounts his first hand experience with slavery. Most writings of that time were by someone opposed to slavery, but this was a real slave writing true stories and that’s what made it interesting. Through his autobiography he was able to put forth an argument against the evils of slavery. His argument is expressed in the story of his life’s journey – a journey that is intellectual, spiritual, physical and political.
In his opening statements, giving our oppressors divine characteristics is said of those blacks that use slavery as the reasoning behind their lack of responsibility; however, I cannot depart from the impression that Shannon feels slavery hasn't had little or any effect on the moral fiber of blacks. If at its best, members of the black race have been left with the side effects of this potent drug. I must concur with Shannon with regards to the declaration of self-esteem being more profound than clothing and image. Blacks must begin to use their past struggles as a source of strength and self-motivation to achieve. By doing so, they would've found a sense of victory and inspiration through failure and struggle.
To him, the baby is tainted which makes his family and marriage impure. His conclusion is based on a “race that is cursed with the brand of slavery” (66). He falls out of his passionate love just as fast as he had fallen into it, “as if struck by a pistol shot” (63), because the race he believes his wife and now baby belong to is beneath him. He sees the slaves as unequal, believes he is superior and he can do whatever he pleases because they belong to him. If Armand is superior over the slaves and he can treat them however he pleases, therefore, in his mind, the same is true for Désirée and the baby.
Throughout the next several chapters, Douglass describes the conditions in which he and other slaves live. As a slave of Captain Anthony and Colonel Lloyd, Douglass survives on meager rations and is often cold. He witnesses brutal beatings and the murder of a slave, which goes unnoticed by the law or the community at large. Douglass argues against the notion that slaves who sing are content; instead, he likens singing to crying — a way to relieve sorrow. Douglass also draws attention to the false system of values created by slavery, in which allegiance to the slave master is far stronger than an allegiance to other slaves.