Term Paper: Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass

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Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass
The analysis of Fredrick Douglass on the issue of slavery provides an insight into the dehumanizing effect caused by slavery. In his narrative, he gives proves on how slavery destroys both the masters and the slave. For example, “the venom of unjustified power handled by various slave owners facilitated a dehumanizing and detrimental effect on either their beliefs or morals (Douglass, 39)”. For instance, he suggests that the immense power presented on an individual slave owner will have the potential of breaking his fine feeling, kind heart, and even transforming the person into a demon.
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To prove this ideology, he utilizes deep characterization, flashback, and imagery in the hope of triggering the emotions of the reader when he narrates the adverse effect of slavery. Furthermore, he remembers the hardship experienced by slaveholders when they are handed the fatherly duties. It seemed like a father who had the bad desire of demolishing the lives of his kids. “The master is required to constantly whip and sell his slaves kids because his white wife does not like them (Douglass, 17)”. This condition destroys the humanity of a white father who is forced to separate the unity of the family for his slave kids and him as well. Therefore, the idea of a white father to the slaves only makes the slaveholders resentful and cruel towards their slave kids.
Consequently, through the use of deep characterization, Douglass shows the change of behavior experienced among slave masters who possessed corrupt power.

In the narrative, Sophia Auld is a convenient character for illustrating this transformational behavior changes. Sophia was a kind and sympathetic woman before slavery effect affected her. Additionally, she knew the concept of moral righteousness. However, “upon realizing that white people had the mandate to enslave black individuals, she changed into an evil slave master” (Douglass, 40). Secondly, he used the character of Thomas Auld who in the beginning was not used to the responsibility and power of holding personal slaves. However, after the power slavery possession advanced in him, he converted into an inhumane and savage individual who misquoted religious sanction to justify his cruel barbarity concept on slaves. Therefore, the transformational behavioral changes from kind to inhumane are a significant aspect of proving the dehumanizing impact of slavery.
He also incorporates imagery to prove the dehumanizing effect of slavery. For instance, Douglass provides a vivid description of a heavy cow skin to show the hardcore structure of savage barbarity that possesses the slaveholders once the slavery effect had kicked in. For instance, “he saw a slave master whip a woman who bled for half an hour while her kids were pleading for their mother release (Douglass, 23)”. In this entire analysis, Douglass has proved that the institution of slavery had a soul-killing impact on the slave masters. He has successfully proved that slavery is against the laws of nature this is through the utilization of imagery, characterization, and flashback. Finally, Douglass states that slave possession influenced the soul to be occupied with bitter feelings and anger that encouraged ineffable sadness to a human heart.
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In Douglass narrative, he projects how slaveholding had a damaging impact to both the slaves and the slaveholders. For instance, the irresponsible and corrupt authority enjoyed by the slave masters caused them to be detrimental. He recounts various slave masters who have been tempted into committing rape and adultery. Furthermore, many slaveholders had fathered children with female slaves. The act of adultery influenced by slavery serves as a potential threat to the unity of the slave master`s family. The slave master`s wife transforms from being kind to being cruel and resentful to the slaves. This is due to adultery impact caused by slavery. He uses Sophia Auld and Thomas Auld lifestyle to illustrate the corruption of slavery to both slave masters and the slaves. For instance, “slave owners could treat their slaves harshly and in a barbaric condition in the quest of seeking increase output (Douglass, 25).” The money they collected they gave the church as an offering.
More ever, that is why Douglass condemned the southern churches terming them as being corrupt and hypocrites. For example, they preach humility and peace while their followers are complicit to inhuman barbarity practice of slavery. Besides, slaves are also human beings, but they were constantly treated as a property. For instance, slaves were frequently passed from one master to another without being concerned whether they had their family members. The main purpose of any slave was to increase production. According to any slave owner`s perspective, “slaves were mere livestock or animals (Douglass, 37).”
The corrupt behavior of slavery is also showcased by the character of Edward Covey. Edward is a slave master who is abusive and evil-minded. He had a tendency of sneaking on slaves and raping them. Hence, he was given the nickname of the snake. He gained a reputation for breaking and treating slaves harshly. He made his slaves work for long hours and could constantly whip them for petty mistakes. “Corey also bought a female slave and forced her to have sex with married men for also a year (Douglass, 38).”
Far from that, the slave master prevented slaves from gaining any form of education. For example, Douglass developed a tendency of tricking the poor neighborhood children with bread in exchange they educated him on the small concept of education such as learning how to reading and the practice of writing skills. Lastly, slaves were often offered a holiday once a year. In this holiday, they were allowed to drink alcohol and dance all night. The slave owners did this with the intention of making the slaves committed to them and alcohol so that they could not have any hope of resisting. In this analysis, it projects how Douglass highlights the corruption influenced by slavery. According to Douglass, slavery influenced exploitation of fellow human beings, adultery, rape, prostitution, and it even sponsored death.
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Simultaneously, there are many incidences where slaves showed some resistance. For instance, when Douglass was working at Covey farm, “he was always brutally whipped because he was unfamiliar with his new master system of doing things. Therefore, he decides to escape, and he went back to his former master named Thomas who betrayed him by sending him back to Covey (Douglass, 38).” This quote shows that many slaves were influenced to escape from harsh slave masters. In the quest of defeating the slave masters, Sandy Jenkins who was a slave believed on a native plant that possesses a supernatural power. He believed that the root of the plant could provide a destruction effect to his master who could then stop treating them harshly. Therefore, when Douglass used this root he confronted Covey, and they end up fighting for nearly two hours. This confrontation made Douglasbe immune from future whipping.
Alternatively, the slave master prevented slaves from gaining any form of education. However, Douglas resisted this through learning in devious methods. For example, “Douglass developed a tendency of tricking the poor neighborhood children with bread in exchange they educated him on the small concept of education such as learning how to reading and he also practiced writing (Douglass, 26).” In the end, Douglas manages to gain his freedom through personal virtue of self-education. He does not ignore the fact that his freedom was partly related to his education. However, he encourages other slaves to be familiar with education because it will enable them to articulate the immoral of slavery and it will assist them to recognize themselves as human.
According to Hugh Auld,” knowledge does not guarantee immediate freedom, but it can make slaves to start loathing for freedom from their master and they end up escaping. (Douglass, 26)” In this analysis, it focuses on how the resistance of enslaved individuals was gradually felt daily by slave owners. The slave masters feared that education was the potential catalyst that would ultimately make the slaves to resist them. Therefore, they prevented slaves from acquiring academic based skills. Lastly, there are episodes whereby slaves could engage into a physical fight with their master or even escape.
In conclusion, Douglass has proved that the institution of slavery has a soul-killing impact on the slave masters. He has successfully proved that slavery is against the laws of nature due to its immoral being and barbarity. Not forget the fact that, slavery influenced exploitation of fellow human beings, adultery, rape, prostitution, and it even sponsored death. Lastly, the resistance of enslaved individuals was gradually felt daily by slave owners. The slave master feared that education was the catalyst for ultimate slaves resistance.
Work Cited
Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American slave. Random House Digital, Inc., 2000.