Narrative of Fredrick Douglass

Introduction

Fredrick Douglass's autobiographical account The Narrative of Fredrick Douglass discusses educational barriers that slaves encountered in the 19th century. Douglass descends on an intellectual journey at the young age of seven or eight when he is given to Hugh and Sophia Auld. Douglass describes Mrs. Auld as having a kind heart; she begins to teach Douglass to read. However, due to her husband's belief that learning will "forever unfit [Douglass] to be a slave"(Douglass, 973), her reading lessons were short-lived. Mr.Auld's discouraging words, end up motivating Douglass to actively pursue education and dedicate him to learning, thereby he breaks traditional black protosocial behaviors. Without instruction, Douglass accomplishes the impossible and teaches himself to read and write.

Narrative to the life

Fredrick Douglass was a courageous African-American man. He fought against slavery using his outstanding intelligence, which helped prove his race was equal to the majority race that suppressed them. In 1845, Douglass wrote his Narrative of The Life. It was a heavily influential book against the idea and practice of slavery that remains popular to this day. Although Douglass had changed the names of the characters within his book, all the accounts written in his book are true.

Within the book, Douglass destroys the stereotype put upon his people. Through example he shows the reader that the African-American race is not inferior to the White Race. The people believed this stereotype, because plantation owners were infamous for their fables on how the African Americans were simple minded. Thus this created the type cast of slaves being ignorant and incapable of learning. The White people never imagined African Americans could rise above this stereotype, until Douglass' proved them wrong.

As Fredrick Douglass explains in his narrative, during those times it was illegal to educate slaves. Therefore, it was almost impossible to prove plantation owners were wrong to call slaves inferior. Douglass educated himself by carefully picking up learning tools here and there. An already intelligent person, Douglass soon became literate. This was amazing accomplishment, considering he could have been killed for it.

Throughout the Preface of Douglass' narrative, which was written by William Lloyd Garrison, we get an even closer look into the world of slavery as well as the world of Fredrick Douglass. Garrison describes what a magnificent individual he found Douglass to be.

He describes him as a hero, one who had overcome the evil force of slavery, which goes against the will of God and all that is just and good. Garrison introduces Douglass to the reader. He informs the reader of the hardships Douglass has faced in slavery. This includes watching plantation owners murder slaves and while these men escape any form of punishment by the law.

The Preface is almost poetically written. Garrison does amazing job writing descriptively on behalf Fredrick Douglass. He makes it a point in his essay to show readers that the African-Americans are our brothers and sisters. Garrison describes his ideas of unity and equality with tremendous passion. Both he and Douglass were true humanitarians on ...