Perhaps my favorite part of the Narrative of the life of Fredrick Douglass is his deep understanding and explanation into the true working and ideas behind the successes of slavery. It seems as if Fredrick Douglass himself is a prime example of why strict laws were put in place about the treatment and especially the education of slaves. As Fredrick Douglass explains the idea of not allowing slaves an education is an attempt to not give them any hope of freedom. This idea of isolating a slave to a life of hard work and no hope or better yet idea of freedom serves to the master’s advantage. A master viewed slaves as property just like animals or farming equipment; what use is an ox who instead of working the field finds itself distracted chasing its tail? This was the same for slaves; their purpose was to work-- spending time reading was misspent time and a waste of money.
I like Fredrick Douglass’ master, Mr. Auld’s, line “If you give a n***** an inch, he will take an ell. An***** should know nothing but to obey his master-” (P.47). I love this line first because Fredrick Douglass proves its truth and second because it sums up the way masters control their slaves. Fredrick Douglass receives a seed of education from his mistress; there he learns little more then some letters. However from that “inch” he turns it into an “ell.” This was precisely the fear of Mr. Auld. Fredrick Douglass is eventually able to turn this bit of knowledge into his freedom. The second reason I love this line is because it sums up the system used by masters to contain their slaves. By never surrendering so much as an “inch” to their slaves they create a sort of imaginary vacuum in which the slaves live. In this vacuum there is no such thing as freedom, education, or self worth, just obeying your master. By creating this vacuum slaves don’t fight for freedom, because they don’t know of it. Slaves don’t desire an education, because they don’t know of it. This vacuum, though effective for the purposes of a slave master, is also very fragile and dangerous to him as well. In a vacuum all it takes is one leak to lead to a catastrophe. That one little leak is the “inch” Mr. Auld was talking about. Just as air rushes into a vacuum an education given to a slave expands to the point of which that slave desires freedom and may posses the tools to attain it.
I am also enjoying Fredrick Douglass’ first hand accounts and blunt honesty of his experiences with slavery. Between different textbooks and biased pieces it is hard to gain a true understanding of the treatment and lives of slaves, Fredrick Douglass provides this. Though he is brutally honest about the torture and mistreatment of slaves he is also honest about times in which life was not as bad as you may think. Though you may find yourself awestruck at his descriptions of whippings and cold blooded murder you also understand that at times slaves were not subjected to that type of treatment. His time with the Aulds, though far from enjoyable, actually provided him with certain things that other free children lacked. For example he was always well fed while often young Irish children went hungry. Fredrick Douglass wrote this book from a very objective point of view; the facts rather than intellectual reasoning tell you of the hardships of slavery.
Post author: Matt S.
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I liked your post on your favorite quote on the book. i also think that quote had an esential meaning to it; the slaveholders' fear of their slaves learning how to become self sufficient with themselves, and developing a sense of questioning slavery. Slave holders would prevent the slaves from knowing their own birthdays, and tearing them apart from their families in order to strip them away from life's necessities and a sense of individuality. By dehumanizing slaves with a lack of their own personal information, and a lack of ample education, slaves were not aware of the world outside of slavery. They simply didn't know that there was freedom available in the North. When Frederick Douglass began to learn to read and write, his slave holder was concerned with Douglass because of fears of quesitoning. If Douglass became sufficiently educated, he would question his slave holder to why he should have to submit towards being dominated. Although the slave holder's comment was brutally harsh and took an emotional toll on Douglass, his brutality only made it clear to Douglass that the only way to escape slavery was to have a determination for education. Education was the only escape available that would give Douglass a better life.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jennifer's comment because I believe that the slave-owners were trying to suppress the slaves from gaining any knowledge beside knowing how to work in a farm and how they should obey their master. The slave-owners always tries to bring the slaves self-esteem to the lowest. They don't treat slaves as human and also the slave-owners tries their hardest to tired out their slaves to keep them from trying to rebel. People who tries to learn how to read and write were often beat down. This will just make the slave more curious and continue to chase after the their own curiosity. This is what happened to Fredrick Douglass and helped him escape the world of slavery.
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