Essay 2

Tate Andrie

Essay 2

American Literature I

The Life of Frederick Douglass: Why Slaves Deserve Liberty

            “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave” is an autobiography by Frederick Douglass himself and his life growing up as a slave. Douglass’ fight for the anti-slavery movement ultimately shows why the men and women of slavery deserve liberty, using his personal accounts to argue against slavery and why it is not only immoral, but illogical as well.

            Through the first few chapters of Narrative, Douglass gives the audience a first-hand look into the cruelties of slavery, presenting his personal experience as a slave as the typical life of a slave, thus convincing the audience of his credibility. For example, Douglass explains that he, as well as most of the slave population, does not know their age, writing “I have no accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen any authentic record containing it. By far the larger part of the slaves know as little of their ages as horses know of theirs…” (1182). As a mixed slave (his father a white man and his mother a slave), he also talks about how these types of slaves face harsher treatment. This is because the mistress of the slave is often disgusted with their existence due to the slave being the offspring of her husband and a slave girl, and makes sure that they either suffer constantly or are to be sold (Douglass 1183).

            The fact that there is such a large population of these mixed-slaves seems to prove that the biblical argument that proslavery writers use (Genesis 9.20-27, in which Noah cures his son and condemns him to bondage to his brothers) is illogical. Douglass argues that the increase of the mixed-race slaves “will do away the force of the argument, that God cursed Ham, and therefore American slavery is right. If the lineal descendants of Ham are alone to be scripturally enslaved, it is certain that slavery at the south must soon become unscriptural” (1184). Douglass not only proves that the biblical argument slaveholder’s use for the justification of slavery is illogical, but also that the mere idea that African Americans are inferior is a fallacy.

            Douglass also makes the case that slavery is not sustained through the natural superiority of whites (as whites do not actually have a natural superiority) but through strategies whites used to hold power over blacks. From the beginning of a slave’s life, it was custom that they are taken away from their mothers usually before their first year of age. This created vulnerability for the slave almost right from birth, as well as “hinder the development of the child’s affection toward its mother, and to blunt and destroy the natural affection of the mother for the child” (Douglass 1182). Whites also sustained power over the blacks by restricting them of any education, most importantly learning to read or write. Douglas writes about how one of his mistresses, Mrs. Auld, teaches him the alphabet and how to read small words. Once Mr. Auld finds out about his, he instantly forbade her of any further instruction, saying “If you give a nigger an inch, he will take an ell…A nigger should know nothing but to obey his master-to do as he is told to do” (Douglass 1196). This gives Douglass a revelation, realizing the strategy whites use to enslave blacks. Blacks were not slaves because of their “natural inferiority”, but because they were kept in the state of ignorance. This further shows the irrationality of “black inferiority” as well as bring the inhumanity of slavery to the surface for the audience, and strongly argues why slaves deserved liberty.

            Douglass shows how slavery not only affected the minds of the slaves, but the slaveholder as well. For example, when Douglass is first introduced to his mistress Mrs. Auld, he described her as “a pious, warm, and tender-hearted woman” and as talked about before even started teaching Douglass how to read (1198). But as time went on, Douglass described that “Slavery proved as injurious to her as it did to me…under its influence, the tender heart became stone, and the lamblike disposition gave way to one of tiger-like fierceness” (Douglass 1198). Woman during the nineteenth century had a gender stereotype of being sympathetic and pure, and in Douglass’ narrative Mrs. Auld represents just that. This turns Mrs. Auld into an object of sympathy for the readers, much like the slaves are in his narrative. So when Mrs. Auld loses her kindness towards Douglass and turns it into anger and hatred, it acts as an emotional reinforcement for the reader that slavery is unnatural and evil. Douglass’ use of emotional appeal to the reader helps argue his point that slaves were treated unjustly and deserve liberty.

             “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” is Douglass’ argument to end slavery. He uses personal accounts to connect with the audience emotionally, bringing slaveries harsh and brutal realty to the surface for the reader, while also presenting the fallacies of the pro-slavery arguments.  His real-life narrative shows that the African-American slaves were people of equal worth, and that the men and women held in bondage deserve liberty.

Works Cited

Douglass, Frederick. “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, and American Slave.” The       Norton Anthology of American Literature Vol. B.  New York: W. W. Norton, 2012. Print.

Essay Number Two

Kalyn Smith

Professor Lee

English 244

7 March 2017

Slaves are Entitled To Liberty:

Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in February,1818 in Talbot County Maryland. His mother's name was Harriet Bailey and his father was a white man said to be his mother's owner. Douglass learned how to read and write despite the fact that his owner was against it. His owner believe that if Douglass was literate, he was to be " forever  unfit as a slave." Douglass greatly believed in equality and strongly advocated for the end of slavery in both his speeches and writing. Douglass soon began to teach other African Americans to read and write, but was caught and sent to a poor farmer, Covey, where he was regularly beat. After many years of torture both physical and psychological, Douglass rebelled against Covey, which stopped the beatings. After previous failed attempts to escape slavery, Douglass fell in love with a free woman by the name of Anna Murray, who restored his faith in freedom. On September 3, 1838 he took a train from Philadelphia to the North and successfully escape slavery.

In The Narrative of The life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave, Douglass claims that African Americans deserve equal rights. He evokes emotion from his readers by telling gruesome stories of unfair beatings which he witnessed and also felt. He also mentions how biblical justification of slavery is invalid and why. Lastly, Douglass proves that the complexion of his skin does not make him any less human than a white man, and blacks deserve equality and liberty just as much as any white man or woman does.

Christianity was a popular justification to why slavery was pracaticed, but it is false logic. Douglass shows this by stating that, "I assert most unhesitatingly, that the religion of the south is a mere covering for the most horrid crimes,--a justifier of the most appalling barbarity,--a sanctifier of the most hateful frauds,--and a dark shelter under, which the darkest, foulest, grossest, and most infernal deeds of slaveholders find the strongest protection. Were I to be again reduced to the chains of slavery, next to that enslavement, I should regard being the slave of a religious master the greatest calamity that could befall me. For of all slaveholders with whom I have ever met, religious slaveholders are the worst. I have ever found them the meanest and basest, the most cruel and cowardly, of all others" (1209). Douglass writes this passage to show he is not against Christianity, in fact he is Christian. But, instead he wanted to clarify his hatred for hypocrisy; for one could not be truly Christian and also own a slave. To prove that you cannot be Christian and also be a slaveholder because it is hypocritical, he says, " Dark and terrible as is this picture, I hold it to be strictly true of the overwhelming mass of professed Christians in America. They strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel" (1237). This reference comes from Matthew 23:24 where Jesus is punishing the Pharisees for being hypocritical. By including this quote, Douglass shows how hypocrisy is frowned upon by Jesus, and slavery is hypocritical because it is discriminating only one race; therefore, the Bible provides no justification for the beatings and unfair treatment of slaves.

Another way Douglass shows that slaves are entitled to their liberty is by provided stories of awful beatings to give his reader an idea of just how mistreated African Americans were. For example, he says, " I have often been awakened at the dawn of the day by the most heart-rending shrieks of an own aunt of mine, whom he used to tie up to a joist, and whip upon her naked back till she was literally covered with blood. The louder she screamed, the harder he whipped; and where the blood ran fastest, there he whipped the longest. He would whip her to make her scream, and then whip her to make her hush; and not until overcome by fatigue, would he cease to swing the blood clotted cowskin. I remember the first time I witnessed this horrible exhibition. I was quite a child, but I remember it well" (1184). By stating that these hurling screams were coming from his very own aunt, Douglass gains sympathy from his reader. These beatings are horrible done to anyone, but the picture he paints in the readers head by mentioning his aunt is the one being beat, is going to make it even more terrible. In addition, Douglass's word choice is so vivid that it helps to give the reader a visual of just how awful this racial discrimination was. Also, the last sentence were Douglass mentions he was just a child really pulls on the reader's emotional strings. As horrifying as it would be for an adult to witness these crimes, it is even more morally upsetting to think Douglass was just a child. Another way Douglass proves his point emotionally is when  he tells how he is not sure of his birthday, or even his exact age. He says, “ By far the larger part of the slaves know as little as their ages as horses know theirs… the white children could tell theirs” (1182). By making this comparison of slaves to horses, Douglass again uses the appeal to emotion to show the reader how rough life as a slave is considering they are closely compared to a horse, but, how they do, deserve their liberty and freedom from this discrimination. In addition, in order to further prove his point about hypocrisy, Douglass includes that all of the white children knew their ages and birthdays, and how it was not fair for African Americans to be deprived of that same right.

In conclusion, all humans, black, white, male or female, deserve the same right to chose their own path, to succeed in life, and make their own decisions. We are all free people, entitled to the life we chose to live and this right was overlooked during the times of slavery. Frederick Douglass does a great job in advocating to abolish slavery and racial discrimination. I would argue he was the most influential writers during the times of slavery.

Works Cited:

Krupat, Arnold. Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Robert Levine. 8th ed. New York: W. W. Norton, 2012. 1-1756. Print.

Emerson Main Blog 2

Kalyn Smith  

English 244 

Professor Lee 

3 March 2017 

An Analysis of Emerson 

 

Ralph Waldo Emerson was a very influential American writer of the 19th century. He believes strongly in transcendentalism and contributed greatly to forming the transcendentalist morals. Emerson valued intuition, reason, and optimism. He believe that humans have an innate morality and that perfection is attainable if it is worked out. He believed that humans are the center of the universe and we must connect with God through nature. Emerson also believed in self-reliance, the theory that we must be "self-made" and that our successes are personal, it will come from within.  

Emerson also believe that nature was critical to living a good life. On page 215 he says that, "The stars awaken a certain reverence, because though always present they're always inaccessible... if the stars should appear one night in 1000 years, now would men believe and adore; and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God which had been shown." He says this to show how oblivious humans are to the beauty of nature simply because it is always there. We overlook how precious and unique something as little as the stars are, and until we learn to appreciate the real beauty of nature, humans will never be living their lives to the fullest.  

Emerson also believes that as we grow older, we lose touch and connection with nature. He says that very few adults possess the ability to really see nature. Sure they physically see it, but they lack the concept of really appreciating natural beauty. He says, " The sun illuminates only the eye of the man, but shines into the eye and the heart of the child." Meaning that nature to a child is more meaningful than it is to an adult. There is an emotional connection between nature and child; it is not only seen but also felt.  

Emerson's ideas influenced a lot of other writers. One being Henry David Thoreau. 

Thoreau adopted many of Emerson's morals and believed in order to survive, you only really need four things: food, shelter, clothing an fuel. Thoreau believed that he needed to get as close to not being alive as he can, and then and only then will he see what life really is. Emerson believed in simplifying life. He says to, "Keep your accounts on a thumbnail." Meaning that you should only have the bare minimum, everything else is unnecessary. You must live true to yourself and not conform to others to live a good life. Thoreau also ties Emerson's idea of nature into his beliefs. He says that, if you do not appreciate the morning light, you are living in darkness. Thoreau agrees with Emerson in the fact that real appreciation of nature is what will lead to a successful and happy life.  

Works Cited: 

                           Levine, Robert S., Michael A. Elliott, Sandra M. Gustafson, Amy Hungerford, and Mary Loeffelholz. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Eighth ed. Vol. B. New York: W. W. Norton, 2017. Print.     

Frederick Douglass Main Blog

Why Slavery is Dehumanizing

Frederick Douglass was born a slave in Tuckahoe Maryland in the year 1818. However, he didn’t know the exact date of his birthday. His mother was a slave and he never knew for sure who his father was, but rumors said it was his master. He grew up being cared for by his grandmother, and his mother passed away when he was very young. Throughout his life Douglass wrote multiple works of literature dealing with slavery, racism, and his life. His literary works were widely read and very popular with the abolitionist movement at the time. Many personal and political factors influenced his writings. In The Norton Anthology American Literature Volume B Nina Baym and Robert S. Levine describes that “he also had a clear-eyed understanding of the hurdles that slavery and racism placed in the way of African Americans. Regularly invoking the principles of the Declaration of Independence, Douglass throughout his life challenged the nation to live up to its founding ideals” (1170). He grew into a very intellectual, self sufficient and influential person. In The Norton Anthology American Literature Volume B Nina Baym and Robert S. Levine state “By the time of his death, Douglass was thought of, in the United States and abroad, as the most influential African American leader of the nineteenth century and as one of the greatest orators of the age” (1170).   

                

Frederick Douglass’s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself, was written for the purpose of showing how dehumanizing slavery was and to persuade his audience to end slavery. Douglass shows how slave owners are hypocritical because they would go to church but still treat their slaves in un-Christian ways. Douglass writes an autobiography of how he was taken away from his mother as a baby and cared for by his grandmother, who was in charge of all the children of the younger women of the plantation. He only saw his mother at night, when she walked 12 miles to see him after working hard all day. Douglass stated “For what this separation is done, I do not know, unless it be to hinder the development of the child’s affection toward its mother, and to blunt and destroy the natural affection of the mother for the child” (1182). The slave system made it hard to keep in touch with family and build relationships. Many of the masters were also the fathers of slaves, and would have to sell their own children to pacify their wives. Also, the masters wouldn’t show favoritism to the slave to avoid repercussions. Douglass gives a nauseating description of witnessing a whipping that would stay with him for the rest of his life. The poor living conditions for slaves are detailed to show how horrific the treatment was for many of the slaves. Douglass explains “There were no beds given the slaves, unless one coarse blanket be considered such, and none but the men and women had these” (1186). To work at the Great House Farm was an aspiration for many of the slaves because of the many privileges that those slaves received such as getting a monthly allowance. Douglass explains “Few privileges were esteemed higher, by the slaves of the out-farms, than that of being selected to do errands at the Great House Farm. It was associated in their minds with greatness” (1187). Douglass claims that city slaves had better living condition than plantation slaves because owners in cities didn’t want others to look at them as the people who don’t take of and feed their slaves. Douglass explains how the slaves would often sing songs while going to the Great House Farm. Nevertheless, these songs were not of joy but instead demonstrated the true attributes of slavery. Douglass writes “I have often been utterly astonished, since I came to the north, to find persons to speak of the singing, among slaves, as evidence of their contentment and happiness. It is impossible to conceive of a greater mistake. Slaves sing most when they are most unhappy” (1188). Douglass illustrated how his master, Colonel Lloyd, owned so many slaves that he didn’t know them on sight and the slaves did not recognize him either. During an encounter with one of his slaves on a road, Colonel Lloyd questioned a slave and asked who he belonged to and how he was treated. The slave replied honestly that he was treated poorly by Colonel Lloyd. Two weeks later, the slave finds out that man he had talked to on the road was his master and that he was being sold and ripped away from his family for answering him with the truth “This is the penalty of telling the truth, of the telling the simple truth, in answer to a series of plain questions” (Douglass, 1190). Douglass went to live with a new mistress, Mrs. Auld, that had never owned slaves before. She was a tender hearted woman. Douglass claimed “the meanest slave was put fully at ease in her presence, and none left without feeling better for having seen her. Her face was made of heavenly smiles, and her voice of tranquil music” (1196). She taught him the alphabet and to spell short words until her husband forbade her from teaching him anymore because it was against the law. Mr. Auld explained, “If you give a nigger an inch, he will take an ell. A nigger should know nothing but to obey his master….He would at once become unmanageable, and no value to his master” (Douglass, 1196). Slavery deprived slaves of learning things such as reading and writing on purpose. After being a slave owner, Mrs. Auld changed from sweet and caring to cruel and nasty, showing how slavery also dehumanizes slave owners as well. Douglass was not allowed to read but was determined and would be creative in finding ways to learn. He would make friends with poor street kids and exchange his bread for their knowledge. He learned how to write by copying shipyard carpenters and using old copy-books of his little Master that were left behind. With learning came anguish of knowing what was out there but not for him. Douglass states, “As I writhed under it, I would at times feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing. It had given me a view of my wretched condition, without the remedy. It had given me a view of my wretched condition, without the remedy. It opened my eyes to the horrible pit, but to no ladder upon which to get out” (1200). Douglass’ new knowledge exposed him to the outside world but because he was a slave he was trapped.

            Fredrick Douglass’s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself, exhibits the dehumanizing effects of slavery, not only on slave themselves, but also on slave owners. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself, relates to From Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs. Throughout both of these literary works, they express the cruel and harsh realities of slavery. They each give detailed descriptions and examples of just how horrible the life of a slave can be. These texts show how manipulative people are to slaves. In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself, when Douglass was helping some Irishmen unload stone on the docks, they got into a discussion about Douglass being a slave for life:“They both advised me to run away to the north; that I should find friends there, and that I should be free. I pretended not to be interested in what they said, and treated them as if I did not understand them; for I feared they might be treacherous. White men have been known to encourage slaves to escape, and then, to get the reward, catch them and return them to their masters” (1200-1201). In From Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl it states “She had laid up three hundred dollars, which her mistress one day begged as a loan, promising to pay her soon. The reader probably know no promise or writing given to a slave is legally binding; for according to Southern laws, a slave, being property, can hold no property. When my grandmother lent her hard earnings to her mistress, she trusted solely to her honor”(923). She lent her money out of the goodness of her heart but her mistress did not keep her word and she never paid her back. Along with this, both Douglass and Jacobs write about the conditions of women slaves; how they are both physically and sexually abused by their slave owners. Douglass and Jacobs wrote their accounts as a slave and they tried to persuade their readers that slavery was negative and that it should end.

Works Cited

Baym, Nina, and Robert S. Levine. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. New York: W. W. Norton, 2012. Print.

Douglass, Frederick. “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself.” The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 8th ed. Vol. B. New York: W. W. Norton, 2012. pp 1170-1239

Jacobs, Harriet. “From Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.” The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 8th ed. Vol. B. New York: W. W. Norton, 2012. pp 920-942

Picture Links:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/19/politics/Douglass-5-things/

http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1841228_1841749_1841739,00.html

Essay #1

Remember the Ladies: An Analysis of John and Abigail Adam’s Letters

            On October 25^th, 1764 John and Abigail Adams wed in Massachusetts. Throughout their marriage, distance became a common variable, although it must have made things more difficult; the separation seems to play a huge role in the success of their relationship. In 1774, John was elected to lead the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia. Abigail agreed he should go, which left her home alone to raise and educate their five children. In order to keep in touch, they exchanged over one thousand letters discussing everything from government and politics to home life and much more personal concepts. Abigail Adams never received formal schooling, probably due to the fact that females were stripped of education and rarely given this right, yet she was very intelligent. Her ideas about the government and politics contribute greatly to the founding of the United States, but her determination to grant women rights is what she is most known for. In her letters, she advocates for women’s rights to own property and also the opportunity for education (First Lady Biography: Abigail Adams). She believed women should also have a voice, for they are not simply a partner to their husband, but an individual who deserves equal rights. As well as women’s rights, Abigail also wrote about her views on slavery. She believed that no body had the right to deprive a human of freedom no matter the color of their skin. John Adams, our second president, and a Founding Father led Congress to their independence from Great Britain (First Lady Biography: Abigail Adams). John attended Harvard College in 1751 and decided to become a lawyer. Although his level of education extended that of Abigail’s, he still asked for and valued her advice. She was his closest friend and together they both formed the base of our country.

            A common theme represented throughout the letters of John and Abigail Adams is the lack of power and representation that women had. Abigail often argues how this new constitution should incorporate equal rights, not discriminated by gender, and provide protection from the unlawful amount of power men had over their wives. For example, on November 27^th, 1775 she writes that, “Man is a dangerous creature” referring to how the unlimited power that men have over women is unfair. A married couple were considered only one person, and all decisions were made by the man. A married woman could not sign legal papers, earn money to keep for herself, own property or even become educated if her husband did not approve.

In addition, in a letter she writes to John on March 31^st 1776, she says, “I long to hear that you have declared an independancy—and by the way in the new Code of Laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make I desire you would Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favourable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If perticuliar care and attention is not paid to the Laidies we are determined to foment a Rebelion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation” (Remember the Ladies). Abigail’s tone in this letter is backed with what one would call sass. She claims that all men would be cruel and abuse their power which comes off to me as if she is degrading men and sees no special qualities which would make a man a better ruler than a woman. Abigail also says, “That your Sex are Naturally Tyrannical is a Truth so thoroughly established as to admit of no dispute, but such of you as wish to be happy willingly give up the harsh title of Master for the more tender and endearing one of Friend. Why then, not put it out of the power of the vicious and the Lawless to use us with cruelty and indignity with impunity. Men of Sense in all Ages abhor those customs which treat us only as the vassals of your Sex. Regard us then as Beings placed by providence under your protection and in immitation of the Supreem Being make use of that power only for our happiness” (Adams Family Papers: An Electronic Archive). She describes men as “Naturally Tyrannical,” and goes on to tell how women are completely dependent on men to show that the unequal distribution of power leaves women beyond vulnerable and violates their very rights.

In addition, she also throws Johns own rhetoric at him with her statement about how women will rebel without representation. The slogan, “No taxation without representation” was widely used throughout the thirteen colonies to say that since they were not represented by the British, any law or act which directly affected the colonists, like the Stamp Act should be considered illegal due to the Bill of Rights. The Bill od Rights forbids taxation on goods without Parliament’s approval and since the colonist were provided with no representation in Parliament the Stamp Act and the Sugar act were in direct violation of the Englishmen’s rights. Isn’t denying a woman of her basic rights just because she is not a man also in violation of her certain unalienable rights? John replies to this her letter with, “As to your extraordinary Code of Laws, I cannot but laugh,” which only proves how little women were thought of (Remember the Ladies).

The letters between Abigail and John Adams are analyzed to this day because of their great in sight into the world during the Revolution. Their marriage would be referred to today as a “power couple.” I believe that their strong relationship was key in the founding of our country and without these letters we would be at a huge loss of information.

Works Cited:

"Adams Family Papers : An Electronic Archive." Adams Family Papers : An Electronic Archive. Massachusetts Historical Society, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2017.

"First Lady Biography: Abigail Adams." Abigail Adams Biography :: National First Ladies' Library. National First Lady's Library, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2017.

"Remember the Ladies" (1776)." Adams, "Remember the Ladies" (1776). N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2017.