Frederick Douglass Devlopment of an Argument Project

Frederick Douglass Devlopment of an Argument Project

Frederick Douglass's Argument in his Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, was centered on exposing the horrors and injustices of slavery, and the ways in which it dehumanized both slaves and slave owners. His argument was based on several lines of reasoning:

Personal testimony: Douglass drew on his own experiences as a slave to demonstrate the psychological and physical toll of slavery.

Education as a means of liberation: Douglass emphasized the importance of education and knowledge as a means of breaking free from the shackles of slavery and oppression.

The hypocrisy of slavery: Douglass exposed the hypocrisy of a society that claimed to value freedom and equality, yet supported the institution of slavery.

The impact of slavery on families: Douglass highlighted the ways in which slavery tore families apart and prevented enslaved individuals from forming meaningful relationships.

The need for abolition: Douglass called for the abolition of slavery and the granting of equal rights and opportunities to all people, regardless of race.

By weaving together these reasons, Douglass developed a powerful and convincing argument against slavery, and demonstrated the importance of working towards a more just and equitable society.

Chapter 3

"This is the penalty of telling the truth, of telling the simple truth, in answer to a series of plain questions."

Chapter 5

"I then placed myself in the bows of the sloop, and there spent the remainder of the day in looking ahead, interesting myself in what was in the distance rather than in things near by or behind."

Throughout slavery the lack of education kept the entirety of the slave population supressed for centuries. By not educating the slaves the slaveholders were able to keep them in the "dark."

At this point in the narritive Douglass is finally leaviving the plantaion to go to Baltimore. While sitting on the bow he dreams of a basic pair of trousers. This builds his argument through the need for abolition and granting of equal rights and opportunities to all people, regardless of race.

Another important element is the use of descriptive words with connotative meanings, such as "brutal," "inhuman," and "dehumanizing." These words serve to emphasize the devastating impact of slavery on those who were subjected to it and to convey the emotional impact of slavery on Douglass and other slaves.

Chapter 4

Chapter 2

"I speak advisedly when I say this,—that killing a slave, or any colored person, in Talbot county, Maryland, is not treated as a crime, either by the courts or the community. Mr. Thomas Lanman, of St. Michael’s, killed two slaves, one of whom he killed with a hatchet, by knocking his brains out."

Chapter 6

"Every tone was a testimony against slavery, and a prayer to God for deliverance from chains. The hearing of those wild notes always depressed my spirit, and filled me with ineffable sadness."

Chapter 1

This quote shows the hypocricy of the governments at ther time. While a lot of people Claimed the wanted freedom and equality they still put laws in place that directly put the slaves in danger and continued the brutal tactics of the ingrorant slave owners.

"I received the tidings of her death with much the same emotions I should have probably felt at the death of a stranger."

"Whilst I was saddened by the thought of losing the aid of my kind mistress, I was gladdened by the invaluable instruction which, by the merest accident, I had gained from my master."

The songs that the slaves would sing would be a large misunderstanding from the slaves to the whites. From the whites point of view it made it seem as if they were happy and cheerful but in reality they were singing about their mistreatment and the horrid truths of slavery. This chapter showed how through his personal testimony he develops his argument further.

Through the first few chapters the theme of the brutality that the slaves endure is very apparent. That really builds his argumen.

This quote is an amazing example of how knowledge is power. When Hugh Auld orders Sophia Auld to stop Douglass’s reading lessons because he feels education ruins a slave for slavery. Douglass, upon overhearing Hugh Auld’s words, finally realizes that whites hold blacks in their power through a series of strategies and most notably that of depriving blacks of education and literacy.

Through the early years of Fredericks life he had very little knowledge of his parents. While slaves were separated from their parents at a very young age so the children could not form any relationship with their parents. This left Douglass always wondering where he came from and evern how old he is.

This immediately shows the physcolgical toll that slavery took on young children from the start.

Chapter 9

"I have said Master Thomas was a mean man. He was so. Not to give a slave enough to eat, is regarded as the most aggravated development of meanness even among slaveholders. The rule is, no matter how coarse the food, only let there be enough of it."

Through chapter 9 Douglass expresses the cruelty of his new slave holders. One of which would barely feed the plantation. "This we did by begging and stealing, whichever came handy in the time of need, the one being considered as legitimate as the other." Through this chapter he continues to build the need for abolotion and the hypocricy.

Chapter 7

Chapter 11

We now began to feel a degree of safety, and to prepare ourselves for the duties and responsibilities of a life of freedom. On the morning after our arrival at New Bedford, while at the breakfast-table, the question arose as to what name I should be called by.

Appendix

In the appendix, Douglass explains his views on religion. He argues that there is a significant difference between the Christ-centered, peaceful Christianity and the degraded American Christianity that supports slavery. Douglass explains his perception of the hypocrisy of Southern "Christians" who, while professing Christian virtues of humility, purity, and virtue, lash slaves, prostitution female slaves, and steal the earnings of working slaves. Douglass makes the conclusion that slaveholders and the Southern church are partners. The church accepts slaveowners' capital as payment. Douglass uses passages from the Bible, an anti-abolitionist poem, and a parody of a Southern hymn to reinforce his claims.

According to Douglass, the narrative's closing chapter depicts the period of his life when he was able to escape from slavery. However, he explains that the chapter does not go into detail about the specific methods he used to escape because he does not want to provide slaveholders with any information that might enable them to stop other slaves from escaping to the North. In reality, Douglass wants slaveholders to worry that unseen foes are hiding in the shadows, ready to kidnap their slaves or obstruct their efforts to retrieve them.

"Slavery soon proved its ability to divest her of these heavenly qualities. Under its influence, the tender heart became stone, and the lamblike disposition gave way to one of tiger-like fierceness. The first step in her downward course was in her ceasing to instruct me."

Chapter 8

Chapoter 10

"As soon as I found what he was up to, I gave a sudden spring, and as I did so, he holding to my legs, I was brought sprawling on the stable floor. Mr. Covey seemed now to think he had me, and could do what he pleased; but at this moment—from whence came the spirit I don’t know—I resolved to fight; and, suiting my action to the resolution, I seized Covey hard by the throat; and as I did so, I rose. He held on to me, and I to him."

Through chapter 7 and into 8 Douglass had began to be enlightend by the city of Baltimore and the friends he had there. he used this knowledge to think through his past. When his slave owner died he had to return to the plantation where all the slaves had to be apprised, "We were all ranked together at the valuation. Men and women, old and young, married and single, were ranked with horses, sheep, and swine." This signified more dehumanization of the slaves by being viewed as animals.

This quote shows the large effect that slaveholding also had on the slaveholders. It shows the before and after characterisicts of the woman while a slaveholder.

Adding to the argument by showing the evergrowing need for abolition.

This was a large turning point in the narritive as Douglass had now fought back against his horrible master. After Contemplating killing himself or even his master hed had come to a point where he had fought him. This master was a highliy hypocritical religoius man. Building the reasoning of hypocricy. “You have seen how a man was made a slave; you shall see how a slave was made a man.” Douglass uses this rhetorical phrase that hinges on a reversal of fortune.

Transitional elements are also used to create coherence and connect one idea to the next, such as Douglass's recurring use of the pronoun "I" to connect his personal experiences with the larger argument against slavery. The repetition of key themes and ideas, such as the importance of education and knowledge as a means of liberation, also helps to unify the Narrative and develop Douglass's argument in a coherent and logically connected manner.