Narrator

A Book that Changed the Word

INTRODUCTION

As someone who puts so much time and effort into reading, the lasting impressions such readings will leave behind for people to acknowledge comes to be quite important. And as the years go by readings will continue to be released, some impactful to our society, others not so much. There is one book that stood out from the bunch, achieving great success soon. Written by Frederick Douglass, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass was more than just a personal story of courage, it came to highlight the need to abolish slavery. In the efforts to write on how he lived life through slavery, in efforts to encourage other African American slaves, Douglass reached even further success, which was the beginning of the abolishment of slavery

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Frederick Douglass (born as Frederick august Washington Bailey) had been born into slavery within the early 1800s. Which was believed to had been sometime around 1818 in an area called Talbot County, Maryland (Editors, Biography.com). Since he had been born a slave no one knew exactly when he had been birthed, which was usually the case with slaves. He then chose to celebrate his day of birth on February 14th (Editors, Biography.com). He had initially live with a women named Betty Baily who was his maternal grandmother and was then chosen to live in a home with plantation owners, his mother was only an “intermittent presence in his life” and died when Douglass was about 10 (Editors, Biography.com). Although banning teaching slaves to read and write, “Baltimore slaveholder Hugh Auld’s wife Sophia taught Douglass the alphabet when he was around 12” (Editors, Biography.com).

Douglass had then shared his knowledge with other African American Slaves. After being moved to another slave owner, Douglass had been broken psychologically and fought back in retaliation, tried to escape twice, until he had finally succeeded (Editors, Biography.com). After successfully achieving freedom he married Anna Murray, moved to New York, and had five children. He was then “asked to tell his story at abolitionist meetings, and he became a regular anti-slavery lecturer” and later became the leader of the Abolitionists who worked to fight slavery (Editors, Biography.com).

ABOUT THE BOOK

Born into slavery around 1818 on a plantation in Talbot County, Maryland, Douglass was taught how to read and write. After freeing himself from slavery in 1838, he then published The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass which had been seven years after his escape in 1845. Keep in mind this was only the first of the three autobiographies that he planned to publish. The book that he had released recounts all the achievements he accomplished as well as the obstacles he had to fight through, since he was quite obviously dealing with slavery his entire life. In his early years, being born into slavery was one of the most difficult things Douglass had to overcome. Although the teaching of reading and writing to slaves had been banned he had still been able to grow his knowledge in such areas and spread his newfound knowledge to other African American slaves which later on led to him being hired out to William Freeland. It was said that his teachings grew in interest that week by week more than 40 slaves would show up and attend Douglass’ lessons. Such knowledge would then go to show how impactful it was on his life. It led him to being a political activist.

Throughout the writing one can tell how simple his style is. In order to tell his story he is quite straightforward he gets to the point and tries to tell his story in a very personal and organized way as he builds up the events that took place for him achieve the point he had been reached in his life. He wants the reader to be able to understand him, so sentences are cut quite short.

Throughout his story he uses certain words that would further knowledge the reader how well-educated he was, although being born into slavery. He goes on about all the horrors he had to face but as he states words couldn’t amount to the amount of pain he went through, within this journey, “I wish I could commit to paper the feelings with which I beheld it” (Douglass, Frederick). His hard work proved to quite impactful on not only his life but the lives of many African Americans.

LEGACY

As most have come to acknowledge the publication of The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass had brought much attention to the issues African Americans had faced during slavery. The Narrative had “brought to Douglass widespread publicity in America and in the British Isles. This was all he needed; henceforth his own considerable abilities and the temper of the times would fully suffice to keep him in the limelight. His was among the most eventful of American personal histories” (Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Revisited). Douglass’ publication had allowed him to gain traction. It brought light to the issues that were occurring and allowed him to build a platform in which he could use in his fight to abolish slavery. His efforts to write a story that would emotionally grab the readers attentions due to the struggles he went through to fight against slavery, would latter on bring encouragement to those who were afraid of white people, afraid to stand out amongst their people. It allowed them to stand up for themselves and fight for what every African American wanted at that time Freedom and a place they could call home without being afraid. His efforts were proven to be quite effective as time passed. The Narrative had been praised by many:

“The book could count on laudatory statements from the reformist sheets, but it also got a column-and-a-half front-page review in the New York Tribune, lavish in its praise: “Considered merely as narrative, we have never read one more simple, true, coherent and warm with genuine feeling” (Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Revisited).

There were many responses that were very encouraging. They saw through his story and realized how talented of a many he was. Douglass was truthful and as I said he was able to bring a realization to how cruel slavery was:

“The influential Chambers’ Edinburgh Journal praised the Narrative: it “bears all the appearance of truth, and must, we conceive, help considerably to disseminate correct ideas respecting slavery and its attendant evils” (Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Revisited).

Frederick Douglass’ writing the Narrator has proven to be quite effective in the long run. It gained traction and encouraged many to fight what they stand. It led to the end of slavery and all the troubles the Douglass went had paid off in the end because although racism still maybe a thing in our country today. Slavery has ended and will never amount to how common it was back then.

WORKS CITED

Douglass, Frederick. “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Written by Himself: Electronic Edition.” Documenting the American South, docsouth.unc.edu/neh/douglass/douglass.html.

Editors, Biography.com. “Frederick Douglass .” Frederick Douglass Biography, 9 July 2020, www.biography.com/activist/frederick-douglass.

“Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Revisited.” Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Revisited | Harvard University Press, www.hup.harvard.edu/features/frederick-douglass/.