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Frederick Douglass Themes

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Themes within Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave The novel, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, by Frederick Douglass, shows how Frederick Douglass goes through slavery as a child up until he is an adult. Throughout Frederick’s life, you will see how he grows up as a slave and how much terrible stuff he has to go through to finally be a free man. Respect is earned not given, never lose faith, and you have to go through the bad to get to the good are three themes you will see throughout this novel. The first theme brought up in the novel is respect is earned not given. Slaves were expected to work day and night will minimum time to sleep or break, which is unfair. When people are given …show more content…

Believing in God and that one day you could possibly be a free me is one thing that kept many slaves alive. Rarely any slaves had faith; going through so much hurt after hurt made many slaves lose faith after an amount of time but, the ones that kept faith are the ones that were successful with becoming free. "From my earliest recollection, I date the entertainment of a deep conviction that slavery would not always be able to hold me within its foul embrace; and in the darkest hours of my career in slavery, this living word of faith and spirit of hope departed not from me, but remained like ministering angels to cheer me through the gloom. This good spirit was from God, and to him I offer thanksgiving and praise." (Douglass,75) Escaping for slaves really took a lot of hope, faith, and heart. It was not something any slave could do, you had to really want it and have the strength. “Sincerely and earnestly hoping that this little book may do something toward throwing light on the American slave system, and hastening the glad day of deliverance to the millions of my brethren in bonds-faithfully relying upon the power of truth, love, and justice, for success in my humble efforts-and solemnly pledging myself anew to the sacred cause,I subscribe myself”.

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