Similarities Between Wheatley And Frederick Douglass

This question, in my opinion, is one that is worthy of being on the final exam. I feel authors of African-American decent are often looked over. Many courses outside of African American Studies classes, do not take the time to explore literary works these authors have to offer. It would be nice to remind students about the impact that all races of people had in the world of literature. Phillis Wheatley and Fredrick Douglas both come from backgrounds of slavery and bondage. The trials that these authors had to face are ones I could not imagine going through. They were able to overcome adversity and allow their desire to write prevail. Similar experiences did not constitute the way they express themselves. The writing styles of Wheatley and

He was just as educated or possibly even more educated than Wheatley. Fredrick’s personality is strong and very masculine. His experiences with slavery had a very different impact on him because of his gender. Many men would have a similar tone to Douglas because slavery would destroy any man’s manhood. You can feel this frustration in his writing. He demands respect and presents himself in a serious manner. Fredrick describes the horrors he experienced as a slave and reminds of how this rough experience changed his life. While he does aim to please his audience like Wheatley, he finds a way to merge Eurocentric and Afrocentric audiences. He makes sure not to disrespect his oppressors, but he manages to tell his story at the same time. Douglas’s honest and authentic narrative will forever be appreciated by the people. It was a joy to see both of these authors included in our list of required readings. Phillis Wheatley and Fredrick Douglas are both very talented writers who adopted their own way to tell their story. I appreciate how The University Alabama aims to educate its students about all backgrounds of people. I am sure many had never read the works of these artists prior to this