ipl-logo

To What Extent Does Frederick Douglass Show Courage

697 Words3 Pages

How Douglass Demonstrated His Courage and How it is a Defining Element of The Human Spirit Frederick Douglass demonstrated many acts of courage in his narrative, many of which gave hope and inspiration to fellow slaves at the time. Slaves were treated very poorly and were given a low place in society. Those who supported slavery despised those who were against it, and any slaves who attempted to stand up for themselves or others were punished severely. To boldly stand up for what is morally right, especially during that time, was an enormous act of courage in itself. “It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog” (Twain). Many things Douglass achieved during his time as a slave could be taken as courageous and dangerous, but a few examples stand out. “Mistress, in teaching me the alphabet, had given me the inch, and no precaution could prevent me from taking the ell” (Douglass 44). This quote shows Frederick Douglas’s determination to seek the truth once he learned how …show more content…

He would then sneak into his master’s home and take his child’s homework to copy in order to practice writing. He would also look up definitions in the dictionary for words he had difficulty with. Douglass would write himself notes to be excused if he were found on the road, since slaves ‘couldn’t write’. His handwriting was almost identical with that of young Master Thomas’s, which could have led him to be caught on the spot. If it was discovered that, just as he learned to read, he was taught to write, he would be sent off, killed, or beaten badly. Additionally, if the little poor boys who helped him write got caught, they would be penalized along side Frederick Douglass. “‘He would at once become unmanageable, and of no value to his master. As to himself, it could do him no good, but a great deal of harm’” (Douglass

Show More
Related

  • Summary Of Learning To Read And Write By Frederick Douglass

    288 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the article, “Learning to Read and Write” by Frederick Douglass, he achieved to learn how to read and write in the time of slavery in Maryland. At a young age he learned how to be literate. But then he was a slave that not only thought about being free but wanted to learn how to read and write. His mistress only helped him to learn the alphabet, but he was also accused of reading, so she never trusted him to be near a newspaper, book or anything that had to do with reading. Sometimes he would get sent to run errands and he tries to finish it fast so he can read a part in a book that he found or get some lessons.

    Read More

  • How Does Frederick Douglass Show Courage

    1180 Words  | 5 Pages

    In Frederick Douglass’ personal autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Douglass remarked, “I prayed for freedom for twenty years, but received no answer until I prayed with my legs” (Douglass 34). Courage is stepping out of the comfort zone and acting out regardless of fear. Frederick Douglass is the most prominent leader, authoritative speaker, and influential author of African American history. Douglass actively led the slavery abolition movement, fought for women’s voting rights, served as a statesman, and published three autobiographies and several abolitionist newspapers reflecting the abolition movement and hardships of slavery (“A Short Biography of Frederick Douglass). Frederick Douglass was

    Read More

  • Frederick Douglass The Man Who Said Enough Essay

    473 Words  | 2 Pages

    Even though Douglass was a writer and orator does not mean he got there him-self. When Douglass Turned eight he was sent to live with his new owners Sophia and Hugh Auld. Sophia taught Frederick and her son how to read and write [ book pg.8 ] because she taught it was only fair if they both learned. One day Frederick red to Hugh Auld which he was very angry about [book pg.8]. After that Sophia had to stop teaching Frederick who to read and write but, Frederick kept learning him-self [book pg.9].

    Read More

  • Frederick Douglass Selfish

    507 Words  | 3 Pages

    Frederick Douglass was brave and tenacious abolitionist. He put himself at risk by continuing his attempt to abolish slavery while there were numerous consequences and dangers with the task. For example, if he were caught by his old slave holder, he would have been tortured or executed. He did not let others keep him down and persistently strived for freedom of slaves. Also, as Deborah stated, he was taught to read and write by some youngsters.

    Read More

  • Hypocrisy Of Slavery Analysis

    1657 Words  | 7 Pages

    “The Hypocrisy of American Slavery: Slavery at its best” Frederick Douglass an activist for anti racism and also an abolitionist’s speech “The Hypocrisy of Slavery” was given on the occasion of celebrating the independence day. Here, in this speech he actually brought out some questions like why we should celebrate Independence Day while almost four million people were kept chained as a slave. He actually mocked the fact of the people of America’s double standards which is that they are singing out the song of liberty, on the other hand holding the chain of slavery. Frederick Douglass, a former American-African slave who managed to escape from his slavery and later on became an abolitionist gave this speech on Fourth of July,

    Read More

  • Rhetoric In Fredrick Douglass 'As With Rivers So With Nation'

    257 Words  | 2 Pages

    Frederick Douglass was a great writer, but he wasn’t always. He was an escaped slave who used that in his speeches as a topic to gain the attention of his audience. His audience was a seemingly sympathetic one and got to them through rhetorical questions. Douglass wanted to convey the message that there are many changes that need to be made.

    Read More

  • Frederick Douglass Why I Learned To Read And Write Analysis

    582 Words  | 3 Pages

    Frederick Douglass in his narrative “Why I learned to Read and Write” demonstrates how he surpassed many obstacles along the way towards getting an education. These obstacles not only shaped Frederick’s outlook on life but also influenced him in his learning to read and write. Frederick’s main challenge was that of not being an owner of his person but rather a slave and a property to someone else. Frederick Douglass lived in the time when slavery was still taking place and slaveholders viewed slavery and education as incompatible. The slave system didn’t allow mental or physical freedom for slaves; slaveholders were to keep the apt appearance and slaves were to remain ignorant.

    Read More

  • Frederick Douglass: Overcoming Obstacles

    392 Words  | 2 Pages

    Douglass managed to overcome the maltreatment of his wretched slave owners through the eventual attainment of freedom. The injustice imposed upon the African-American slaves by their owners was the crux of Douglass’s motivation to escape this inhumane life. Adolescents in today’s society could use Frederick’s determination as an example of moving forward to better oneself or one’s situation regardless of

    Read More

  • Turning Point In Frederick Douglass

    633 Words  | 3 Pages

    In particular, when Douglass learned to read he began reading documents that contained argument against slavery and in doing so, he became conscious of the true horror of slavery. He writes, “I often found myself regretting my own existence and wishing myself dead…” (ch. VII). However, he continues, saying “...and but for the hope of being free, I have no doubt but that I should have killed myself…”(ch.

    Read More

  • Frederick Douglass Use And Abuse Of Power Essay

    498 Words  | 2 Pages

    At last, Douglass brings the point of freedom and justice the one person has every right to him than any other, and no man has the authority to rule over

    Read More

  • Frederick Douglass's Arguments Against Slavery

    1080 Words  | 5 Pages

    In “The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass”, Douglass narrates in detail the oppressions he went through as a slave before winning his freedom. In the narrative, Douglass gives a picture about the humiliation, brutality, and pain that slaves go through. We can evidently see that Douglass does not want to describe only his life, but he uses his personal experiences and life story as a tool to rise against slavery. He uses his personal life story to argue against common myths that were used to justify the act of slavery. Douglass invalidated common justification for slavery like religion, economic argument and color with his life story through his experiences torture, separation, and illiteracy, and he urged for the end of slavery.

    Read More

  • Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass Rhetorical Analysis

    552 Words  | 3 Pages

    When your freedom or even your own life is challenged, you will do most anything to get what you deserve. In the novel Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Douglass shares his experiences with regard to the risks he took to gain what he felt he deserved, his freedom. Douglass shares his life story by appealing to ethos, pathos, and logos to demonstrate the horror and inhumanity of slavery, which he not only wanted to escape, but fight to end. Douglass

    Read More

  • Meaning Of The July Fourth For The Negro By Frederick Douglass

    1110 Words  | 5 Pages

    Douglass points to the vast unwillingness from the group of whites that refuses to fully perceive and accept African-Americans as deserving and equal citizens of the nation. Based on his personal experiences as a slave, Douglass is abundantly aware that the battle to abolish slavery is not an easy task. For the first twenty years of his life, he witnessed firsthand the abject cruelty of that institution in our country. Tactfully, Douglass seizes this opportunity to publicly highlight the unmerited and coarse differences in the treatment between the whites as opposed to the blacks living in the United States during this time period. He makes a “powerful testaments to the hypocrisy, bigotry and inhumanity of slavery” (Bunch 1).

    Read More

  • What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July Analysis

    793 Words  | 4 Pages

    What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? Throughout his sermon, What to the Slave is the Fourth of July, Fredrick Douglass devotedly argued that to the slave and even the liberated African American, the Fourth of July was nothing more than a holiday of a mockery of the crudest kind. Through his use of several rhetorical devices and strategies, Douglass conveyed his perspective on the concerning matter as if he were the voice of the still enslaved, both physically and logically. Prevalently, he presented an effectively argued point using ethos, logos, and pathos through credible appeals, convincing facts and statistics, and by successfully employing emotional appeals.

    Read More

  • American Identity In Douglass, And I Celebrate Myself

    1523 Words  | 7 Pages

    Frederick Douglass was able to stand up for what he believed in because he did not focus on the negatives of slavery. He was not a so called “normal” slave because he focused on education, versus working, which is what most slaves were forced to focus on. Douglass even took his slave life to another level when he attacked his master, Mr. Covey , an act of defiance and standing up for himself. Douglass notes that “it was a glorious resurrection” that was from “the tomb of slavery” , and after hitting Mr. Covey he felt as if he were in “the heaven of freedom” (Douglass). Douglass beats up his master, a clear sign of rebelliousness as well as courageousness.

    Read More

More about To What Extent Does Frederick Douglass Show Courage

Open Document