ipl-logo

Why Is Frederick Douglass Unethical

813 Words4 Pages

Frederick Douglass was an African American man that was born into slavery. He was born around February in 1818 in Tuckahoe Maryland. Enslaved African Americas were not allowed to know things we look over or take advantage of today. In a way slaves were dehumanized as a way for their owners to view slavery as morally right. Douglass shows the reader this by comparing himself to a horse that was bred, in a way, just like him. Just like the horse he was not aware of much going on, he was not even told the date of his birth. He was not able to be with his mother anymore and had to go to a different plantation. His mother could only visit him a handful of time, when the slave owners were not aware of her disappearance. Douglass did not even …show more content…

After going through several plantations in his lifetime he found himself on Mr. Auld’s. Mrs. Auld, his wife, had never had a slave under her control before Frederick Douglass. She was completely ignorant to the rules of slavery. Douglass describes her as a mistress that acts the opposite of the normal, she was a genuine kind-hearted woman. Before she realized that it was illegal to teach a slave to read and write, she started teaching Douglass his A B C’s. Soon after, he stared learning three to four letter words. Once Mr. Auld found out what was going on he forced her to stop because it was unsafe for both her and Frederick Douglass. He said, once a slave becomes knowledgeable he becomes useless to any slave …show more content…

In this book a conversation takes place between a master and his slave after the slave had run away for his third time. While talking to his master, the slave had very smart convincing things to say. At the end of the conversation, the master voluntarily emancipated his slave. Quite often this story would make the slave hearing it hopeful, but in Douglass’s case it did just the opposite. He felt more pain and more trapped than he has ever felt before. This passage took his feelings to a whole new dimension and he began to regret his own existence and become

Show More
Related

  • Frederick Douglass Graphic Organizer Questions And Answers

    562 Words  | 3 Pages

    Frederick Douglass Graphic Organizer 1. In the passage, Frederick Douglass reveals about himself his life story. He writes about his childhood in which he learned to read by exchanging bread for lessons, his thoughts on slavery after reading The Columbian Orator where he had gotten hope on escaping slavery, and how he thought about slavery and freedom after reading one of Sheridan’s mighty speeches. His thoughts on slavery from a young age is revealed at the end of paragraph one where he said “You will be free as soon as you are twenty-one, but I am a slave for life!

    Read More

  • Caleb's Rhetorical Analysis Of Frederick Douglass

    521 Words  | 3 Pages

    Caleb’s Rhetorical Analysis From a very young age as a slave, all Frederick Douglass could dream and look forward to was the day he became a free man. After being betrayed and caught the day he and his friends were planning to escape and later successfully escaping to the North, he is assaulted by a barrage of unexpected emotions considering he has just accomplished his life dream. In Douglass’ poignant piece, he expresses that first high excitement then extreme insecurity through powerful analogies, connotative diction to convey the immense emotional distress of his loneliness, and irony using strong parallelism to present the controversy that came with living in a new place with no friends or family, only enemies. Douglass

    Read More

  • Frederick Douglass Learning To Read And Write Summary

    792 Words  | 4 Pages

    Frederick Douglass – Learning to Read and Write Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in 1817, in 1838 he was roughly twenty-one years old he escaped to and went north, where he settled in Massachusetts and eventually joined the abolition movement to end slavery. He knew as a young child that he wanted to learn how to read and write and did not understand why his masters would not allow him or his fellow slaves to become educated. I agree with the summary by Frederick Douglass that whether you are a slave or not, no one can stop a person who wants the knowledge and an opportunity to learn. Douglass believed that according to the United States Constitution that black Americans had the same rights to participate in the economy, and social

    Read More

  • How Is Frederick Douglass Successful

    1655 Words  | 7 Pages

    He understood the need for everyone to be equal and that race or gender didn't matter. The determination that Frederick showed while learning and never giving up on it, as well as being courageous in fighting for African American and women's rights led him to do things most African Americans couldn't do. Early life Douglass was born in Talbot County, Maryland

    Read More

  • Summary Of The Exert From Fredrick Douglass

    316 Words  | 2 Pages

    However, when Auld found out, he forbid his wife from continuing to teach Douglass how to read. Even though he was no longer receiving the help from Auld’s wife he stayed persistent and continues on with his reading. The fact that Douglass continued to learn how to read on his own is so incredible

    Read More

  • Sale Of Slavery Frederick Douglass Rhetorical Analysis

    570 Words  | 3 Pages

    Auld taught Douglass' how to read. Mrs. Auld never owned a slave so she didn't know that there was a certain way to treat them. Since Douglass was here first slave she wasn't affected by the harsh nature slavery gave to the slaveholder. She stopped teaching Douglass because her husband informed her that slaves couldn't be taught these things. Mr. Auld claimed teaching slaves to read was unlawful and not safe, if you give a slave a little they will take the whole lot.

    Read More

  • Benjamin Franklin: A Major Asset In American History

    643 Words  | 3 Pages

    Frederick Douglass was born in Talbot County, Maryland; sadly, he does not know the year, because most slaves are not allowed to be informed their age. When growing up Frederick was confused and unhappy when the white children knew their ages, but he was not even able to ask his own. Frederick 's mother died when Frederick was around the age of seven when told of the horrible news Frederick is hardly affected. No one knows who Frederick 's father is; he informs that his father is a white man, many had mad a conclusion that his master was his father. It makes sense because Frederick explains that many slaveholders would often impregnate their female slaves.

    Read More

  • Education In Frederick Douglass's Life

    871 Words  | 4 Pages

    Auld. He started to learn the alphabet and as well form words. Throughout this learning experience with Mrs. Auld he had the opportunity to learn and become educated. He came to a realization that many slaves both men and women were deprived from this form of privilege because their slave holders believed that literacy would cause for the slaves to rebel and act against them. Although Mrs. Auld had great intentions to help Frederick but her husband on the other hand was against his education.

    Read More

  • Frederick: Plot Summary

    326 Words  | 2 Pages

    When Mr. Auld found out he made a few statements. The first was teach a slave to read would ruin a slave and the other, teach a slave to read and get treated like a slave or worse. Frederick knew then the importance of reading and the possibilities of how this skill could help him. He takes it upon himself to learn how to read, write and learn all he can. Mr. Auld passed and his son Thomas Auld inherit everything.

    Read More

  • Injustice In Frederick Douglass's Life

    748 Words  | 3 Pages

    Frederick Douglass’s life is living proof of the injustice that took place in slavery. His life exemplified dehumanization on a daily basis. Blacks were not shown as “humans” at this day and age, as Frederick’s life is an example of the cruel practices of slavery. His life shows the significance of the many struggles that were brought upon him and other slaves for human and civil rights. Douglass grew up on captain Anthony’s plantation with hundreds of other slaves.

    Read More

  • Frederick Douglass: Overcoming Obstacles

    392 Words  | 2 Pages

    The legendary abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass was one of the most important social reformers of the nineteenth century. Being born into slavery on a Maryland Eastern Shore plantation to his mother, Harriet Bailey, and a white man, most likely Douglass’s first master was the starting point of his rise against the enslavement of African-Americans. Nearly 200 years after Douglass’s birth and 122 years after his death, The social activist’s name and accomplishments continue to inspire the progression of African-American youth in modern society. Through his ability to overcome obstacles, his strive for a better life through education, and his success despite humble beginnings, Frederick Douglass’s aspirations stretched his influence through

    Read More

  • Frederick Douglass Use And Abuse Of Power Essay

    498 Words  | 2 Pages

    One character, Sophia Auld, Captain Auld 's wife, before becoming a slaveholder’s wife,has a kind and understanding moral character. However, seeing “the white man 's power to enslave the black man,” she became a cruel slave owner”(Douglass 40). (insert commentary)“The fatal poison of the irresponsible power was already in her hands, and soon commenced its infernal work”(Douglass 39). Another example is Thomas Auld. He became corrupt and inhumane after inheriting slaves through marriage.

    Read More

  • How Is Frederick Douglass Selfish

    501 Words  | 3 Pages

    When Mr. Auld warned Mrs. Auld of the dangers that would come about with an intelligent slave, Douglass recognized the path from slavery to freedom. “It was a new and special revelation, explaining dark and mysterious things, with which my youthful understanding had struggled, but struggled in vain. I now understood what had been to me a most perplexing difficulty – to whit, the white man’s power to enslave the black man. It was a grand achievement, and I prized it highly. From that moment, I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom.

    Read More

  • Frederick Douglass Rhetorical Analysis

    935 Words  | 4 Pages

    Slavery is equally a mental and a physical prison. Frederick Douglass realized this follow-ing his time as both a slave and a fugitive slave. Douglass was born into slavery because of his mother’s status as a slave. He had little to go off regarding his age and lineage. In the excerpt of the “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

    Read More

  • Why Did Frederick Douglass Gain His Freedom

    844 Words  | 4 Pages

    Fredrick Douglass meets Hugh Auld’s wife Sophia and he is surprised about how nice she is. She does not really know how to treat slaves because she has never had them. A slave with education is said to be a dangerous slave so they are not supposed to be taught. However it seems like Mrs. Auld did not know that, and she began to teach Douglass the Alphabet which is a big turning point in Douglass’s life as a slave. Mr. Auld figures out that his wife has been teaching Douglass, and he puts an end to it, and he tells her how dangerous it is to teach a slave.

    Read More

More about Why Is Frederick Douglass Unethical

Open Document