Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
'Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass' Summary
Douglass begins by explaining that he does not know the date of his birth (he later chose February 14, 1818), and that his mother died when he was 7 years old. He has very few memories of her (children were commonly separated from their mothers), only of the rare nighttime visit. He thinks his father is a white man, possibly his owner. At a very early age he sees his Aunt Hester being whipped. Douglass details the cruel interaction that occurs between slaves and slaveholders, as well as how slaves are supposed to behave in the presence of their masters, and even when Douglass says that fear is what kept many slaves what they were, for when they told the truth they were punished by their owners.
At this point in the Narrative, Douglass is moved to Baltimore, Maryland. This move is rather important for him because he believes that if he had not been moved, he would have remained a slave his entire life. He even starts to have hope for a better life in the future. He also discusses his new mistress, Mrs. Sophia Auld, who begins as a very kind woman but eventually turns cruel. Douglass learns the alphabet and how to spell small words from this woman, but her husband, Mr. Auld, disapproves, and states that if slaves could read, they would not be fit to be slaves, being unmanageable and sad. Upon hearing why Mr. Auld disapproves of slaves being taught how to read, Douglass realizes the importance of reading and the possibilities that this skill could help him. He takes it upon himself to learn how to read and learn all he can, but at times, this new found skill torments him. Douglass then gains an understanding of the word abolition and develops the idea to run away to the North. He also learns how to write and how to read well.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1845Author
Frederick Douglass
United States
Frederick Douglass was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Ma...
More on Frederick DouglassDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books
Mark Twain's (Burlesque) Autobiography and First Romance by Mark Twain
Mark Twain's (Burlesque) Autobiography and First Romance, a short volume, published by Sheldon & Co., NY in 1871, is Mark Twain's third book. It consi...
Mémoires d'outre-tombe. Tome 3 by François-René de Chateaubriand
Plongez-vous dans le monde captivant de François-René de Chateaubriand avec le Tome 3 de ses "Mémoires d'outre-tombe". Une épopée littéraire et histor...
Mark Twain: A Biography - Volume III by Albert Bigelow Pain
This compelling third volume continues the epic journey of a man who embodied the spirit of America in the 19th century. From the glistening banks of...
My Father As I Recall Him by Mamie Dickens
"If, in these pages, written in remembrance of my father, I should tell you, my dear friends, nothing new of him, I can, at least, promise you that wh...
A Son of the Middle Border by Hamlin Garland
The son of a civil war vet in the Midwest, Garland hated farming and the frontier, and was delighted to (after some adjustment) find a living in the c...
Women of History by Various
An intriguing look at well known women in history from BC 500 to the mid 1800's. Each chapter is a brief overview of one woman's life.
Napoleon: A Short Biography by Robert Matteson Johnston
This is a 'lightning biography' which serves as an introduction to the field of Napoleonic history. Its purpose is to enable the ordinary reader or wo...
American Indian Stories by Zitkala-Sa
Step into the captivating world of Native American experiences in "American Indian Stories" by Zitkala-Sa, where the essence of a culture rich with hi...
Herndon's Lincoln by William Herndon
A biography of Abraham Lincoln by his long-time law partner, William Herndon and Herndon's collaborator, Jesse Weik. The book is notable for its exten...
The Meditations of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus by Marcus Aurelius
In "The Meditations of the Emperor," immerse yourself in the profound musings of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, a revered Roman Emperor whose introspectiv...
Reviews for Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
No reviews posted or approved, yet...