Olivia Kaminski

Mrs. Bouch

Honors English 11

16 March 2018

Freedom in Sight

Has anyone ever wondered what really happened throughout slavery? Throughout this

essay Douglass explains what really happened. The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

expresses the view of how slaves were treated during slavery. Through this book Douglass

shows pain, cruelty, knowledge, and humiliation that he and many slaves went through.

Douglass brought a new light to many people, by showing and telling what exactly happened.

Throughout Frederick Douglass’s life, he develops the theme that knowledge leads to freedom

through crucial details, personal emotion, and tone.

Douglass’s describes in detail that his difficult path to freedom begins with his passion

for knowledge that leads to freedom. “Never having enjoyed, to any considerable extent, her

soothing presence, her tender and watchful care, I received the tidings of her death with the much

the same emotions I should have probably felt at the death of a stranger” (Douglass 21). This

quote talks about how Douglass does not even know his mother so she is a stranger to him.

Douglass never spent time with her and did not even see her in daylight. He does not know his

mother due to slavery. People can only imagine how slaves felt because they did not have any

family because they were constantly getting split up. This relates back to how details throughout

his life have lead him to freedom through knowledge. Additionally, Douglass begins to trick the

poor white boys to learn how to read. Douglass bribes these poor kids by giving them bread for
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lessons writing. From this determination and hard work, Douglass succeeds in learning to read

and establishes his knowledge as the connection to Douglass’s freedom. This connection that

leads to his freedom is all mental. During the many years that passed before Douglass could plan

an escape, he maintains his desire for knowledge and works to inspire the other slaves. Douglass

desires freedom and with his plan he will escape. Throughout this it becomes evident that once

Douglass is free from his mental bondage he would not rest until he achieves one of the greatest

things freedom. His mental bondage is free when he decides to escape from his planation.

Douglass is a strong believer and is very inspirational when he states “knowledge is power.”

Douglass shows that knowledge is power by providing person emotion. This narrative

begins to describe his frustration as a child by not knowing something as simple as his own

birthday. As Douglass explains his lack for any personal information. Furthermore Douglass

waits to keep learning and gets a chance when his mistress offers him a chance to learn. Mrs.

Auld begins to teach him the ABCs. After just a few lessons, Mr. Auld says, “‘Learning would

spoil the best nigger in the world. Now,’ he said, ‘if you teach that nigger (speaking of myself)

how to read, there would be no keeping him’” (48). Mr. Auld wants his wife teaching or helping

any slave but especially Douglass. Douglass creates emotions like sadness and disappointment

because he wants to learn so badly and become more knowledgably. Now it is very difficult for

Douglass to learn to read. From this experience Douglass learns the power of knowledge. This

situation gives Douglass a sense of hope because now he is more determined to learn how to

read. He begins to realize how valuable and essential reading is. Douglass talks about this

moment in his life he understands the pathway from slavery to freedom. Additionally Douglass

says, "Mr. Covey succeeded in breaking me. I was broken in body, soul, and spirit. My natural

elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful
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spark that lingered about my eye died; the dark night of slavery closed in upon me; and behold a

man transformed into a brute" (49). Douglass feels defeated and completely broken. He is broken

in more than one way between his body, soul, and even his spirit. Douglass portrays a very sad

heavy heart that plays a crucial role throughout the book. This ties right in with knowledge leads

to freedom by being broken and getting back up. When Douglass is caught with a newspaper

Mrs. Auld watches him closely to see if any other books with him. Douglass realizes that she

believes there is some type of danger in the newspaper. His feelings toward this situation gives

him a powerful sense and urge of greatness. This gives Douglass some control and now he

actually feels like he is a human and does not feel dehumanized. He observes and knows that

knowledge is the key to his freedom.

Frederick Douglass shows his knowledge that leads to freedom by his tone. The appendix

has a very strong angry tone. Douglass shows his rage and frustration all throughout the

appendix. His views are dealing mostly with religion and express how he is a dedicated

Christian, slaveholders, slavery, and Christianity. When Douglass expresses his true thoughts

and views he gets very heated and angry. Douglass shows his rage towards religious hypocrites

these are people who preach one thing then do the opposite. Douglass wants to clarify his views

so he writes the appendix. He does this so his audience does not misinterpret anything. He

expresses his angry when he says, “I therefore hate the corrupt, slaveholding, women-whipping,

cradle plundering, partial and hypocritical Christianity of this land” (122). He hates these things

because it eliminates human beings from having power or any kind of feeling as a human. It

angers him to hear but especially see these things that occurred. Knowledge reveals itself when

he understands the concept of what many people show. Douglass states how slavery and

Christianity are opposed to each other. Douglass quotes a parody of a hymn, "Heavenly Union."
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This hymn is what he sings in the Abolitionist meetings. Douglass says, “They’ll read and sing a

sacred song, and make a prayer both loud and long. And teach the right and do the wrong,

hailing the brother, sister throng, with words of heavenly union” (127). This quote is perfect to

describe his angry. It talks about how these slaveholders and people who beat many slaves go to

mass and act holy and then turn and become so cruel. When these people go home after church,

they become slaveholders again. This relates to knowledge that leads to freedom by Douglass

showing is overall power of his frustration. This makes him angry because these people are

essentially fake by doing one thing and completely turning into someone who is evil. Douglass

clearly portrays his knowledge that leads to freedom.

Douglass develops a crucial point of view that knowledge is the success that leads to

freedom. As many read Douglass and many other slaves went through several brutal things. This

ultimately makes each and every one of those slaves stronger. Douglass clearly exemplifies that

he uses knowledge that helps him get out of slavery. He does this by being able to read and write

and eventually his escape. He truly shows the hope and determination he has to escape from the

cruelty in the world. By these events that Douglass talks about puts another huge perspective of

what truly happens. Douglass is clearly growing and becoming a free man that he wishes to be.