"Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass"

Charles So
English 48A
Journal for Douglass
Oct. 12, 2010

Author Quote:
“This good spirit was from God, and to him I offer thanksgiving and praise” (2085)

Internet Quote:
“knowledge is the pathway from slavery to freedom" (wikipedia.org)
　
Summary:
Frederick Douglass describes his emotions on how fortunate he felt, to be chosen, amongst all the other slave children in the plantation. He believes it was a act of destiny by God that he would go to Baltimore to live with Mr. and Mrs. Auld, there he learns that knowledge is the key to his freedom. “Narrative and the Life,” by Douglass is a first hand look at slavery and all its deplorable acts, from control and manipulation the book describes many facets of the system of slavery.

Opinion:
I find it very interesting when Douglass explains the hypocrisy of slavery in the Christian nation, he explains the vile ways in which text from the bible are misused and how the people who supposedly are men of god are but blind to their own sins that they commit. Slavery is sin, Douglass tries to convey that a nation found under Christian beliefs should not allow the enslavement of another human being, Douglass explanation of the slave owners elaborate trap or system that manipulate and control slaves into thinking they are less than human and that they are but animals is very shocking to me as I have known about slavery and the slave owners use of physical brutality in order to control the slave, but I have never thought about mental aspect in controlling a human, the whole brainwashing and breaking down of a man’s soul is outlandish, it can boil the blood.