Frederick Douglass’ Status Elevation Through Disassociation From Slavery

3 Pages 765 Words

Frederick Douglass states he found himself regretting his own existence. Douglass is humiliated by his slavery status, and attempts to elevate himself in other’s eyes. Douglass writes about slavery from a third person point of view, free of personal accounts. Douglas attains an education; something very uncommon for slaves. He affirms his father is a white man, while not having any true confirmation in writing. Altering his name from Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey to Frederick Douglass changes his identity and removes his “slave” identity. Douglass’s narrative takes on a modest tone about his classification as a slave as he struggles to pursue an elevated status in society.
Douglass’ recount is written in the third person point of view, removing him from the condition of slavery. He removes himself so easily because in writing the narrative, he is no longer a slave. However, consciously or subconsciously, Douglass displays his elevated status by writing and through his recognition as an autobiographer. Referring to the slaves’ feelings about the Great House Farm, and not his own elevates his position and disassociates himself from slavery in the reader’s mind. “The slaves selected to go to the Great House Farm, for the monthly allowance for themselves and their fellow-slaves, were peculiarly enthusiastic (Douglass 270).” Although Douglass writes in third person often, he chooses the narrative voice when he retells about his education, allowing him to become a freed slave.
Education for Douglass was attainable due to Mrs. Auld, the white boys, and his own perseverance. Because Mrs. Auld was the first teacher Douglass had, reading gave Douglass the ability to learn about possibilities and gain a desire to improve his condition. Closer to his age, the white boys helped him learn to read, and instilled within him a need to become equal with them. “Have not I as good a right to be free as you have (Do...