The passage I chose is from Chapter III, “He was immediately chained and handcuffed; and thus, without a moment’s warning, he was snatched away, and forever sundered, from his family and friends, by a hand more unrelenting than death. This is the penalty of telling the truth, of telling the simple truth, in answer to a series of plain questions” (244).

This passage enhanced my knowledge by giving more insights of slavery in America from a first-hand resource. This passage depicts how the rich slave owners and the slaves have a blinded relationship. The owner does not know who he owns, and the slave does not know who he is working for. But what matters the most, is that the slaves should flatter the master. Slaves usually have no warnings and no cautions  of when his punishment would arrive upon. It plainly depends on the mood of the slave owner, so to say, a slave is just an object. Being a slave, there is something more fearful than death, which is separation from family and friends. As they are the only resource of strength that can help one slave to carry through the hardships of slavery.

Although the slave himself does not know why he is being sent away, Douglass seems to know exactly why, just as if he has been there watching the scene where the slave meets the master. Douglass appears to know vividly the correct things that the slave master wants from the slaves, simply learning from observing his surroundings and his peers who are punished since he was young. This does not only show that he is a smart child, but his ability to act based on judgement from the environment his surrounded in and behave in a certain manner in that environment proves that he is a smart child.

The Narrative of Life is an autobiography written by Frederick Douglass. In the passage, he share with readers with his own story. In the beginning of chapter one, Douglass has share his personal point of view as analysis while education still limited among gender and the race. In narrative of life, he reveal how masters control and benefits master by deprived slave’s basic rights. In the Narrative of the life, it was written as first person, from his ambiguous of age, parentage, and cruelty of misfortune of being slavery with vivid and rich of details in context that take audiences to see, live and feel his world.

In the passage of Narrative of Life, he started with the birth of his place, and the fact of most slaves was treated unfairly compared with white. In the purpose of keeping slave ignorance was meant for maters can easily managed, and taking great advantages from slave. In his syntax, is logically and persuasive arranged. In different paragraphs, Douglass uses his own in personal story and end with the common phenomenon among the slaves in the society.

Here is the excerpt from the passage of Narrative of the life. “I received the tidings of her death with much the same emotions I should have probably felt at the death of a stranger” The passage strongly indicated that slave are deeply dehumanized and forced to detached with family in the period of time because it serves the purpose for masters who owns amd managing them as slave.

In conclusion, Frederick Douglass has raised the self-awareness as a slave as an African American of how they have been dehumanized and female slave was sexually deprived and abused by masters which serve the voice out slavery hardship and disparity. In the context of Narrative of the life, Douglass has not only faithfully exemplify his life as a journey, but also add with his background and state of mind as slavery. The purpose of it was meant for reach out and broad audiences so the society of America can be aware that slavery is a system of segregation and human should treated equally despite their colors and gender.

“She died when I was about seven years old, on one of my master’s farms, near Lee’s Mill. I was not allowed to be present during her illness, at her death, or burial. She was gone long before I knew anything about it. Never having enjoyed, to any considerable extent, her soothing presence, her tender and watchful care, I received the tidings of her death with much the same emotions I should have probably felt at the death of a stranger”.

In this passage Douglass explains the absence of his mother in his life. He knows his mom but, he is taken away from her because they are slaves. After his birth, his master separates him from his mother. This separation makes Douglass feel nothing for his mother. He does not spend any time with his mom, they never met each other during the day. Douglas describes how she comes to him four or five times, only at night, and before he wakes, she is gone. He says he feels nothing when his mother dies, because she is like a stranger for him. How is possible the child feels nothing when his mother dies? Douglas describes his solitude and isolation so clear that the reader can understand how slavery not only separates families, but it does not allow people to have a family.

Douglass demonstrates how a life of a slave begins at his birth. At that time, for some white people the slavery was natural that black people were kept as slaves. Douglas describes how slave owners destroy families prohibiting slaves to have connections and affections for their family members. This way, for slave owners is easier to turn black people into slaves. Since the birth children are removed from their parents and families. If his mother has been present in Douglas life, his childhood could have been totally different. He explains that he is one of the slaves who don’t know their parents, even his day of birth. Separating child and mother, not allowing them to have a family and feelings for each other, was the way that slave owners can have the control of their slaves. Douglas shows how slavery do not allow slaves to have families, feelings, and lives.

“I LIVED in Master Hugh’s family about seven years. During this time, I succeeded in learning to read and write. In accomplishing this, I was compelled to resort to various stratagems. I had no regular teacher. My mistress, who had kindly commenced to instruct me, had, in compliance with the advice and direction of her husband, not only ceased to instruct, but had set her face against my being instructed by any one else. It is due, however, to my mistress to say of her, that she did not adopt this course of treatment immediately. She at first lacked the depravity indispensable to shutting me up in mental darkness. It was at least necessary for her to have some training in the exercise of irresponsible power, to make her equal to the task of treating me as though I were a brute.”  – 1st Para. Chapter 7

There are two exceptions meet together. The first exception is the narrator doesn’t see himself as a slave, and the other exception is a slave owner doesn’t see herself as a Slave owner.  From the first meet between these two persons, there was no any extra emotion or relationships cause them feel uncomfortable, they were just like two normal people.  And the only thing they had in common was a pure concern or interest to each other, that’s the basic human nature. This chapter mainly talks about how an innocent female was taught or brainwashed to accept an idea of slavery.

From this passage, I learned during the era of slavery in America, slaves were not allowed to have “knowledge”.  Because the slaveholders know knowledge will teach slaves to start questioning everything they don’t feel right.  And secondly, I see women during that time was innocent and naive.  This thought gives me a conclusion that, slaves and women have many things in common, such as human rights.

Base on reading this story, I find young Frederick Douglass was a very intelligent child.  Not only clever, but also very wisdom of life at a little of age.  A hint reveal his wisdom is he realized the importance of knowledge may change life, and he try every chance to obtain as many knowledge as he could.  Another sign of his wisdom is, he had never given up his dignity as a free man. Although he was clear the board between a free man and a slave, he always trying to be independent from accepting the thoughts of being a slave.

From the change over of the personality of  Frederick Douglass’s female master, I rises some questions for myself, that, why she was so easily change to a very opposite personality, from a angel to a devil.

“Slavery proved as injurious to her as it did to me. When I went there, she was a pious, warm, and tender-hearted woman… Slavery soon proved its ability to divest her of these heavenly qualities. Under its influence, the tender heart became stone, and the lamblike disposition gave way to one of tiger-like fierceness.”

This passage clearly illustrates for me the emotional and psychological impact slavery had on even the most tender people. Almost everyone understands the physical hardships and the toll slavery took on the body; but it takes one who experienced and witnessed for themselves what it might do to one’s mentality. Anyone who is forced into a life of slavery from the start knows nothing else. One who knows of real life must have an exponentially more difficult time. As a slave you must work to live, there is know compassion, there is no tenderness when slavery is the limiting factor.

Douglass really paints a picture of that for the reader. The eloquent language mixed with the dark messages that language is sending made it stand out for me. What I ask though, was it possible to go through all they have gone through and still remain the person you are really supposed to be? If not, then how could an emancipated slave live a normal life in the world after? I believe what may seem as a change of heart as a slave, was just the brain forcing itself to adjust to the surroundings in order to better suit the conditions, as horrible as they may be. In the end, most should be able to return to their state of mind as a normal, compassionate person. The means may not have been standard, but if you manage to escape the end should always be the same; a human being.

Passage: “I did not, when a slave, understand the deep meaning of those rude and apparently incoherent songs. I was myself within the circle; so that I neither saw nor heard as those without might see and hear. They told a tale of woe which was then altogether beyond my feeble comprehension; they were tones loud, long, and deep; they breathed the prayer and complaint of souls boiling over with the bitterest anguish. Every tone was a testimony against slavery, and a prayer to God for deliverance from chains. The hearing of those wild notes always depressed my spirit, and filled me with ineffable sadness. I have frequently found myself in tears while hearing them” (page 242).

The context of this passage is in relation to the Great House Farm, which is a grand plantation owned by Colonel Lloyd. Any slave deems it an honor to work in it, because it would signify that the overseer has enough confidence and trust in the slave to reside in the extensive plantation. The chosen slaves would enthusiastically sing to convey their joy of going to the Great House Farm. Often, slaves would compose and sing sentimental songs. To Frederick Douglass, the tone of these songs was not cheerful, but rather filled with anguish. Douglass stated that he did not understand the meaning of the incoherent songs when he was a slave; however, when he went north, he was repulsed by others’ misunderstanding that singing portrayed happiness. Additionally, Douglass compares the singing of slaves to the singing of a man on a desolate island – they both portray false contentment.

The incorporation of this passage to Douglass’ narrative shows us that singing is a way for slaves to cope with the torment. “Slaves sing most when they are most unhappy” (242). Douglass’ diction in this passage shows an intellectual understanding of the meaning of songs. Because most slaves were illiterate, they had very few methods to express themselves. Singing is one way to express their sorrows, but it is unlikely that overseers and non-slaves were able to decipher these songs. Frederick Douglass combats this disconnection by putting it into words so the masses can understand the dehumanization of slavery and possibly sympathize. Douglass’ literary style is very descriptive, and gives a proper insight of what he has endured, as well as his personal thoughts and emotions pertaining to his enslavement.

Choose a passage or quotation from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass that makes a strong impression on you in your reading. Post the passage on our class blog and provide a brief (300 word) analysis of its significance. Some things to consider: What does this passage add to our understanding of slavery in America? What does it reveal about Frederick Douglass? What do Douglass’ diction, syntax, and literary style add to his story here? What questions are raised for you by the passage you’ve selected?

THE SONGS OF INNOCENCE: CHIMNEY SWEEPER

The poem The Chimney Sweeper consists of a few young boys who live a challenging life as chimneysweepers, living in an unsanitary environment. The narrator of this poem is a young child speaks of how his father sold him to an employer to work. He names a few of his mates who also share the same catastrophic experience as he does. The names listed are Tom Dacre, Dick, Joe, Ned and Jack. Tom has a dream, which showed the chimneysweepers “locked up in black coffins”. “Black is a mysterious color that is typically associated with the unknown or the negative.”(Bourn)Furthermore, a coffin is a symbol of death. The children may not be locked up in coffins literally, however they are metaphorically, because they are not living their lives free willingly but rather encaged in an environment where they would not want to be. In Tom’s dream an angel comes with a bright key and unlocks the coffin and sets all the chimneysweepers free. I believe free is the keyword here. The angel then tells Tom Dacre if he is a good boy God will love him and he will never want joy. I believe that the dream helped lighten the days of the sweepers listed above, because they believed that they were no longer alone. However the freedom stated is only absolute after their death.

William Blake designed the engraving below to pair with the poem The Chimney Sweeper. The poem gives off a desolate impression, however the image below shows children with their hands in the air, one may consider that as a sign of celebration. Even though the narrator is one of the chimneysweepers most of the poem is abut Tom’s dream. The engraving shows many more children. Furthermore instead of an angel using a bright key to unlock the coffin and let the chimneysweeper go free as stated in the poem, there is a woman lowering a child into the coffin.

The prompts for your first formal essay, as well as other information you will need to complete this assignment, can be accessed by means of the “Essays” tab at the top of this page.

You will be writing an essay about a single text that we’ve read in the first part of the course, beginning with Feng Menglong’s “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger” up to and including William Blake’s poetry. The first step for you will be choosing which prompt you will be pursuing and which text you will be exploring.

These essays will be the outgrowth of your own close reading of the text, informed by our class discussions. You will NOT be consulting any secondary sources for this paper. Resist the temptation to look at any materials on line in an effort to get your own analytical process going, and keep in mind that should you include words or ideas that are not your own in your essay without crediting them to their source, your paper will receive an F, and you will be referred to the Dean’s Office for a violation of Baruch’s academic integrity policy.

Drafts of the essay must be submitted to me by email no later than 5 pm on Monday, October 17th. Mail your essay to [email protected]
The subject of the email should read: Your Name – Essay #1.

I will be providing feedback (but not line by line edits) on these drafts before October 24th, giving you plenty of time to address my feedback in the final version of your essay, which will be submitted via turnitin.com by October 31st.

I am also available to meet with you to discuss any aspect of the essay writing process during office hours or to answer questions via email. Some of you may choose to visit the Writing Center for extra support with this assignment. That is a great resource; be sure to leave yourself time to make an appointment if that’s something that interests you!

Can’t wait to read your work!!!