When reading a work of fiction, readers are compelled to interpret symbols throughout the story. Cause for interpretation in novels is purposeful by the author to switch on the reader’s imagination. In doing so, in most cases, the author merely hints the symbol’s meaning, leaving the reader to digest and interpret the symbol by themselves. When reading Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, the reader cannot forget that this is not only a nonfiction autobiographical narrative, but also a critical piece of the puzzle to abolishing slavery in America. Frederick Douglass does not leave the reader open for any such interpretation. Instead, he spoon-feeds the reader exactly what he is thinking with no chance for misrepresentation of an argument he is attempting to tell.

“Our house stood within a few rods of Chesapeake Bay, whose broad bosom was ever white with sails from every quarter of the habitable globe. Those beautiful vessels, robed in purest white, so delightful to the eye, of freemen, were to me so many shrouded ghosts, to terrify and torment me with thoughts of my wretched condition.” (264)

At this point in the narrative, Frederick Douglass has tasted a small portion of what it is to be a free man through experiencing education. Educating a slave was forbidden, yet he was able to find a way to read and begin to learn to write. This small bite of intellect swung the doors open to what it may be like to be free. Seeing these ships in what seems like a beautiful picturesque landscape, roaming freely in the harbor is even more painful to him now because of this taste of education. The opportunity he strove for that was bitterly taken away when he left Baltimore now haunts him (“shrouded ghosts”) and is so close physically yet so far in practicality. After reading this section of the story, I thought it was a gold mine to interpret, thinking I finally found what I can sink my teeth into as a blog post. But no, Frederick Douglass took it upon himself to take my opportunity to interpret away by following with a clear and concise explanation of exactly how he felt in that moment. I was very annoyed. But then I figured out exactly why he went ahead and explained it all himself. Frederick Douglass goes on to explain:

(Speaking of the ships) “You are loosed from your moorings, and are free; I am fast in my chains, and am a slave! You move merrily before the gentle gale, and I sadly before the bloody whip! You are freedom’s swift-winged angels, that fly round the world; I am confined in bands of iron! O that I were free!” (265)

This was an obvious interpretation. A reader might think it was unnecessary to state these obvious feelings of jealousy towards a free sailing ship from a chained up slave. But something a reader must remember is that this narrative had a purpose. Frederick Douglass did a fantastic job captivating the reader with graphic details and a story of survival, but the goal to be achieved here is to abolish slavery. Frederick Douglass wanted the reader to stand in his shoes, feel the sweat dripping down his neck, and sink in his/her seat when realizing exactly how a slave felt in those times, with no room for error in understanding what happened to a slave in the South.