Great Works of Literature II

Fredrick Douglass: The Speaker and Representative for the Slaves

Frederick Douglass’s life just like any other slave suffered a great deal of inhumane acts. Before I read this, I thought I knew enough about slavery because slavery is always mentioned in my history classes. Now that I have come across this autobiography with clear details on exactly what the slaves have to endure, I can’t help but want to curse at how heartless the white people were back then. How can someone “seemed to take pleasure in manifesting his fiendish barbarity?” How would you like it if I beat you like that and enjoyed it with popcorn in my hands? This definitely reminded me of the Great Inquisitor in Candide because he also enjoyed watching Jews burned alive while having refreshments. It’s a good thing that Douglass learned how to read and from the Hugh family in Baltimore so that the gruesome of slavery is finally published and shared. It’s enough that slaves did not have knowledge, beds, and good amount of food. But not knowing their birthdays and separating children from their parents is totally wrong. Who doesn’t need family love and warmth? I know I do. Douglass’s mother’s death was no more than a stranger’s death. He was also separated from his siblings and grandmother, who later dies alone in a hut. Beating the slaves without punishment is another thing, but killing the slaves and getting out of it is just the worst. Demby, one of Colonel Lloyd’s slaves, who got shot by Mr. Gore for not coming out of the creek for a beating. Douglass’s wife’s cousin who was around fifteen to sixteen was beaten to death by Mrs. Hicks just because she fell asleep and did not hear the baby cry after not having sleep the previous nights. Douglass may have learned knowledge, but sometimes he wished he was simple minded like other slaves because “it opened his eyes to the horrible pit, but to no ladder upon to which to get out. In moments of agony, I envied my fellow-slaves for stupidity.” Even though Douglass had to deal with the ruthless white men, his writings will help the public open their own eyes to how slavery is not only wrong, but also against God’s will.