The Injustice of Slavery

The Narrative of Frederick Douglass is used to shine a light on some of the horrific actions that were taken against American Slaves. I found it quite sad to know that most slaves did not know about something as simple as their age. L That really broke my heart when I read that!! I also found it quite troubling that slave owners purposely keep slaves ignorant so they could control them. This narrative is also an argument against the statement that all Blacks are inferior to Whites. Douglass demonstrates that slavery is keep going by strategies of control not by natural superiority of Whites. Also while reading this narrative; you get a sense of just how evil slavery really was. In the first chapter, Douglass goes into great detail about slave women being forced to have sex with their master. This act was one of the many ways slave owners used to dehumanize and degrade slaves. Douglass uses very graphic imagery when describing the scene with Captain Anthony and Aunt Hester.( The use of vivid or figurative language to represent objects, actions, or ideas.)  He describes the brutal act very vividly. By using this imagery, the reader is able to sympathize and also become aware of the harshness of slavery.  Douglass continues to describe different events of abuse to slaves in chapters three and four. Sometimes this narrative almost feels like a novel instead of an autobiography because of the description of actions against other slaves. I think maybe Douglass does this to help the reader understand that not only did he have to suffer through such hardships but many, many other people suffered this same fate as well. I think the main theme of this narrative is the injustice of slavery. (A subject of artistic representation.) Douglass describes many slaves being murder; and no consequences against their killers. For example, Mr. Gore murders a slave for not returning out of the water once he had been beaten. Douglass uses a very ironic tone when describing Mr. Gore. (Poignantly contrary to what was expected or intended) Douglass describes Mr. Gore as a first rate over-seer. This plays on the injustice theme, because only a person with no sense of justice would agree with this statement.