Notes: The Slave Narrative Overview

The Slave Narrative Definition and Purpose Themes Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Defining Slave Narratives Slave narratives can be defined as the personal experiences of slaves before and after the Civil War (1865) Generally they include the experiences of African-Americans who have escaped from slavery

Purpose of Slave Narratives Attempted to arouse sympathy of readers in order to promote humanitarianism Emphasized traditional Christian religious ideas Showed acceptance of the ideals of dominant whites Emphasized the cruelty of slave owners Targeted white audiences

Timeline of Slave Narratives Loss of Innocence: Awareness of what it means to be a slave Realization of alternatives to bondage: The determination to be free The Escape Freedom Obtained

Themes/Motifs Exposure to physical, sexual, and emotional abuse Dehumanization: Comparison of slaves to other forms of life (ex. Cattle, pigs) Determination to write and read Vignettes of other characters succeeding and failing Includes the loss of family members and the destruction of family ties

Frederick Douglass Life as a Slave Awareness and Education Escape Activism

Life as a Slave Douglass’s narrative appeals to the human emotion (PATHOS) in his descriptive account of the slave experience. Includes vivid descriptions of physical and emotional abuse Captures scenes of life on the plantation Makes reference to the destruction of family ties

Education/Awareness Slaves were prevented from obtaining an education The awareness of education gave a slave freedoms limited by society Douglass’s education forced him to become more aware of the limitations placed on him by slavery

ESCAPE Douglass’s frustration with the slave system intensified with his education Douglass’s educational knowledge contributed to his desire to escape slavery His awareness of the freedoms that were taken away from him contributed to his desire to escape

ACTIVISM After his escape, Douglass worked to abolish slavery Douglass published an abolitionist paper called the North Star He spoke publicly about the flaws of slavery Worked for the Underground Railroad Recruited soldiers for Civil War to fight for equal treatment of blacks

Preface Questions Why is Frederick Douglass nervous to speak in front of the audience at the convention? Who is Douglass compared to and what allusion reference is being made? Some people claim that Africans that were brought to American were better off. This story reflects this thought, but with a twist. What is the twist? What is the purpose of this story? What is Garrison trying to prove with this story?