Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey Essay -- Auto Biography

Douglass wrote his narrative to persuade his readers of the evils of slavery. Using carefully chosen examples from the book explain how Douglass developed his story so that it was an effective attack on slavery. In other words, make clear how each example specifically contributes to his argument against slavery. Do not just list examples of the horrors of slavery; explain how Douglass uses them in his argument. Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey was born in Tuckahoe, Talbot County, Maryland, in February, 1817. His mother's name was Harriet, his father was unknown, but thought to be Aaron Anthony, his master. Fredrick Bailey later became Fredrick Douglass upon his freedom. Douglass’s auto biography not only tells his life story, but persuaded readers of the time toward abolition. Douglass poses many arguments against slavery, and appeals to his reader’s emotions and conscience. Douglass first and most importantly uses truth of his experience to persuade his readers. No second telling of white man’s sympathetic witness can compare to depth of the words of a slave himself. His skill as a writer has great influence in shining a light on his truth. The truth is his thread, and his skill weaves his life’s story into a beautiful flag for freedom. With his talent, he uses several arguments against slavery such as; emotionally wrenching trauma, ,immoral degradation, power poisoning of the spirit of the slave owners ,religious hypocrisy, waste of human potential, and dispels the myth that an economy cannot prosper without slavery. His mere intellectual prowess was in and of itself an argument against slavery, as it was believed in his era that blacks were not capable of complex intellectual thought. Blacks were often not seen as hum... ...hould be free, but withheld from connection from the very people that could support him, broke my heart, as I suspect it had the same effect on the readers at the time. Douglass eventually is helped, and is able to ease his fears slightly. In this chapter he also marvels at the wealth. He has suspected that New Bedford would be a poor country. To his surprise he found great abundance, and evidence of wealth that even succeeded the wealth of Maryland. By pointing out the economical abundance of the non-slave holding state, he was making the argument that slavery was not needed to have a profitable country. All of these arguments were valid, and he subtly wove them into his strong narrative. His eloquence of speech and triumph of spirit were alone an argument against slavery. I am thankful to have read such a remarkable book. The power of his words is timeless.