A Quest for Selfhood Essay

In The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass An American Slave, Frederick Douglass effectively describes his escapes from slaveh elderers through his intellectual literacy. In virtue of his experience as an enslaved man, Douglass writes ab forth the abuse he suffers for existence African American. He writes his narrative for the general globe including slaves, to show the slaveholders wrongdoings. Douglass portrays the embarrassing treatment of slaves to express inhumane conditions, which they face repeatedly. throughout the novel Douglass is open to persuade his registerers that slavery is cruel and an immoral act, through the use of optic tomography, situational irony, and dinner dress diction. Through the use of visual imagery, Douglass is able to persuade the mankind that the physical scars from slave have dehumanizing effects by describing brutality, and human degradation.On one of Douglasss first accounts, he describes his gets expiration by stating I was no t on the wholeowed to be present during her illness, at her death, or burial (Page 18). This incident relates to pathos because it reveals Douglasss lack of interaction with his mother and the isolation he endures in the early stages of his life, which emotionally draws the reader into realizing the mental afflictions of slavery. As well as his mothers passing, Douglass utilizes visual imagery to account for the last long time of his frail grandmother If my poor old grandmother now lives, she lives to suffer in utter loneliness she lives to cogitate and mourn over the loss of children (Page 56). Douglass exposes how little sympathy slaveholders possess towards slaves. ocular imagery of this incident persuades the reader of slaverys savagery because it is sack that Douglass is kept away from the people whom he loves, and is forced to feel aught but sorrow.Due to the restrictions from slavery, Douglass copes with his aches by describing clear details of the worst days of his li fe. Likewise, Douglass presents the remorseless treatment of slaves through the use of situational irony. A representation of this is shown indoors old Barney and young Barney-father and son. He says They were frequently whipped when leastdeserving, and escaped trounce when most deserving it (Page 30). Douglass explains that living in a constant defer of fear, the boys are never safe from severe punishment regardless of doing everything theyre told. Douglass alike uses logos to convince the public that slaveholders are not exposed of managing others because they dont have moral sense. Additionally, Douglass elaborates another situational paradox when he fights back against Mr. Covey From this time I was never again what magnate be called fairly whipped, though I remained a slave four-spot years afterwards. I had several fights, but was never whipped (Page 75).Douglasss ferocious determination for freedom results in respect from his slaveholder, which is unbelievable and con tradictory to slavery overall. Because of the situational irony from the events prior, Douglass is able to express how irresponsible slaveholders are to be manipulating slaves. Furthermore, formal diction is most prominent is Douglasss narrative because it describes most of the details. despite his restrictions, Douglasss strong desire for education allows for gains in his knowledge, to which is distinct through his writing skills. Douglasss intellectual literacy not only distresses the general public towards slavery, but mesmerizes them to conceive the idea on how he made it out alive. A prime example of formal diction is shown when describing Mr. Austin battue Mr. Hopkins was succeeded by Mr. Austin Gore, a man possessing, in an eminent degree, all those traits of character indispensable (Page 33)He claims that the first-rate overseer, Mr. Gore is superior and honor because of his highly callous acts. Thus, Douglass is able to address a highly ameliorate audience such as the r eaders of this academic narrative. He then adds, expiry to live at Baltimore laid the foundation, and opened the gateway, to all my subsequent successfulness (Page 41). In other words, Douglass desperately wishes for freedom, and is able to fulfill his fortune at Baltimore. Formal diction allows Douglass to put his eloquent vocabulary to use. Although Frederick Douglass was an enslaved man, he teaches himself to read and write.He uses his intellectual gains of writing as a way to portray his brutal life, and explains the struggles he goes through to now being Americas role as the most famous African American slave. Throughout the narrative, he uses rhetorical devices to personify the thoughts that go through his mind as a slave. He also uses figurative language to vividly illustrate the hardshipsof being African American with the use of visual imagery, situational irony, and formal diction. These devices also make the tortures of being a slave more understandable and tardily to co mprehend. His eloquent literacy continues to be relevant in both history and the juvenile world today.