When I found out that we were reading about Frederick Douglass I was very excited. The funny part is that it is Black history month so what better way than to start off early and read about Frederick Douglass an African American slave. I was very shocked at this narrative because it was the most descriptive peace about slavery that I have ever read. It was interesting from point A to point Z. It made me want to keep reading. This was the first time where i just wanted to keep reading because i was so interested.
The thing that made me sad about the life of Frederick is that he didn’t know his age. He said that most of the slaves didn’t know there age. To me this was very disturbing because this means that they weren’t treated like humans. They were born into slavery. The "white man" wasn’t courteous enough to give them a birth certificate. But then as the story went on, it got worst. Most of the slave’s didn’t know who there mothers were or siblings. I rather know my mother than not know my age. He describes his relationship with his mother as being very brief. He says that when his mother died when he was seven he " received the tidings of her death with much the same emotions he should have probably felt at the death of a stranger" that means that it didn’t hurt him, since he didn’t get to grow a bond with his mother her death wasn’t hard for him.
One thing that shocked me was the fact that the slave owners slept with the women slaves. The catch was that even though the child could have been of a master like Frederic he still was treated like a slave. As a future mother and teacher I didn’t like some of the things that Frederick experienced in his life it was very depressing. He was just a young boy and he experienced his aunt get whipped and others as well. That must have really messed him up emotionally and mentally. Now in day we can block certain things that children see on TV but Slaves like Frederick saw and experienced horrible beating.
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I couldn't believe that they didn't know their own age too. Also the description is the most traumatizing of all. When his aunt is being beaten is one of the worst things I've ever hear. I don't know how he made it through that.
I also found Fredericks writing to be very descriptive, and it was very hard for me to read about how violently slaves were treated. It also bothered me when Frederick wrote that he didn't no his age because he didn't know when his birthday was. I feel that everyone deserves to know their own age, but he was never given that. It also really upset me to read that the masters either slept with the female slaves, or hired someone to sleep with them to get them pregnant, just so they can gain more slaves. Slaves went thru so many hardships, and I still don't understand how a person can treat another person like that.
Knowing our birth date is just one thing we take advantage of. We don’t realize the little things in life that are important until we read things like this. Knowing our family, our birth date, and working for our own money are all things that we didn’t even think of before Fredrick Douglass. I’m curious did you not know that the slave master slept with their slaves. I know it’s not something that is in the history, but there are literature books that were available to me in Junior/high School that hinted to it. I can’t remember the title, but there was a book about Thomas Jefferson and his relationship with his slaves.
I agree that this is one of, if not the most graphic books about slavery I have ever read. I read it last semester as well in my history class, and even the professor said the book was one of the most graphic books that he had ever read about slavery (that is saying something).
I could not imagine what it would be like to not know my birthday; or even worse, my parents! From these details alone, one could imagine that this was not a very nice life... but then it gets worse. I must say the part where the aunt is being beaten was the most terrible thing I have ever read. I wanted to throw up and had to actually stop reading for a little while. That is descriptive!
I also thought it sad that they didnt know their own age, or mothers. we take for granted such knowlege that when we hear others being misinformed about such things it is shocking. I think that it must have been a form of control that the slave owners needed. they were so desperate to keep them as property that they needed to convince the slaves they were truly property and not human. what better way to do this then keep hidden the little things that we justify as human qualities. I think that this also had a big influence over his identity, it seemed he had barely any except for the name Frederick.
Wowi didn't even pay attention to the fact that it was Black Hisory Month, but that is pretty cool. I've read alot about slaves and their own accounts and, yes Frederick Douglass' was interesting but it wasn't the best in my own opinion. But it was interseting since I didn't really know anything about him to begin with. The fact that Douglass didn't know his age was kinda depressing and it would bother me to go through my life without knowing how old I really am. And also how they talk about the realtionship with the mother and how it was breif, i complete blame that on the slave owners, because they ripped them away from eachother. I liked the points that you made.
Taysha, I agee with what you have said about how Frederick Douglas grew up as a slave not knowing his mother or his age and it must have felt for him to live his life not knowing this. I couldn't imagine going through life with briefly knowing my mother. I wouldn't be able to accept it. I also thing that not knowing your age can really screw you up as a child. I mean in all honesty the years just go by and you never really know your age. The writings of Frederick Douglas were really good though i must admit. I enjoyed reading this i think the most so far and it is nice to read something so descriptive as well.
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