Frederick Douglas: A View on the Effects of Slavery

A detailed Summary of Frederick Douglas: A View on the Effects of Slavery


In his essay "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave," Douglass discusses the effects of slavery on slaves themselves, but also on slave owners. Specifically, he focuses on how slavery affected Mrs. Auld, his master's wife. Mrs. Auld was from the North, and had never owned a slave before. When Douglass first came to live with her, she had been "preserved from the blighting light and dehumanizing effects of slavery." Slowly, Mrs. Auld became corrupted by the "irresponsible power" of owning a slave and her behavior was completely altered by this power. Through Mrs. Auld, Douglass illustrates to his reader how dehumanizing slavery is not only to the slave but to the slaveholder as well.

In describing his first encounter with Mrs. Auld, it seems Douglass is in awe of her presence, which has been untainted by


Through his writing, Douglass wants people to realize the horrible effects slavery has on all people. Slavery is not only damaging to its victims, but to any person who participates. Douglass says this about Mrs. Auld, "Slavery proved as injurious to her as it was to me." When Douglass was taken to be valued with the property of his former master, he remarked "...I saw more clearly then ever the brutalizing effects of slavery upon both slave and slaveholder. Douglass allows his readers to experience this through his eyes when they read of his life and his experience as Mrs. Auld's slave.

the power of slavery. According to Douglass, "The meanest slave was put fully at ease in her presence, and none left without feeling better for having seen her." Douglass sees her in a totally different light than any other white women he has ever me

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Approximate Word count = 572
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

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