Rhetorical Devices in Frederick Douglass

A detailed Summary of Rhetorical Devices in Frederick Douglass

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs wield control over their audience because of the nature of the autobiography. Autobiographical works are biased in that only one point of view is presented, and that is the point of view of the protagonist. In the case of slave narratives, the tales recounted were often regarded with suspicion. Slaves were second class citizens as it was, and when stories were being printed drawing attention to the atrocities of slavery the lack of another point of view was often utilized as an excuse for what was printed by slave-owners and those aligned with slavery. Those pro-slavery would argue that either the slave's word could not be trusted or that an abolitionist movement wrote the slave's life story for him or her. The latter was the argument against Harriet Jacobs, who was not truly recognized as the author of her own biography until the 1980's. The same arguments were brought up against Frederick Douglass, whose narrative in 1845 was the first of its kind. In his narrative, Frederick Douglass told the story of his enslavement from birth to his eventual escape to the North and his freedom. Douglass is the sole voice in his piece

Douglass emphasizes the use of realistic scenes and images throughout his piece to show how brutal and inhumane the treatment of slaves were during the time of slavery. For example, Douglass takes the murder of a young girl and makes it a seemingly meaningless occurrence, because that is what it was at the time: "The wife of Mr. Giles Hick, living but a short distance from where I used to live, murdered my wife's cousin, a young girl between fifteen and sixteen years of age, mangling her person in the most horrible manner..." (15). This atrocious occurrence, which today would be headline news, was instead during the mid 19th century seemingly normal, although abolitionists would rightfully argue otherwise. Douglass does not over-emphasize the passage; instead, the passage does not receive any more information than any other moment in the piece.

In contrast to the realism that Douglass uses to illustrate the brutality of slave life, there are many episodes of romantic imagery in his narrative which alter the reaction of the audience. These passages of romanticism show to the reader that Douglass, while a former slave, is well educated. In addition to that, passages of romantic imagery serve as a Douglass' way of expressing his inner feelings and emotions, as another way of representing himself. For example, Douglass expresses his inner need for freedom and escape in an inner monologue he had as a young slave while staring out upon Chesapeake Bay. This passage is full of romantic ideals and imagery, such as its infatuation with nature and man's relationship with it: "You are loosed from you mooring, and are free; I am fast in my chains, and am a slave! You move merrily before the gentle gale, and I sadly before the bloody whip!" (38). Later on the same page, Douglass cries, "O that I could also go! Could I but swim! If I could fly! O, why was I born a man, of whom to make a brute!" Douglass, like many romantic writers, questions his place as it relates to the rest of the world, and especially nature.

Douglass illustrates the self-reliance of himself and his fellow slaves repeatedly in his narrative. This rhetorical device acts as a way to humanize the slaves, while those pro-slavery are doing their best to dehumanize them. The most notable figure of self-reliance in the piece is obviously Douglass, whom the reader is able to trace from humble beginnings as a slave to his eventual freedom. While Douglass is not able to describe the specific actions that enabled him to cross the Mason-Dixon Line into the North, because any such specifics could ruin other slaves chances of escape, he explains in great detail his development as a person. It is integral to the piece that Douglass' character be developed fully for the reader. Including episodes which detail his ability to conquer against tall odds is one way Douglass endears himself to the reader, and thereby can have an effect on how the reader reacts. This is also a way of representing himself: by showing how he can succeed despite being a slave, th

Some common words found in the essay are:
Douglass Covey, Instead Douglass, Auld Douglass', Douglass Jacobs, Captain Auld, Harriet Jacobs, Chesapeake Bay, Giles Hick, Thoreau Emerson, Baltimore Douglass, fellow slaves, rhetorical device, frederick douglass, romantic imagery, rhetorical devices, freedom douglass, douglass control, realistic images brutality, represented audience, dichotomy douglass, passages romantic, passages romantic imagery, self-reliance fellow slaves, inhumane treatment slaves, douglass control represented,

Approximate Word count = 2037
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: People