Due: December 16th, 2013
Fredrick Douglass Analysis
Fredrick Douglass narrates his novel using ethos, logos and pathos, all of which help him to establish credibility, emotion, and a personal connection with the reader. Through Douglass’ use of example which appeal to all three, the reader can find a substantial amount examples which appeal to pathos, which helps Douglass to establish not only a connection with the reader, but to emit emotion from them as well.
Douglass uses personal experiences in order to have the reader relate directly to Douglass’ life. Through these personal experiences, the reader sees many examples of pathos, from his early childhood all the way to his adulthood. The reader sees examples of this …show more content…
Within just a few pages, Douglass established his powerful argument, while more than one- fourth of the novel contains examples of gruesome events such as slaves being beaten, battered, and even killed. Through these horrific events, readers are made to cringe, envisioning what it was like to go through the hardships of slavery. By using an extensive amount of appeal, the reader becomes emotional to the horrors of slavery, and the reprimandings that slaves received. On page 22, Douglass recalls a former slave who was his wife’s cousin, who was beaten so brutally that she was actually killed. For someone to be sold into slavery, against their will, and then killed simply because she fell asleep due to previous nights lack of sleep, is absolutely unimaginable, and is seen as evil to any reader, regardless of age. This story is an example of Douglass establishment of pathos, and how he appeals to the reader’s emotions in his argument against slavery. Douglass appeals to pathos again on page 59 when he recalls a beating he was given by his new master, Mr. Covey. Douglass uses vivid details referring to the blood that would drip down his back, and the whip, which would cause ridges on his flesh. By using these vivid examples, the reader feels as if the actions are being performed on them, and that their raw flesh is being whipped. Douglass logically