Analyze The Changes In Frederick Douglass's Life

The Life of Frederick Douglass In the early years of Frederick Douglass’s life, Douglass witnessed many life changing events that would ultimately inspire him to become one of the top abolitionists. Around the age of eight years old, Douglass was sent to live with Mr. And Mrs. Auld in Baltimore, Maryland. While living with the Auld’s, Douglass had his first thoughts of freedom being a possibility for him and experienced one of his earliest life changing events. According to Douglass in chapter 6, his new mistress, Mrs. Auld, “very kindly commenced to teach me the A, B, C.” and “assisted me in learning to spell words of three or four letters” (Ch. 6, p. 48). During this learning process, Mr. Auld found out of his wife’s involvement and the
By the time he was twelve he had been sent to live with, professor of religion and poor farm-renter, Mr. Covey. Covey was notorious for taking slaves from different slaveholders “for the sake of training” (Ch.9 pg.69). While living with Covey, he underwent being a field hand for the first time. Being a first-time field hand meant experiencing severe whippings. One specific beating left a sour taste in his mouth, but lead to his next glimmer of hope. While working alongside three other men on the hottest day in August 1833, Douglass fell ill, so ill he could barely stand on his feet; Consequently, Covey beat him so horribly he was bleeding not only from his side but from his head. On his hike, back from talking to Master Thomas, he encountered another slave that gifted him a “root” of protection. To Douglass, I believe this root was the sign of hope that he needed to stand up to not only Mr. Covey but to all slaveholders. Eventually, Douglass got his hands-on Covey then, gave him a taste of his own medicine; This event scared startled Mr. Covey so much he “trembled like a leaf” (Ch. 10 pg. 81). I believe this event was significant to Douglass because, it gave him a taste of what freedom was to not take orders from any slaveholder. I also believe Douglass was proud of himself for showing the slaveholders what it’s like to be in the hands of another person and have no control over what comes next.
This holds true in the case of Sophia Auld, who at first showed everyone the kindness of her heart but, quickly realized the importance of slavery that if you want to keep your slaves and property of top quality you must be mean. Slaveholders often had a competition between each other as to who could have the best plantation with the best slaves. This competition translates throughout the slaves as well, like when Colonel Lloyd’s slaves met the slaves of Jacob Jepson. In chapter 3 page 35, Douglass describes how it wasn’t uncommon for slaves to “quarrel among themselves about the relative goodness of their masters…”. Douglass notes the differences between city and plantation slaves. City slaveholders treated their slaves as “almost a freeman” (Ch 6. pg. 49) while plantation slaves were treated as if they lived in a concentration camp. He also explains the sense of shame he can see within city slaveholders, further supporting the thought of slaveholders being born courteous but raised by cruel ideals. For example, an owner such as Colonel Lloyd or Mr. Severe would have no problem beating a slave with a leather whip, whereas a newly exposed slaveholder in the city may be more cautious because they don’t want their neighbors to hear the cry of the slaves. Slave-owners such a Mr. Severe would often take out their sexual frustrations, or possible