The mix of excitement, loneliness, and fear Douglass feels shortly after arriving in New York is clearly illustrated through his use of diction throughout the excerpt. Once he arrives in New York, Douglass …show more content…
Shortly after, Douglass’ excitement leaves and he is unable to communicate with the others due to his fear of going back into slavery. He has “distrust” of every colored man, and thinks of every white man as an “enemy” who wants to send him back to his master. The use of the words enemy and distrust help to show that, at this point, he feels as if everyone is against him. This paranoia allows Douglass to isolate himself and makes it incredibly hard to make friends, which create his feelings of loneliness. Friendship, just like any relationship, requires trust, and his distrust, as also illustrated by his motto “trust no man,” doesn't allow for easy relations. Subsequently, because of his lack of trust and paranoia, Douglass is bound to feel lonely, since he is in an unfamiliar land and refuses to open up due to his fears of slavery. In addition, the memory of Douglass’ previous condition fuels this distrust by reminding him of the pain he went through. Douglass is “whip-scarred,” which left a permanent reminder of his life in slavery, as well as the pain and blood it put him through. The scars left on him only create more fears, as he