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In his preface to the Narrative, William Lloyd Garrison approves of the author’s "manliness." Throughout the Narrative, Douglass himself gives constant attention to his desire to not only prove that he is human but also to prove that he is a "man." What assumptions about gender (gender = what sort of expected cultural behaviors make a person masculine or feminine) are revealed by a close reading of the Narrative? In other words, what does it mean to be a "man" (or to be "womanly"—cf. his description of Sophia Auld)?

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In addition to his own slave narrative, Frederick Douglass also narrates parts of the lives of fellow enslaved people, such as those Douglass tells about enslaved women. How does the narration on the enslaved women fit into or play a role in his own narrative? Why do you think he chooses to include them? Or what do these stories help us understand about Douglass’s own experience?

*include your name in your response

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In much of our literature thus far we have discussed the tension between self and community (we’ve seen this in both Oedipus and Frankenstein). How does Douglass represent himself in relation to community? State the various communities that Douglass identifies in his text. To what degree is he a part of these communities; to what degree is he isolated from them? Why is this important to his narrative?

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Hailey Preston

English

20th Feb 2025

Journal: Frederick Douglass and Themes

Journal Option 2
Theme: Feminism
How does the narration on the enslaved women fit into or play a role in his own narrative? Why do you think he chooses to include them? Or what do these stories help us understand about Douglass’s own experience?

Frederick Douglass’ inclusion of women who were slaves and what they experienced has a significant role to play in his story. Even though he lays focus on his journey towards gaining autonomy, his explanations of enslaved women show the distinct kinds of suffering they experienced. Specifically extreme physical abuse, family separation, and sexual violence too. by incorporating such stories, his points against slavery were strengthened, highlighting that the system did not just promote forced labor, but brutally dehumanized and exploited individuals in diverse ways depending on their gender. These stories include depth to his personal narrative by depicting how women’s suffering, influenced his comprehension of slavery’s injustice and cruelty.

Douglass possibly includes the narratives due to different reasons. The first possibility is that the stories may be used to solidify his abolitionist message by appealing to the audience’s emotions, specifically white women’s emotions – the ones who partook in the developing abolitionist movement. The second reason is that his aim is to expose the whole extent of the brutality of slavery, specifically the manners in which enslaved females were specifically susceptible to violence. By narrative their ordeals, he makes sure that their brutal experiences is neither forgotten nor ignored. By showing the enslaved women’s abuse, the author appeals to the audience’s morality and empathy, rendering it challenging for the audience to disregard or justify slavery. Lastly, Douglass may have incorporated such stories since they were individually important to him; for instance, Harriet, his mother, was enslaved, and before she died, he rarely got to see her. The fact that she was not present possibly impacted his comprehension of the breaking of family ties under slavery, thus rendering the women’s enslavement and their suffering very personal to him.

The narratives of enslaved women assist us comprehend Douglass’ individual experience in numerous ways. For instance, they offer context for the psychological and emotional effect of slavery, depicting that Douglass did not just see them suffering, but was so affected adversely by other people suffering. For instance, when he tells the story of his aunt Hester’s brutal beating, he divulges the horror that enslaved people faced, including him. Witnessing such brutality on first hand basis possible drove his desire to escape the terror and fight for its abolishment. Furthermore, the stories show the significance of family and the adverse impacts of separation, a fact that he experienced personally when they separated him from his mother as an infant. His decision of including the stories implies that he understood slavery as an act that did not just break human dignity and relationships, but it also exploited labor. Finally, by showing the diverse challenges of such women, the author highlights a bigger awareness of brutality and oppression, which is aligned with early feminist ideologies and promotes the idea that real freedom needs everyone to be free and have full autonomy, regardless of whether it is man or woman.

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Maggie Faust: Frederick Douglass Journal

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Maggie Faust: Frederick Douglass Journal

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Frederick Douglass includes stories of enslaved women in his narrative to highlight the unique brutality they faced under slavery, particularly sexual exploitation and intimate violence. For example, the story of his Aunt Hester, who suffers violent punishment, illustrates the cruelty women endured. This emphasizes that women were especially vulnerable to abuse in private, gendered ways that were different from the public suffering of enslaved men.

Douglass uses these stories to deepen the reader's understanding of slavery's pervasive cruelty, showing that it stripped enslaved people of dignity and humanity. He contrasts his own struggles with those of women, demonstrating that their suffering was often more private and harder to resist.

These women’s stories also reflect Douglass’s empathy and broader commitment to freedom. He frames his narrative as a collective struggle, not just his own. Including women’s experiences highlights that abolition is necessary for all, as slavery harms everyone but especially women. Douglass’s inclusion of these stories strengthens his argument for universal abolition.

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Douglass' narrative reveals that being a "man" meant much more than physical strength it was about asserting one’s humanity, dignity, and moral courage despite the dehumanizing conditions of slavery. In his view, a true man was someone who resisted oppression, maintained self respect, and fought to prove his worth in a society that denied him both freedom and basic human rights

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Frederick Douglass included stories of Enslaved women to show the struggles they would go through. Physical abuse, sexual violence are all an example of that. He chose to highlight their story to reveal the cruelty of what they had to deal with. This also help us see injustice in Douglass eyes, and not from his personal experience. This can make him argument and stand for freedom even stronger.

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In Fredricks's narrative he includes the stories of women in his life, to show what other freedoms especially for women who were enslaved were lost as well. They had no control over their own bodies, or their children. The first example of Fredrick mentioning women in slavery is his mother, she lost all connection with her son and was unable to even get to know her own child. She was barely able to see him for 4- 5 times in his entire life and as he describes it was only at night when he was going to sleep. The physical and emotional abuse of women is also portrayed when he speaks about his Aunt and the brutal attack she had to endure. this is to show that not only was he subjected to this horrifying and injust treatments but women were also disrespected and mistreated just as terribly.

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Nolan Parrett: Douglass providing information about different slaves help so us the full extent of what happened during the time, especially women. He shows us that women who were slaves had to endure even more than other slaves. Along with the physical and mental abuse they also had to deal with sexual abuse. Also any women who were mothers were usually separated from their children and they would never see them again. It shows how evil that the people of the time were and really gives you a deep understanding of how gruesome it was.

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Stella Spriggs:

The narration of how enslaved women were treated adds a broader perspective on how African Americans were treated, regardless of their gender. Examples like his Aunt Hester being whipped show the cruel punishments these individuals had to endure. This not only highlights the physical abuse that Frederick Douglass experienced but also the abuse he had to witness at such a young age. While his aunt was being stripped naked, tied up, and whipped, Douglass hid in the closet, terrified of what would happen to him if he were to be found. This helps illustrate the violence he experienced and his desire to escape slavery.

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Douglass adds the information about women to show a broader aspect of what all slaves had to endure regardless of their gender. As he is a man he added this piece about women to give us a better understanding of what life was like for both genders. He gives examples of what the women had to endure like the men; physical like being whipped and starved, but also mental as families were torn apart due to mother and children being seperated at a young age. Though men may not have experienced it, women were also often sexually abused. Overall this adds depth to Douglass' situations but gives us an outlook through other perspectives.

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The idea of "Manliness" throughout Douglass' Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave adds to gendered assumptions relative to the fact that Douglass is always trying to prove his humanity and proper intentions and what it means to be a man relative to gendered expectations of the time—a time steeped in brutality through violent, oppressive circumstances like slavery. From a close reading of the text, gendered assumptions include:Manhood and the Power to be Dehumanized. Slavery dehumanized a man to such an extent that it was better to be dehumanized as a man. In Chapter 10, Douglass engages in fisticuffs with Mr. Covey, and his reasoning as a man is that he will not let another mandehumanize him. Such an occurrence reinforces an ideological framework that the reformed man is powerful and does not let his masculine rage be overtaken by another's masculine rage.Self-Sufficient/Self-Reliant Independence: Another attribute that exists to prove that Douglass is manly is his independence and reliance upon self. He wants to learn how to read; he wants to read; he wants to be free; he wants to teach himself how to makemoney—all things a man should want. The narrative supports manliness through such a sense of ownership over one's self and the ability to forge one's future.Educated/Skilled Union: Education and skills are characteristics that Douglass champions from the identity of someone who should be considered human, let alone a man. He learns how to read and write and wields such weapons against slavery and to prove that he's no different than any other white man. The narrative champions men being educated and skilled.Dignity and Manhood: Ultimately, the tale is one of dignity and manhood for Douglass does everything in his power to avoid becoming anything less than a man. Even when he defensively succumbs for a brief time—compounded by the atrocities of slavery—into some of the vices that men do against him, it's only to elevate his own morality. He merely wants to be a good man. Where the title suggests that when people are treated as less, they are not men.Yet, where Douda uses imagery surrounding women, such as Sophia Auld, they become linked to the idea of امرأة cultural expectations of women. Auld, Douglass' well-intentioned female in his life, represents what should be the ignorant, feminine reaction of sympathy and softness. Yet, when she succumbs to slavery's possibility—turning into the wicked, slave-driving slave mistress—it's evident that the degradation of female gender roles can get no worse.

Ultimately, what we learn from Douglass' autobiography is an understanding of "manliness" during this time that derived from physicality, the potential to be a slave master and violent, the ability to provoke and defend, the acknowledgement of class and race—and ultimately, the awareness of self as a human. These attributes were essential to maintain people as men and women—not animals stripped of their humanity as evidenced through the abuses of slavery.

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I believe he included the women so that people would understand the overall impact slavery had on them as a whole. As well as woman would often be taken advantage of. I believe in doing that he did in fact show the overall impact slavery had showing both sides.

Rebecca Lancaster

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The Hero’s Journey (Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Part 1) - The Norton Library Podcast

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In Part 1 of our discussion on the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, we welcome editor Joshua Bennett to discuss Douglass’s Narrative as a type of hero’s journey, Douglass’s political project in writing the book, and how Douglass closes…

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How to Read, How to Feel (Narrative of Frederick Douglass, Part 2) - The Norton Library Podcast

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In Part 2 of our discussion on Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, editor Joshua Bennett discusses the cover of the Norton Library edition, approaching the text as history and as literature, how Douglass teaches us to read, the musicality…