Frederick Douglass

Question 1

Douglass is born

Answer 1

1818

Question 2

Douglass dies

Answer 2

1895

Question 3

Narrative of the Life: full title

Answer 3

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself

Question 4

Narrative of the Life: trauma, nostalgia

Answer 4

Fear is what keeps slaves where they are

Question 5

Narrative of the Life: genre (cf. Franklin)

Answer 5

autobio

Question 6

Narrative of the Life: genre; fuses elements from

Answer 6

sentimental novel, spiritual conversion narrative, oratorical works, heroic fiction; an example of the use of popular genres for rhetorical effect

Question 7

Narrative of the Life: genre (single type of fiction)

Answer 7

Heroic fiction: stressing the counterfactual; if he had not moved to Baltimore, he would have remained a slave (he believes)

Question 8

Narrative of the Life: genre (main type, not autobio)

Answer 8

Slave narrative. Conventions?

Question 9

Narrative of the Life: tone and style

Answer 9

Romantic individualism

Question 10

Narrative of the Life: Douglass’s childhood

Answer 10

He does not know the date of his birth; doesn’t know his father and has faint memories of his mother

Question 11

Narrative of the Life: after his master’s death (a key moment in his early life)

Answer 11

After his master’s death, the slaves valued alongside the livestock

Question 12

Narrative of the Life: the slave-breaker

Answer 12

Mr. Covey (whippings, the bite, the 2-hour fight)

Question 13

Narrative of the Life: Mr. Covey

Answer 13

Religious man; the slave-breaker; weekly whippings; D bites his hand; 2-hour fight & Covey doesn’t tell out of shame

Question 14

Narrative of the Life: where does D go after Freeman’s plantation?

Answer 14

From Freeman’s plantation, goes back to Baltimore, becomes apprentice in shipyard under Mr. Gardener, where he is disliked by white apprentices

Question 15

Narrative of the Life: escapes to

Answer 15

New Bedford (keeps details of the route and means secret)

Question 16

Narrative of the Life: what are the key turning points for Douglass, in his narrative?

Answer 16

o Brutal whipping of Aunt Hester
o Physical altercation with Covey
o The gift of literacy
o Reaction Douglass had to receiving freedom in the North

Question 17

Narrative of the Life: how is D’s narrative made acceptable for publication?

Answer 17

through prefaces from Garrison and another abolitionist, Wendell Phillips

Question 18

Narrative of the Life: ethos, black writer, slave writer

Answer 18

Story must by made acceptable through prefaces from Garrison and another abolitionist, Wendell Phillips

Question 19

Narrative of the Life: reception

Answer 19

an instant bestseller: goes through five print runs; readerly skepticism/doubt

Question 20

Narrative of the Life: doubt, skepticism

Answer 20

Many don’t believe his stories—he’s too educated—they doubt the speeches. Margaret Fuller an advocate

Question 21

Narrative of the Life: Douglass’s condition as a slave

Answer 21

Some advantages compared to other slaves at the time, learned to read

Question 22

Narrative of the Life: what age does he escape?

Answer 22

20

Question 23

Narrative of the Life: Frederick’s name

Answer 23

Changed from Bailey to Douglass to protect his identity

Question 24

Narrative of the Life: 1840’s, works with Garrison in

Answer 24

the American Anti-Slavery Society

Question 25

Narrative of the Life: Garrison’s and others’ attitude toward D

Answer 25

o Garrison and others in the society often condescending—i.e. “leave out the philosophy & stick to the facts”

Question 26

Narrative of the Life: fleeing

Answer 26

Escapes slavery at 20 but also leaves continent for two years, until friends buy freedom

Question 27

Narrative of the Life: official freedom, Britain

Answer 27

-After his freedom purchased by two friends, comes back from Britain (after two years)

Question 28

Narrative of the Life: despite opposition from Garrison

Answer 28

starts his own newspaper in 1847, the North Star

Question 29

Narrative of the Life: North Star

Answer 29

Despite opposition from Garrison, starts this newspaper in 1847

Question 30

Narrative of the Life: newspaper

Answer 30

Despite opposition from Garrison, starts his own newspaper in 1847, the North Star

Question 31

Narrative of the Life: politics

Answer 31

D gets involved (some abolitionists were ideologically opposed to political involvement).

Question 32

Narrative of the Life: other major work

Answer 32

My Bondage and My Freedom in 1855, after break with Garrison (more personal, set after Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, after Uncle Tom’s Cabin, (1852))

Question 33

Narrative of the Life: My Bondage and My Freedom

Answer 33

Later, 1855 (more personal, set after Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, after Uncle Tom’s Cabin, (1852))

Question 34

Narrative of the Life: Civil War

Answer 34

D campaigns to make Civil War (1861) about abolition, and to allow black men to fight for the Union

Question 35

Narrative of the Life: Fugitive Slave Act

Answer 35

(“Bloodhound Law”), 1850: a compromise & effect of heightened Northern fears of a “slave power conspiracy”—escaped slaves must be returned.

Question 36

Narrative of the Life: returning escaped slaves

Answer 36

Fugitive Slave Act, 1850 (five years after Narrative)

Question 37

Narrative of the Life: published when

Answer 37

1845

Question 38

Narrative of the Life: Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854

Answer 38

Decade after Narrative. Railroad and farmland available in the area brings up expediency of determining whether or not the Missouri Compromise held in the new territory—voting decided by people pouring in from neighboring areas, (forcing out Native Americans)

Question 39

Narrative of the Life: name two laws put in place between Narrative and My Bondage and My Freedom. Discuss implication.

Answer 39

Fugitive Slave Act (1850); Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854). The tenacity required to continue fighting. Goes on into Civil War.