Frederick Douglass – an Incredible Journey from One Man’s Slave to Another Man’s Hero

Having learned how to read and write, Frederick Douglass changed himself from another mans slave into a widely respected writer. This freedom was set forth by his luck in receiving a mistress, Mrs. Auld, who would begin Douglass revelation of learning how to read and write. Reaching adulthood and fluency in English, Douglass perception of freedom changed. As a child, he could not really explain all of what he experienced and how he felt about himself, as a slave, in his earlier slave days in such a way that those who read his autobiography would ever understand completely. But as he matured and developed his linguistic skills, the essence of his thoughts, and the level of understanding had transformed his ideas of freedom.

Since birth, Frederick was immediately exposed to the harsh realities of slavery, which included being deprived of self-identity. I have no accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen any authentic record containing itit is the wish of most masters within my knowledge to keep their slaves thus ignorant(12). Forced to eat his meals of mush out of a trough, wearing nothing but a long, coarsely woven shirt, and being kept in complete mental darkness, Douglass was completely dehumanized even before he experienced the horrible violence of the slaveholders towards their slaves. Freedom was mentally shaped for slaves, as to prepare them for their long years of hard laborious service. Frederick was not allowed a family. Before her death, he rarely felt his mothers soothing presencetender watchful care (13). During his childhood, Douglass would experience more freedom than what he would get for many years after. Freedom abruptly ended with his introduction to the infamous slave fields.

At eight years old, Douglass left to Baltimore to live with a new family - the Aulds. In the 1800s, educational suppression was widely practiced by nearly all slaveholders. To do otherwise was unlawful, as well as unsafe, to teach a slave to read (29). Miraculously, Mrs. Auld taught Frederick the A, B, Cs along with writing three and four letter words. Her instruction was all it took for little Frederick to thrive and self-learn the rest. For a short period she was Fredericks prophetic angel. Mrs. Auld gave Douglass a gentle and sincere assurance that all whites were not as brutal as he had known or would learn. Learning about Fredericks scholastic lessons, Mr. Auld, quickly forbid his wife to instruct Douglass any further. If you give an nigger and inch, he will take an ell. A nigger should know nothing but to obey his masterlearning would destroy the best nigger in the world (29). Douglass was perplexed by Mr. Auld s words. The words mysteriously brought about a new train of thought into Douglass mind of existence (29). It answered all of his questions. It paved the road from slavery to freedom. More importantly, it was the foundation for Douglass strong will and unrelenting internal freedom.

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In January 1833, Douglass went to live with Mr. Covey. He was now for the first timea field hand (42). Douglass would feel the inescapable freedom of a true slave. How it felt to have the cowskin truly meet his flesh, inducing the flow of warm red blood. He felt the fatigue of the plantation fields and the hunger of starvation - all in remembrance to his earlier days in the city with the Aulds. After a severe, near death beating from Mr. Covey, Douglass was resolved to stand up for himself. In a quarrel with Mr. Covey, Douglass was about to endure another whipping. He snatched Mr. Covey hard by the throat; as he did, he rose and faced the snake (49). This battle with Mr. Covey was the turning point in Douglass career. It rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom (50). This revived self-confidence would keep Douglass away from the whipping-post.

A critical point in the development of Douglass maturity occurred when he left Mr. Covey to work for Mr. Freeland a self-righteous religionist. Amidst his new co-workers, Douglass succeeded in creating a strong desire to learn how to read (54). He would hold a Sabbath school every Sunday to spread his wealth of knowledge to his fellow slaves (55). He revolutionized a scheme to hold this school at the home of a colored free man. The news of his Sabbath school spread amongst slaves all around. The work of instructing my fellow-slaves was the sweetest engagement with which I was ever blessed (55). Although understanding the risk behind such an endeavor, Douglass loved to teach his class of nearly forty students. Douglass taught for over one year. He grew restless of being a slave. A feeble attempt to escape landed him in jail, where he would embark upon another step closer to becoming a free man.

Douglass moved back to Baltimore where he lived with Master Hugh. There he learned the trade of calking ships. This work of calking ships would fire Douglass to embrace freedom. Douglass was now someone of importance. He was able to command the highest wages given to the most experienced calkers (64). Master Hugh concocted a scheme to allow Douglass to seek his own employment. Douglass now tasted what it was like to be free. Although giving most of his earnings to master Hugh, Douglass realized his worth. This realization increased Douglass desire to be free. Like a careful technician, he planned his escape from slavery and succeeded.

A person is not always what society or others label him; the self can be completely independent and through education can accomplish anything. Undoubtedly Douglass was honored the special interposition of divine providence (28). It was his special destiny to be free as any individual in his time. Douglass went through a remarkable intellectual process to change from one mans slave into another mans hero. The course of living and learning, transformed the way Douglass thought. Due to his linguistic skills, giving Douglass the ability to express himself more clearly, his views towards slavery changed somewhat. This was evident from his descriptions of sadistic slavery into a temperate philosophical wrongness. Although being physically restrained and tortured most of his life, Douglass was free inside his heart. His internal strength was unstoppable. Unstoppable, like the evilness of slavery he had experienced.

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