Frederick Douglass: Preface
Frederick Douglass was an African-American man who escaped from slavery and
became a leader of the abolitionist movement.
The preface of Frederick Douglass’ book is written by two famous abolitionists. They
wrote it mainly in order to prove that Douglass had written the book on his own, in spite
of being a slave. One of them tells us about the first time he heard Frederick Douglass
speaking in public, at an anti-slavery convention. Everyone was impressed by
Douglass's speech, mostly because he had witnessed and experienced the horrors of
slavery firsthand. That preface also points out how important it is that we are about to
read a book about slavery that was actually written by one of them.
Both abolitionists try to convince us that if a former slave can become as successful as
Douglass, slavery must be wrong.
What Frederick Douglass wrote in his book is an autobiography narrating his journey
from slavery to freedom, just as Harriet Jacobs would do some years later.
From my point of view, one of the most important elements developed within the
narrative is a scene in which the narrator explains how he came to be able to do
something that slave writers often declared was impossible: to read and write. It is
seems to me admirable how in spite of being in that horrible situation he shows this
eagerness to learn.
A comparison of the narratives of both Douglass and Jacobs demonstrates the full range
of situations that slaves could experience. The fugitive slave narrators were expected to
give accurate details of their experiences within bondage, emphasizing their sufferings
under cruel masters and the strength of their will to free themselves.
On the other hand, likewise Jacob focuses on sexual exploitation, Douglass focuses on
the struggle to achieve manhood and freedom. But while Douglass’s and Jacobs’s lives
might seem to have moved in different directions, it is nevertheless important not to
miss the common will that their narratives proclaim. They never lost their determination
to gain not only freedom from enslavement but also respect for their individual
humanity and that of other men and women.