Amy B and Matt T.
Who were Douglass’s parents? Why is this significant question?
Douglas’s mother was a colored slave and his father was a white slave owner. His father was most likely his mother’s master. Douglas’s mother was a field hand and lived twelve miles away. Douglass was separated from his mother when he was an infant.
This is a significant question due to Douglas was half black and half white he was in the middle of two worlds. He was lighter than the other children and was treated somewhat different. “Their backs had been made familiar with the bloody lash, so that they had become callous; mine was yet tender.”(951 ) Douglas having a slave mother and slave owner for a father sets the tone for his thoughts of slavery for his entire life. He also witness some brutal whippings performed by his masters when he was very young. When he witnesses these events like his Aunt Hester being whipped, it seemed to just keep intensify his initial hatred towards the cruelty of slavery. I thought it was interesting when he said “slaveholders have ordained, and by law established, that the children of slave women shall in all cases follow the condition of their mother” (pg 932). Even if his father/master wanted to keep him as a son and not a slave, he couldn’t by law with other owners.
His mother must have been a motivated woman because, after she was hired by another owner, she walked twelve miles to Douglass’s home and twelve miles back one night in order to see him. Douglass seemed to be a motivated young man set forth by example of his mother as well with age may have taught him that you can accomplish goals but you might have to put in the extra effort.
Later on in his childhood, Mrs. Auld started teaching him to read and Mr. Auld said “it was unlawful, as well as unsafe to teach a slave to read…if you give a n—r an inch, he will take an ell.”(pg 947). This being told he wasn’t allowed to learn to read, but this made Douglass want to work even harder and put in the extra effort to learned how to read on his own. I think having a hard working and motivated mother probably contributed to accomplishments like this.
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The question that was posed for your group was a very significant question, and I feel that you did a thorough job summarizing the topic. Like you have said, his mother was black and his father was white, quick side note, this reminds me of Jacobs, “from Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” when she tells her master that she will become a mother soon. Back on topic, “he was in the middle of two worlds” was a powerful statement and I completely agree, he was treated a little different than most were. Also, the bloody whippings that he had witness as a child was stored in the character long-term memory very vividly.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your view that, it is significant that Douglass was half black and half white. According to Douglass, “the master is frequently compelled to sell” his own mulatto children because “he must not only whip them himself, but must stand by and see one white son tie up his brother, of but few shades darker complexion than himself, and ply the gory lash to his naked back” (932). For a similar reason, it is presumed that his father Anthony sent Douglass to Baltimore. In addition Douglass writes, “There were a number of slave children that might have been sent from the plantation to Baltimore. There were those younger, those older, and those of the same age. I was chosen from among them all, and was the first, last, and only choice” (944). He might have received special treatment from his master, rather than “a special interposition of divine Providence” (944).
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ReplyDeleteI agree with the fact that Douglas was caught between two worlds. I also think he was treated a little differently because his skin was a little lighter than that of some of his peers. I found it interesting that he was so estranged from his brothers. He talked about his siblings like they were just any other slave living there. The only emotional connection I found in the reading is that of his mother. He described how she walked twelve miles just to see him. He talked about his Aunt Hester being whipped and how it was difficult for him to see that. I think Douglas was kind of a loner. He didn’t seem to want to form any attachments to people on the farm.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason they were probably sent away is so the master's wife wouldn't have to be reminded all the time that her husband fathered a black child and was unfaithful to her. Douglas also stated that his grandmother and grandfather were lighter than his mother. Possibly, his grandmother and grandfather had some White in them too. This didn't seem to be uncommon at that time. Wasn't it Thomas Jefferson who had a colored child or children and it was brought out a few years ago? Like you say, even though he didn't know his mother very well--he only saw her four or five times in his life--he knew that she loved him. Walking 24 miles round trip during the night just to be with him for a short time after probably working a long day, and then having to be back to work early in the morning,shows how she cared for him. If she was caught, she may have been whipped. Douglas was actually luckier than a lot of the slaves. Many didn't know either parent or any relatives as they were sent far away. He also must have known his grandmother and grandfather. He also knew his Aunt Hester. In "Uncle Tom's Cabin" where the child is taken from the mother while the mother steps away for a few moments shows how horrible these situations were.
ReplyDeleteDouglas’ story is a common one of this era, a slave owner saw it as “increasing his property” by fathering children of his slaves. As stated in Douglas’ narrative these children were treated very badly especially by the owner’s wife because they were the result of their husband’s infidelity. I found more appalling than anything because effectively the slave owners were selling their own children into slavery just to make money. The story of Douglas’ mother is also a common one in terms of separating mother and child but she seems to have been an exceptional woman for all she did to see her son at night.
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