Douglass?s new subject matter, a true first hand account of slavery and its consequences, strikes the reader deeper than a fictional account of such events because of its depth of understanding. Although other slaves published accounts of their slavery, oppression, and escapes, Douglass stands out as the first to write his own story. Many other black writers presented their subject matter through a ghost writer, losing the edge of first hand accounts. Because of the quality of the content, some abolitionists, and many slaveowners, refused to believe the validity of the experiences of the man in the slim novel. However, the autobiography came authenticated with a ?Preface? by Garrison, and a ?Letter? by Wendell Philips. The subject matter remains fascinating. Douglass?s lengthy passages about the psychological effects of slavery reflect years of careful thought and observation. His blunt descriptions of the negative repercussions of slavery upon the slaveholder?s minds created a stir against the animal nature and ?savage barbarity? (30) which he describes.
The fatal poison of irresponsible power was already in her hands, and soon commenced its infernal work. That cheerful eye, under the influence of slavery, soon became red with rage; that voice, made all of sweet accord, changed to one of harsh and horrid discord; and that angelic face gave place to that of a demon (37).
This continuing observance of the distortion of innocents provides a fresh look at people previously passed off as mean spirited. The idea that slavery transformed the master from good to evil and not vice versa also places the blame on the institution, not the owners. Douglass?s new subject matter, the mental side effects of slavery, gives the reader ?food for thought?. The author causes the reader to think about the true cause of the cruelty inherent in slavery. He forces this new thought upon the reader because of his presentation of new ideas. After helping Douglass publish his first autobiography, abolitionists such as Wendell Philips urged the public ?to hate slavery? (?Letter?, 11), but not the slaveowner. Pushing his point across, Douglass reinforces his naturalistic idea that the environment of oppression corrupts even kindly masters. With other examples of kindly masters, Douglass demonstrates how the slave represents an excuse to wield terrible power. The idea that humans jump at the chance to hurt, or dominate someone remains a key part of his stand against slavery in the book. He uses examples from his own life to prove each point about the institution?s corruption. A fugitive at the time, Douglass risked his life to present the true nature and name of the villains and oppressors. The sacrifice of his security in order to present the facts makes him a courageous writer. Douglass not only presents the names of his old masters, but the traits which slavery caused in them. His most important contribution to the subject of slavery lies in his evaluation of oppression?s psychological effects. He presents this new subject matter with a creativity and originality deserving inclusion in the American canon.
Although My Bondage and My Freedom elaborates upon the subject matter of the first autobiography, it hardly contains any new material. The originality of his observations of the effects of slavery upon the owners loses the luster of Narrative of the Life. Grasping the imagination of the reader, Douglass firmly walks the audience through his life, mind, and ideas. The subject matter, his life and views of slavery?s corruption, remains basically the same. Although the critic William L. Andrews complains Douglass?s second autobiography ?has not been fully appreciated? (McFeely, 180), the first book destroys the intended importance of the second?s subject matter. In the first book, Douglass offers examples of how the slaveholders become corrupted by their own institution, and leaves the reader to devise his own conclusion. ?I have an abundance of such illustrations of the same principle, drawn from my own observation, but think the cases I have cited sufficient? (Autobiographies, 68). He leaves the reader, in this instance, to imagine more ways in which the master unintentionally gives the slave a false view of freedom. He has already presented the idea in his first biography that slavery corrupts those involved. Douglass?s verbiage becomes apparent when reading the same section in his second autobiography. He selects several more instances with which to convince the reader, as if his audience has lost faith in his powers of persuasion. His insistence that ?my master was my father? (Autobiographies, 15) loses power in the second autobiography. However short the first account, the second aspires to great lengths. The true origin of his father becomes shrouded, and he uses this mystery to again explain the corruption of slaveowners who keep the identity of slaves from them. Both accounts reveal the loss of identity which dehumanizes the slave as well as the owner. However, the essential ideas he presents still remain the same in My Bondage and My Freedom, although smoothed over by slightly different situations. The presentation of the same subject matter, and its lack of creativity and originality downgrade the standing of this book. My Bondage and My Freedom forfeits a place in the canon of American literature because of its lack of new ideas, especially because Douglass presents no new thoughts upon one of his own previous ideas.
Douglass?s unique thoughts about the institution of slavery explain why Narrative of the Life sold 30,000 copies in five years, and created a massive impact on American society. The popularity of the book directly expresses the widespread acceptance of its ideas. The author exposed slavery?s inherent ability to corrupt those associated with it. He blamed the institution, not its founders. This new approach gained favor among the public, and ??he was the one that people most wanted to have a look at and to hear? (McFeely, 118). As an upstart in the field of abolitionists, his new ideas impacted the platform of many campaigners who previously attacked the slaveowners as barbaric. Eager to hear his ideas, many crowds endured standing room only crowds when Douglass read from his first autobiography at meetings. Douglass deserves credit for the massive change in the public movement from fighting other humans to fighting an institution?s corruption. Five years after the publication of Narrative of the Life, Harriet Beecher Stowe?a good friend of Douglass?also blamed the evils of the institution in her fictional book, Uncle Tom?s Cabin. An event remarkably similar to one which Douglass describes in his autobiography happens to the title character. Douglass and Uncle Tom?s usually kind owners become so desperate for money, they sell both men down river, to places where the oppression worsens every day. ??I was made to drink the bitterest dregs of slavery? (Autobiographies 58). Douglass recounts how his master could not keep him any longer. Both events happen because of slavery?s corrupting qualities. Also, both books emphasize the inevitability of such corruption occurring. Douglass and St. Clare, a slaveowner in the novel, speak out against ?the thing itself? (?Stowe?). Although Stowe?s work drew much more attention from the general public, the ideas she expressed came directly from Frederick Douglass?s first autobiography. His creative take on the psychological effects of slavery also influenced other writers. After publishing Narrative of the Life, the parents of the Mark Twain?s wife, Livy Langdon, approached him. The book?s ideas appealed to them, and the wealthy Langdons helped fund Douglass?s trip abroad. Upon returning, Douglass and Twain became acquaintances, and for the next three decades, shared ideas. During this time, Twain wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, his most famous work. The book expressed Twain?s reluctance to believe our oppression of blacks stopped after the Civil War. In addition to fueling the growing abolitionist movement, Douglass changed the way many other Americans, including writers, thought. Reflected in the author?s of the time, Narrative of the Life pioneered a new humanitarian movement against slavery itself; his work impacted society?s actions and way of thinking.
My Bondage and My Freedom also impacted society, though not as heavily as his first autobiography. As mention before, book sales reflect the acceptance of the ideas of the book. However, Douglass?s subject matter already gained recognition with his first autobiography, leaving a smaller fresh audience for his second novel. My Bondage and My Freedom sold 15,000 copies with the first two months (?Chronology?), but sales dropped off, presumably because the public discovered the similarity between the two novels. The outrage from slaveholders which accompanied the first autobiography and lead to his escape abroad, was conspicuously absent. This seems strange, considering how heavily Douglass?s friends promoted his second autobiography. ?Liberty and Slavery Contrasted! Ready August 15. MY BONDAGE AND MY FREEDOM By Frederick Douglass? (Note on the texts), screamed a front page ad in Norton?s Literary Gazette. Despite the hype, Douglass?s book sold modestly, and foreign editions lost money. With his ideas already taken root, the public basically complimented Douglass on the success of his first autobiography. The first explained Douglass?s viewpoints and ideas so well that his second could hardly make an improvement or impact. The author himself said, ??I am busy at work on my book. It is more of a job than at first I supposed it would be and I am beginning to be weary of it?? (Notes on the Texts). Just as Douglass grows ?weary?, so does his writing. The ideas are worn out by the first book but still excellent ideas. Because of his persistence in writing a similar autobiography, Douglass?s impact from My Bondage and My Freedom remains, at best, one upon a loyal audience willing to hear his ?weary? ideas again.
The greatest element contained in Frederick Douglass?s autobiographies remains his timeless theme about man?s need for freedom. Douglass?s portrayal of oppression applies regardless of slavery?s disappearance from American society. This endures as the most important criterion for consideration of his work for the canon, because many people in America still feel repressed, if not oppressed. The desire for freedom consumes all the slaves in Narrative of the Life and My Bondage and My Freedom. The inspiring thought that all people deserve, and can attain freedom remains timeless. Puritans established our country because they needed to escape from religious oppression in Europe. As a country based on freedom from persecution, this theme runs to the very foundation of who we are as Americans. Our Constitution contains clauses which state our rights to various freedoms. Douglass?s use of this theme demonstrates his savvy connection to the American dream. Oppressed people everywhere read his autobiographies and delved into the mind of a man constantly looking towards his freedom. Douglass often discusses how wretched he becomes at the thought of ?being a slave for life? (Autobiographies, 234). Readers recognize the overall theme of man?s desire for freedom even when Douglass barely reached his grandmother?s knee. When he heard the slaves sing of a better place, his heart realized that freedom remained the thing most dear to a slave. ?I am going away to the Great House Farm! O, yea! O, yea! O!? (23), echoed the yearning for freedom in a place far away from oppression and suffering. This hope for freedom typifies the path Douglass?s theme takes in both Narrative of the Life and My Bondage and My Freedom. Their greatest aspiration always seems out of reach, but the desire for freedom continues to burn inside them. Douglass enforces his point that even children hold the inherent craving for freedom. He describes his wildly free romps through nature as a small child, before his master called him to work in the fields. After hearing the news of his trade to Hugh Auld, Douglass rejoices at the smallest bit of extra freedom he receives.
I left that plantation with inexpressible joy. I shall never forget the ecstasy with which I received the intelligence from my friend, Miss Lucretia, that my old master had determined to let me go to Baltimore to live with Mr. Hugh Auld?(Autobiographies, 209).
Douglass?s passage about how much freedom meant to him adds weight to the theme. Also, the unasked rhetorical question, ?How much would you value freedom if you were a slave?? comes to mind when reading this passage and others which emphasize his intrinsic desire for freedom. This theme repeats itself so much throughout both novels, the reader must feel the value attached to freedom by all the slaves in the novel. The timelessness of the theme becomes apparent when viewing our society?s value of freedom today. The stormy period of adolescence holds the same goal as Douglass?s escape to the North; it determines the boundaries of our freedom, and where we choose to take our lives. The freedom of choice in the direction of our lives remains important to all Americans, and as long as freedom rings from America, Douglass?s books remain applicable in today?s society. The fight against slavery basically ended after the Civil War, but our need for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness continues to this day. Although slavery vanished in America, we still hold such desired freedoms freedom of religion and freedom to vote in a democracy. Douglass?s theme of freedom in Narrative of the Life and My Bondage and My Freedom remains as relevant today as a century ago. Freedom?s inherent presence in America makes Frederick Douglass?s theme timeless and canon-worthy.
Frederick Douglass?s desire for freedom perhaps lead him to write an expose about slavery. With his abrasive style, Douglass wrote three autobiographies criticizing slavery as an institution which bred corrupt slaveowners. His works deserve credit not only for their historical value, but also for their literary worth. ?Read now only secondarily for what they tell us about slavery, his Narrative of the Life, and My Bondage and My Freedom have earned the regard of critics? (McFeely, 115) In the first two of his autobiographies, Douglass uses a timeless theme to convey a slave?s sense of oppression. This former slave grew up under the weight of cruelties which stagger the reader, but his inherent sense of freedom remains intact. The impact of his presentation of the theme makes a mark upon history. His psychological evaluation of slavery in his works caused a great many people to change their ways of thinking and attack ?the thing itself.? By presenting a work which includes these facets, Douglass deserves a place in the canon. Some may maintain that political correctness remains the true reason his inclusion for his inclusion. However, this paper finds Douglass a writer of great literary importance based on the criteria of theme, impact, and originality of subject matter. With his autobiographies, Douglass escaped the brand of the runaway slave. He scoffed at the idea of being caught by including the names of his masters, and the circumstances of his escape. Douglass overcomes the stigma of his past incarceration through a demonstration of his freedom of speech. By writing the events of his past, he obtains his true freedom from the institution of slavery. Frederick Douglass finally outran the effects of slavery upon his life by proving he holds a place in the canon alongside other great American writers.
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