Hannah Jane Dykes Mrs. Cooks 1st Block Response Journal Chapter One Slaveholders did not want slaves to know their ages or birthdays. They thought the want to know was a sign of unhappiness. Fredrick Douglas never understood why he couldn’t have the same privilege as the white kids of knowing their age. African Americans couldn’t ask their masters either. The masters said it showed evidence of impatience and improper slave behavior.
Chapter Two Douglas said that slaves sang of sorrow instead of happiness. He believed this because when he sang, he sang to draw out his sorrow. He said “ every tone was a testimony against slavery”. Slaves barley sang songs of happiness. The only time they sang songs of slight happiness was when they were going to the Great House Farm. The Great House Farm was where the slaves received their allowance, which was considered a privilege. Slaves were able to come and work off the fields. At the Great House Farm the songs were much more enthusiastic
than the songs sang in the fields.
Chapter Three The saying “ a still tongue makes a wise head” it came up as the slaves learned that speaking freely does no good. The quote means that if a slave keeps from speaking their mind then they are wise. We all know that speaking our minds makes everyone an individual. It was related to Douglas because he was a slave. Douglas was a slave that was brave enough to speak his opinions, so it applied to him big time. He had to keep that in his mind in order to stop himself from talking back.
Chapter FourThe quote “To be accused was to be convicted and to be convicted was to be punished” it was basically the motto of the slaves. If they were accused of something, then their masters would convict them. They didn’t have any rights so, they couldn’t explain themselves. If a slave was convicted then they were punished. A slave wasn’t able to speak up, therefore if they were beings accused of something then you would expect them to be punished. This quote was related to Fredrick because is was a slave and if he did something wrong then he better
expect to get punished for whatever he did. He knew that if he spoke up then he would be punished even worse.
Chapter FiveThe early relationship between Fredrick and Mrs. Auld was more of an instant bond. Mrs. Auld was very sweet and kind to him. She treated him with more respect then a slave ever received back then. He describes her as a “White face beaming with the most kindly emotions”. Fredrick was lucky to have such a good feeling when he walked into his new home. He had a flash of excitement when he walked in. It was as he describes “a flash through my soul”.
Chapter SixDouglas says “In learning to read, I owe almost as much to the bitter opposition of my master, as to the kindly aid of my mistress. I acknowledge the benefit of both.” This quote he states can mean many things, but what it really states is that his master and mistress are the people to thank. They accepted him to come into the home, and the mistress began to teach him the alphabet, which began his need to learn. Once his master found out, he described to his wife in front of Douglas why “Coloreds” can not gain any knowledge whatsoever. In
gaining the knowledge of what both the mistress and the master gave Fredrick, he finally understood the reason he couldn’t learn. The knowledge of that he learned from them made him persevere to learn more.
Chapter SevenMr. Auld describes that if a colored person learn then he is going to want to learn more. In chapter seven Fredrick tries to find easy was for him to learn more. He would bring the poor kids food and in return receive erudition from them. He would also go to the shipyard to learn as well. He would read the sides of them to figure out what they were marked for. Once he learned how to write he used to challenge the other kids and he would learn from going against them. Fredrick found ways around being a slave to learn.
Chapter EightAfter Lucretia and Andrew died Fredrick’s grandmother was put into a house in the woods alone. She was pretty much left out there to rot along with the trees around her. She was a slave and didn’t know how to take care of herself so she was stuck alone to do nothing. They put her out the cause she was so old. An old slave to them was
worthless. They were not able to do much because of their age. So the masters did not need them on the plantations. The slaves had the same value as pigs horses and cattle. They were all equally examined.
Chapter NineThe word break was used as an expression to scare the slaves. Mr.Covey the guy that would soon “break” Fredrick was known as the nigger-breaker. He used to crack the whip harder than many of the masters. He was not scared to hit the slaves with his whip. Mr. Covey was a serious man, he didn’t mess around. When he said do you better do. Before Fredrick went there he knew about the so called “ niggerbreaker”. He was prepared to have enough to eat.
Chapter TenA. Fredrick’s fight with Mr. Covey was the turning point in his years as a slave. He felt strong and was not scared to go against his master. For once he felt as if he was just as equivalent to his master. He felt as if he could controlled when his master did to him. He no longer had the fear of his master. He for once had the upper hand. B. The holidays was the time to be drunk. The holiday time was the time where the slaves had much more work than usual. The Slaves had
to make their master happy. Also during the holidays the masters used to drink, and when they drank the slaves were not so happy. Drunk angry people do not mix with slavery. It makes things worse on a slave. The slaves used to hide in the fields so that the masters could not find them. C. The slaveholders would like the slaves to wrestle, box and drink whiskey on the Sabbath. Instead of doing that, the slaves were learning. They were doing the one thing the masters would deny. They did not care though, they just wanted to learn. If the masters ever found out they would give their slave thirty lashes.
Chapter ElevenA. Douglas says “ I have never approved of the very public manner in which some of our western friends have conducted what they call the underground railroad, but which I think by their open declarations, has been made most emphatically the upper ground railroad.” he means that they were never hiding underground. They slaves that escaped there were among those of danger, but yet risked their life to be free. He admires them for their braveness. He also sees no good in being an escape slave. Douglas says “ I, however, can see very little good resulting from such a coarse, either to themselves
or the slaves escaping”. Douglas understands why a slave wants to escape though. He has felt the pain and knows what it is like to have to want to get out. B. Fredrick was able to marry Anna because he got people to be his witness. He wrote her informing her of his arrival in New York. He then asked her to come forth. A little while after his arrival he called both Mr. Ruggles and the Reverend. In the presence of 5 or more people he be wed Anna. Him and Anna then Received their certificate of marriage. C. Douglas changes his named because for one he didn’t want people to track his and for a new start. He was a free man. He then gave Mr. Johnson the privilege of naming him. He gave him the name of Fredrick but he had to hold that. Then Mr. Johnson said Douglas and from then on that is what Fredrick goes by.