Theme Of Dehumanization In Dessa Rose

Many colored individuals were forced into slavery and each and everyone of the slaves had a different experience with their master. The slaves were treated as if they were nothing, a piece of property that the white people owned. They were not allowed to learn how to read or write; only needed to know how to do their chores and understand what their master was saying. They were just an extra hand in the house that had no say or existed in the white people world. The slaves’ job was to obey their master or mistress at all times, do their chores and take the beating if given one.

The narrative by Frederick Douglass titled, Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, indicates how whites controlled their slaves, by preventing them how to read and write. I believe that this was the main theme that Douglass wanted to let readers know; the cruelty the whites had against all the slaves. The slave owners prevented the young slaves to learn how to read and write because they did not want any slave writing about their slave life. They controlled slaves by trying to keep them away from gaining knowledge like knowing their birthday, where they came from, or who their parents were. While reading stories like Frederick Douglass’ narrative I start picturing the lives of slaves

Slave owners kept their slaves uneducated in order to keep them oppressed. Slave owners felt that educating a slave would be a danger to them and their way of life. They believed that an educated slave would be able to realize that slavery was unjustified and fight back, even though most slaves

Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in 1818. Douglass wrote “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself” in 1845. This narrative was written to inform readers how the lives of slaves were, and the harsh treatment they experienced. Within the narrative we see how the slave system was corrupted. It was clear throughout the narrative that there were specific perpetrators, victims, and bystanders within the slave system.

Douglass states, “My feelings were not the result of any marked cruelty in the treatment I received; they sprung from the consideration of my being a slave at all,” (Douglass 527). This experience proves his mistress’ belief that education and slavery are incompatible because education gave Douglass knowledge that he had the capability to escape slavery. Douglass explains this in his speech, “It was slavery-not its mere incidents-that I hated. I had been cheated. I saw through the attempt to keep me in ignorance ….

Slaves were dehumanized by being sold next to livestock and split from their families like animals. By retaining basic information, such as the identity of the slave’s parents or their birthdays, the whites were able to deprive the slaves of any sense of identity or individuality. Once slaves had this knowledge they might begin to fight more diligently for their natural rights. Slave owners feared that if slaves became educated and “waken to a sense of their rights, and of the injustice done them” (Douglass 14), they would eventually revolt and want to simply be treated like a human being. For this reason, slave owners kept their blacks ignorant

The legendary abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass was one of the most important social reformers of the nineteenth century. Being born into slavery on a Maryland Eastern Shore plantation to his mother, Harriet Bailey, and a white man, most likely Douglass’s first master was the starting point of his rise against the enslavement of African-Americans. Nearly 200 years after Douglass’s birth and 122 years after his death, The social activist’s name and accomplishments continue to inspire the progression of African-American youth in modern society. Through his ability to overcome obstacles, his strive for a better life through education, and his success despite humble beginnings, Frederick Douglass’s aspirations stretched his influence through

In the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass An American Slave: Written by Himself, the author suggests that no one can be enslaved if he or she has the ability to read, write, and think. Douglass supports his claim by first beginning the book with saying he does not know dates and can not read or write and secondly, when his master forbade his wife from teaching Douglass to read. Douglass's purpose is to show that slaves are treated unrightfully and to get the prominent leaders in America's society to acknowledge the book and make changes by abolishing slavery. Based on this autobiography, Douglass is writing the leaders of America that have the power to make changes.

During his time as a slave, Frederick Douglass witnessed some of the most terrifying incidents. He observed his aunt getting tortured and the terrible treatments of his fellow slaves from Mr. Gore and Mr. Severe. Though the worst part was, he did not understand why there was slavery. Douglass was a proud man who believed himself entitled to freedom. Frederick Douglass did not endure the most horrifying treatments from his slave masters, but he became mentally traumatized when it dawned on him that he was going to become a slave for life.

In a similar vein, the slaves are kept uneducated; by keeping

Slaves often do not understand their condition fully, since they do not know life beyond slavery. His unawareness of the liberating power of education bound him in a misleading bliss, causing him to believe that his state of being had permanency and to remain unaware of his injustice. However, once education had revealed to Douglass his ignorance, he says, “. . . I would at times feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing. It had given me a view of my wretched condition, without the remedy.”

In one instance, after she had just purchased a new slave out of sympathy she voices her dislike over the broken system and laments to her friend who was with her at the time of the purchase of the slaves how could she not “feel uncomfortable with the gritty details of purchasing people.” (Rutkoski 16) She also admits feeling “guilty under the slave’s gaze,” (Rutkoski 45) his presence reminding her how her people had conquered and taken the homeland of everyone they now ruled over. Kestrel may not have taken the step to sway the minds of all her people, but she is certainly aware of the issue, and is willing to verbally express her opinions on slavery in a society where that might not be taken so well. To Kestrel, owning the slaves is not a symbol of power and braun, but a constant reminder that she is the leading force behind the hurt and suffering of so many.

Because of this, he successfully creates a contrast between what the slave owners think of and treat the slaves and how they are. Douglass says that slave’s minds were “starved by their cruel masters”(Douglass, 48) and that “they had been shut up in mental darkness” (Douglass, 48) and through education, something that they were deprived of, Frederick Douglass is able to open their minds and allow them to flourish into the complex people that they are. By showing a willingness to learn to read and write, the slaves prove that they were much more than what was forced upon them by their masters.

In many countries living in extremely poor conditions, not only is basic health an issue but also the lack of education. Although it is a necessity, “more than 72 million children of primary education age are not in school and 759 million adults are illiterate” (Rights to Education 1). The deprivation of education should be taken serious if a change is wanted. People need to become aware of how important education is and the benefit that it has.

The level of education of the slaves on the plantation allow them to be manipulated by their masters. In many situations during the 1800s when slavery was prominent we can see that education holds power in society. Slave masters were educated and due to this, they were able to exert control over the slaves on the plantation. Douglass was self-educated and was able to analyze slave behavior and see slavery occur firsthand as a slave himself. In the book, we can see how the slave’s ignorance is actually bliss from the perspective of Douglass, how information like knowing how to read was withheld from the slaves and why and why slave-owners preferred non-educated slaves to educated ones.