Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Essay Example for Free

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass EssayIn the track record, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Douglass chronicles his slave life story during the mid 1800s. By informing his readership of the realities and cruelties of slavery, Douglass seeks to persuade northerlyerners to become involved in the abolitionist movement. He accomplishes this purpose by delivering his message throughout the entirety of the book slavery is harmful to totally participants with the effectual utilization of ethos, logos, and poignancy.The trio works to support his thesis, and this support therefore aids Douglass overall purpose. Although each of the argumentative devices is effective, the virtually powerful component is pathos, which is a quality that evokes pity or sadness. Unlike ethos or logos, pathos speaks directly to the readers, in this case the North, and profoundly influences their perceptions and thoughts on the stretch out of slavery. Therefo re, pathos is the most effective strategy in Douglass narrative because it accomplishes the authors purpose by sufficiently delivering his message, through the manipulation of emotions to Northern readers.Ethos is without a doubt an apparent strategy throughout Douglass narrative in fact, the entire book is ethos. Douglass life was, at the time, living proof of the cruelties of slavery. He takes advantage of this fact in his narrative and describes almost every gunpoint, being sure to leave out names whom he did non intend to offend or embarrass, and brings to verity the treatment of slaves in the 1800s. In addition, Douglass incorporates references to the Bible, often relating slaves lives to peoples lives in Biblical times. For example, My friend Nathan Johnson (of whom I can say with a grateful heart, I was hungry, and he gave me stub I was thirsty, and he gave me drink I was a stranger, and he took me in). This is a reference to Matthew 2535, which discusses the importance of caring for others, compensate strangers.Douglass includes this passage to equation Nathan Johnson to a humble, selfless man that would care for anyone. Furthermore, the reference supports Douglass credibility as an educated man of God and a reliable non-fiction author. Just because he was at a time a slave, ignorant of freedom and all its blessings, including education, it did not stop him from brilliantly writing his narrative through which he sufficiently proves his credibility by representation of correct grammar, references to the Bible and other highly respected pieces of literature, and the innocent fact that he was once a slave and therefore contains the most reliable information. However, ethos is not the most effective strategy on his readers it does not support his purpose or meaning as much(prenominal) as pathos does.Logos is as well as a strategy used throughout the entirety of the book, simply because it is a narrative of Douglass life, therefore it must be co mposed of non-fiction occurrences. He includes as much detail as he can, but he leaves out particular names and happenings in order to prevent embarrassment of the individual or even potential consequences. Despite his restrictions, Douglass still includes amazing thoroughness and accuracy. For example, I left Master Thomass house, and went to live with Mr. Covey, on the 1st of January, 1833. He uses three unique(predicate) details in one tiny sentence, which just shows the reader his incredible memory and accuracy. Although his precision within the book is rather impressive to the Northern readers, the simple facts do not supply them with Douglass deeper meaning, that slavery is harmful to all participants.Rather, logos gives the readers the direct happenings of his slave life, but it does not reach out to the Northerners emotions, humans flunk and main influence to take action, to the extent pathos does. Pathos is a strategy in argument that aims to draw pity or sadness from the auditory sense or reader, and it is often the most persuasive tool to accomplish a purpose. In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Douglass uses a generous amount of pathos in order to persuade his Northern readers to become involved in the abolitionist movement. He accomplishes this purpose by including sad incidences he saw or experienced himself. For example, Douglass tells the story of his Aunt Hester being punished with a whipping, He commenced to lay on the heavy cowskin, and soon the warm, red bloodcame dripping to the floor.I was so terrifiedthat I hid myself in a closet. This description of the first time he saw someone whipped is drawn out in detail purposefully Douglass wants the reader to engage in the narrative and let his/her emotions drive them toward pity for slaves and hatred of slavery. He includes many other descriptions like this, but they all have the same purpose. Emotion drives many peoples actions, and Douglass wants to persuade his Northern audience to become active in the abolitionist movement by letting their emotion take over. Pathos also brings out the meaning of the essay by explaining cruel experiences, Douglass includes proof of his meaning, that slavery is harmful to both the slave and the slaveholder.Northerners are persuaded by this meaning and affected by the traumatic incidences in the book, and are driven to involve themselves in the move to abolish slavery. Pathos is therefore the most effective strategy that encourages Northern readers to follow through with Douglass purpose. Douglass utilizes ethos, logos, and pathos in a brilliant way, but it is acceptable to claim that pathos had the largest effect on the readers of the North in the 1800s. While ethos and logos give the author credibility and information to discuss, pathos affects the reader directly.It becomes tiresome to hear of straightforward facts, like moving from see to it to master or plantation to plantation. The readers want to hear of excitement, so when Douglass talks about sad topics, it involves the reader, as well as affects their opinion of slavery. By pickings advantage of pathos and the readers impressionable emotions, Douglass conveys his message and fulfills his purpose, and therefore, pathos is the most effective strategy in his book.Works CitedDouglass, Frederick, and Houston A. Baker. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England Penguin, 1982. Print.