STUDY GUIDE: Below are specific questions and prompts to guide your reading.  While each of you will be posting responses and replies to specific, assigned study guide items, you should try to respond to all of them to your satisfaction while you read. 

 

Frederick Douglass
1818-1895

A Short Biography of Frederick Douglass


 

Frederick Douglass was one of the foremost leaders of the abolitionist movement, which fought to end slavery within the United States in the decades prior to the Civil War.

A brilliant speaker, Douglass was asked by the American Anti-Slavery Society to engage in a tour of lectures, and so became recognized as one of America's first great black speakers. He won world fame when his autobiography was publicized in 1845. Two years later he began publishing an antislavery paper called the North Star.

Douglass served as an adviser to President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War and fought for the adoption of constitutional amendments that guaranteed voting rights and other civil liberties for blacks. Douglass provided a powerful voice for human rights during this period of American history and is still revered today for his contributions against racial injustice.

Frederick Douglass sought to embody three keys for success in life:

  • Believe in yourself.
  • Take advantage of every opportunity.
  • Use the power of spoken and written language to effect positive change for yourself and society.

Douglass said, "What is possible for me is possible for you." By taking these keys and making them his own, Frederick Douglass created a life of honor, respect and success that he could never have dreamed of when still a boy on Colonel Lloyd's plantation on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

 

Discussion Prompt  

  1. What role do women play in Douglass's Narrative? Pay close attention to when or if female characters speak, to how female characters relate to Douglass, and to the depiction of women in relation to virtue.
     
  2. Analyze Douglass's treatment of Christianity in the Narrative. Why does he include his “Appendix”?
     
  3. How does Douglass describe New Bedford, Massachusetts? How does this description undermine economic arguments in favor of slavery?
     
  4. Think about Douglass's private speech to the ships in Chapter X. Why does Douglass recreate this speech in his Narrative? What do the ships represent? Why is this moment important within the Narrative?
     
  5. Analyze the various references to American Revolutionaries in Douglass's Narrative. How does Douglass's use of these references differ from Garrison's and Phillips's? Why is the phrase “An American Slave” included in Douglass's title?

 

 

 

 

Chapter by chapter- May help you with the above prompts

CHAPTERS 1-5

Chapter I - Sets the scene; Frederick tells us some of his early life and begins to explain life on the plantation.

Discussion Prompt  

  1. Discuss life on the plantation for slaveholder, overseer, and slave.
Chapter II- Describes the plantation system of Colonel Lloyd; discusses the daily existence of slaves on the plantation.

Discussion Prompt  

  1. Discuss what you would likely possess if you were an adult slave on Colonel Lloyd's plantation. and then discuss what you would possess if you were a child slave.

 

Chapter III- Relates several anecdotes that tell readers more about plantation life and the thinking of slaves.

Discussion Prompt  

  1. Discuss the prejudice that existed among slaves from different plantations. Examine the irony of this prejudice.
Chapter IV- Tells readers more about overseers and relates incidents of slave murders.

Discussion Prompt  

  1. Discuss the system of justice on the plantation.
Chapter V- Examines Frederick's life as a slave child and discusses his leaving the plantation.

Discussion Prompt  

  1. I am still thinking about this one, so what I want you to do is to WRITE two potential prompts for this chapter, and then ANSWER one of the prompts you wrote. 

 

CHAPTERS 6-10

Chapter VI - Discusses learning to read and explains its importance.

Discussion Prompts  

  1. Discuss the irony of what Mr. Auld taught Frederick when he forbid Mrs. Auld to teach him to read.
  2. Examine the concept of reading as equivalent to freedom.
Chapter VII  Relates what Mrs. Auld learned from keeping slaves; how Frederick came to hate slavery and how he learned to write.

Discussion Prompts  

  1. Discuss the concept of learning as a curse rather than a blessing. Frederick makes this comment in this chapter. Is it possible that he is correct?
  2. Write about why learning to read is so important to practicing freedom. Discuss your writing in a small group. Examine the question: Did the slave owners understand that learning to read was important to practicing freedom?
     
Chapter VIII - Discussion of slaves as property; plight of old slaves; return to Baltimore.

Discussion Prompt  

  1. Discuss John Greenleaf Whittier's poem that is part of the text. Why does Frederick put this poem in his narrative immediately following the anecdote about his grandmother?
     
Chapter IX - Moves to St. Michael's, Maryland, with Master Thomas Auld; the irony of the Christian slaveholder is discussed.

Discussion Prompts  

  1. Frederick's contention that men use religion to justify cruelty is not new. Discuss examples of this throughout history.
  2. Frederick points out many ironies in this chapter. Discuss two of them.
Chapter X - How a man is made a slave; a slave made a man.

Discussion Prompt

  1. Read aloud and discuss Frederick's discussion of sailing vessels found in this chapter. Why does Frederick find the sailing vessels so abhorrent to watch? What do they symbolize for him? At the same time he finds hope in them. What is his hope? What are the sailing vessels a metaphor of?

 

CHAPTER 11 AND APPENDIX

Chapter XI - Escape from slavery; becoming a free man; involvement in the anti-slavery movement.

Discussion Prompts

  1. Often Frederick has more than one master (i.e.: Masters Thomas and Hugh Auld; Master Thomas and Mr. Covey). Explain how this is possible. Discuss who actually owned Frederick. This chapter deals with the names of slaves. Notice that Frederick Douglass changed names three times. Discuss why he changed names. See if you can find out any information about the names of slaves.
     
  2. Douglass makes the point that he is initially uncomfortable speaking to a white audience because he still felt like a slave. However, with the encouragement of Mr. William C. Coffin he does speak and soon gains a new sense of freedom and ease. What do these points say to the teacher? There is a syndrome known as the Pygmalion syndrome. Look it up. What does it mean? How does it relate to Douglass's experience?
Appendix -  Defense of his speaking out against the Christianity of slave holders.

Discussion Prompt

  1. Discuss the comparison Douglass makes of the slaveholding Christians of the South and the Pharisees and ancient scribes
  2. Douglass points to many ironies in how slaveholding Christians practice their religion/ Discuss these ironies.
  3. Read aloud and discuss the parody Douglass "copies" on pp. 124-125. What is his intent of using it in his narrative? Why is the word "union" used throughout it? In this parody is he only criticizing the Christians of the south or is he also criticizing the Christians of the north?

 

 

Below are thing to think about as you read the text. They may help you to answer your discussion prompts. 

 

.

CHAPTERS 1-5

Chapter I - Sets the scene; Frederick tells us some of his early life and begins to explain life on the plantation.

Things to thing about

Why is Frederick not sure when he was born?
What is Frederick's last name at birth?
Why would slaveholders want to keep a slave ignorant of such a simple thing as the date of his birth? (Education)
Who were Frederick's mother and father?
Why does Frederick make the point that a slaveholder who has fathered a child is likely to be tougher on that child?
Why does Frederick only rarely see his mother?
Is Frederick's relationship with his mother typical of other slave children?
What is the role of the overseer on the plantation?
What is the relationship of the slaveholder to the overseer to the slave on the plantation? (History)
What do we learn about Plummer, the overseer?
Who is Frederick's first master?
Why does Frederick tell the story of Lloyd's Ned?

Discussion Prompt  
Discuss life on the plantation for slaveholder, overseer, and slave.

Chapter II- Describes the plantation system of Colonel Lloyd; discusses the daily existence of slaves on the plantation.

Things to thing about

Who were the family members of Frederick's master Colonel Edward Lloyd?
What is the relationship of Colonel Lloyd to Frederick's master?
Was there a pecking order among slaves? Explain.
Why would a slave whose life on a plantation was very bad fear being sold to a slave-trader?
Why was Severe an appropriate name for the overseer? (English)
Why is it difficult to find copies of slave songs?
Why does Frederick suggest that slaves sing out of sorrow rather than out of joy?

Discussion Prompt  
Draw a diagram of the holdings (including plantations and slaves) of Colonel Lloyd. (History/Sociology)
Discuss what you would likely possess if you were an adult slave on Colonel Lloyd's plantation. and then discuss what you would possess if you were a child slave.

 

Chapter III- Relates several anecdotes that tell readers more about plantation life and the thinking of slaves.

Things to thing about

How did Colonel Lloyd keep the slave boys from taking his fruit?
Why was it particularly difficult to be the slaves in charge of Colonel Lloyd's horses?
What is ironic about Colonel Lloyd's treatment of his horses compared to the treatment of his slaves?
What happened to the slave who told Colonel Lloyd the truth about his master?
What is a maxim?

Discussion Prompt  
Discuss the prejudice that existed among slaves from different plantations. Examine the irony of this prejudice.

Chapter IV- Tells readers more about overseers and relates incidents of slave murders.

Things to thing about
Why is Mr. Austin Gore a "first-rate overseer"? What is the irony of this description of him?
What is ironic about his name? What reason does Mr. Gore give for killing Demby the slave?
What other examples does Frederick give of his statement "that killing a slave, or any colored person, . . . is not treated as a crime, either by the courts or the community" ?

Discussion Prompt  
Discuss the system of justice on the plantation.

Chapter V- Examines Frederick's life as a slave child and discusses his leaving the plantation.

Things to thing about
What was life like for Frederick on the plantation?
Why was Frederick so happy to be leaving the plantation?
Why did he particularly want to go to Baltimore?
What relationship did his new master have to his old master?
Why did Frederick, who was seven or eight, not know the month or year of his sailing?
What were Frederick's initial impressions of his new mistress, Mrs. Sophia Auld?

Discussion Prompt  
I am still thinking about this one, so what I want you to do is to WRITE two potential prompts for this chapter, and then ANSWER one of the prompts you wrote. 

 

CHAPTERS 6-10

Chapter VI - Discusses learning to read and explains its importance.

Things to thing about
To what does Frederick attribute the kindness of Mrs. Auld?
What, according to Frederick, changes her?
Why is Mr. Auld angry when he finds that Mrs. Auld is teaching Frederick his letters?
Why does Frederick call Mr. Auld's forbidding his learning how to read "invaluable instruction"?
Why does inability to read keep men enslaved according to Frederick and to Mr. Auld?
What does Frederick hope to gain by learning how to read?
Who teaches Frederick why black men are not taught to read?
Why is this lesson so important to him?
Why is the life of a city slave so much better than the life of a plantation slave?
Why does Frederick relate the story of the slaves Henrietta and Mary?

 

Discussion Prompts  

  1. Discuss the irony of what Mr. Auld taught Frederick when he forbid Mrs. Auld to teach him to read.
  2. Examine the concept of reading as equivalent to freedom.
Chapter VII  Relates what Mrs. Auld learned from keeping slaves; how Frederick came to hate slavery and how he learned to write.

Things to thing about
How did Mrs. Auld change and why did she change?
What plan did Frederick adopt to learn how to read now that Mrs. Auld was no longer teaching him?
Why is it ironic that he bribed the little white boys to teach him to read?
What irony does Frederick find in this statement: "It is almost an unpardonable offence to teach slaves to read in this Christian country?"
What did Frederick learn from the book "The Columbian Orator"?
How does Master Auld's prediction about Frederick and learning come true?
How does Frederick learn the meanings of the words abolition and abolitionist?
What do the two Irishmen encourage him to do? Why does he not trust them?
How does Frederick learn to write?
How does he trick the white boys into teaching him new letters?

 

  1. Discussion Prompts  
    Discuss the concept of learning as a curse rather than a blessing. Frederick makes this comment in this chapter. Is it possible that he is correct?
  2. Write about why learning to read is so important to practicing freedom. Discuss your writing in a small group. Examine the question: Did the slave owners understand that learning to read was important to practicing freedom?
     
Chapter VIII - Discussion of slaves as property; plight of old slaves; return to Baltimore.

Things to think about
Why was Frederick forced to return to the plantation after the death of his master?
How was the value of the master's property determined? How were the slaves valued?
Why was the division of property between Mistress Lucretia and Master Andrew so horrifying to the slaves?
What happened to Frederick's grandmother after the deaths of Lucretia and Andrew? How does this anecdote help explain the value of slaves? How are slaves valued when compared to livestock? [The ironic comparison of slaves to livestock is a continuous theme of the narrative.]
Who owns Frederick by the end of chapter eight?
Why is Frederick forced to leave Baltimore?

Discussion Prompt  
Discuss John Greenleaf Whittier's poem that is part of the text. Why does Frederick put this poem in his narrative immediately following the anecdote about his grandmother?
 

Chapter IX - Moves to St. Michael's, Maryland, with Master Thomas Auld; the irony of the Christian slaveholder is discussed.

Things to think about
Why does Frederick now know the date?
Who is Frederick's newest Master?
What rule of slaveholding does Master Thomas Auld violate?
How did the slaves get food?
Why does Frederick say that "adopted slaveholders are the worst"?
What, according to Frederick, happens to Master Thomas Auld after his conversion to Christianity? Why?
Why does Frederick find irony in the fact that the slaves Sabbath school is discontinued?
Why does Frederick let Master Thomas's horse run away?
Again, Frederick compares the treatment of slaves to the treatment of horses. How?
How does Master Thomas propose to 'break' Frederick?
Why is the use of the verb 'to break' ironic? *
Why was Mr. Covey's reputation for breaking slaves of great value to him?
Why does Frederick suggest that Mr. Covey's "pious soul" adds to "his reputation as a 'nigger-breaker'"?

Discussion Prompts  

  1. Frederick's contention that men use religion to justify cruelty is not new. Discuss examples of this throughout history.
  2. Frederick points out many ironies in this chapter. Discuss two of them.
Chapter X - How a man is made a slave; a slave made a man.

Things to think about
Why does Mr. Covey whip Frederick?
Why are the slaves so fearful of Mr. Covey? Why does their work go on in his absence?
Why is it "never safe to stop a single minute" (p. 73)?
What does Frederick mean by "Mr. Covey's forte consisted in his power to deceive" (p. 74)?
Why does Mr. Covey buy a slave to use as a breeder?
Why does he hire Mr. Samuel Harrison, a married man? What irony does Frederick find in this?
How does Mr. Covey succeed in breaking Frederick?
How does Frederick succeed in again becoming a man?
Why does Frederick go to Master Thomas Auld?
Why does he return to Covey? Who convinces him to do so? What does Sandy Jenkins suggest that Frederick do?
How does Frederick win the fight with Mr. Covey?
Why does Frederick contend that Mr. Covey does not turn him in?
What would have happened to Frederick had Mr. Covey turned him in? *
Why is Frederick's battle with Mr. Covey "the turning-point in my career as a slave" (p. 82)?
How are the holidays used to "disgust the slave with freedom" (p. 85)?
Where does Frederick go after leaving Mr. Covey's on January 1, 1834?
Who is his new master and how does he treat Frederick?
Why does Frederick include the anecdotes about the two religious slave holders Mr. Hopkins and Mr. Weeden? What point is he attempting to make? *
Why and where does Frederick begin a Sabbath school? Why is it essential that the slaves tell no one about it?
What would the slaveholders like the slaves to do on the sabbath? Why is this ironic?
Why does Frederick decide to include the slaves in his Sabbath school in his plans to obtain his freedom? Why is this dangerous?
Frederick makes the point that many slaves would "rather bear those ills we had, than fly to others, that we knew not of" . How does this help explain why so few slaves escaped?
How do the slaves plan to run away?
What is the purpose of the "protections" written by Frederick?
What happens to their plan, and how do the "protections" nearly cause their deaths?
What happens to each of the slaves who attempted to run away?
When Frederick returns to Baltimore, what does he do?
Frederick again decides to fight when he is attacked. What happens to him? What does Master Hugh attempt to do for Frederick?
What must Frederick do with the wages he earns each week as a caulker? Why?

Discussion Prompt  
Read aloud and discuss Frederick's discussion of sailing vessels found in this chapter. Why does Frederick find the sailing vessels so abhorrent to watch? What do they symbolize for him? At the same time he finds hope in them. What is his hope? What are the sailing vessels a metaphor of?


 

CHAPTER 11 AND APPENDIX

Chapter XI - Escape from slavery; becoming a free man; involvement in the anti-slavery movement.

Things to think about
For what two reasons does Frederick tell us that he cannot relate the means of his escape?
Why does he not approve of the underground railroad?
What does Master Hugh do to attempt to encourage Frederick to continue to earn money? What effect does his encouragement have?
What does Frederick ask of Master Thomas? What is he told?
What arrangement does Frederick eventually make with Master Hugh? Why is this arrangement to Master Hugh's advantage? Why does Frederick agree to it?
What does Master Hugh do when he discovers that Frederick has left town to find work?
Why does Frederick decide to work hard despite the dissolution of their agreement?
When and to where does Frederick run away?
Why does he feel so lonely?
Who helps Frederick in New York? How?
How is it possible for Frederick and Anna to marry? Why is their marriage such an important event?
Why does Mr. Ruggles suggest that Frederick not stay in New York and go to New Bedford, Massachusetts?
Who helps Frederick and Anna in New Bedford? What does he do for them?
Why did Frederick change his name so many times? Who chooses Douglass? Why?
What had Douglass believed about life in the North? Was he correct? What does he find about life in the North?
How were the wharves in New Bedford different from those in Baltimore?
What conditions did he find for "colored people"?
What does Douglass discover about prejudice against color in New Bedford?
How does Douglass make a living when he can't find work as a caulker?
How does Douglass become known to the "anti-slavery world"?
Why is Douglass at first reluctant to speak out against slavery?

Discussion Prompts

  1. Often Frederick has more than one master (i.e.: Masters Thomas and Hugh Auld; Master Thomas and Mr. Covey). Explain how this is possible. Discuss who actually owned Frederick. This chapter deals with the names of slaves. Notice that Frederick Douglass changed names three times. Discuss why he changed names. See if you can find out any information about the names of slaves.
     
  2. Douglass makes the point that he is initially uncomfortable speaking to a white audience because he still felt like a slave. However, with the encouragement of Mr. William C. Coffin he does speak and soon gains a new sense of freedom and ease. What do these points say to the teacher? There is a syndrome known as the Pygmalion syndrome. Look it up. What does it mean? How does it relate to Douglass's experience?

 

Appendix -  Defense of his speaking out against the Christianity of slave holders.

Things to think about
Why do you think Douglass added the appendix?
What does he mean by "slaveholding religion"?
Why does Douglass contend that the church turns the other cheek on the treatment of slaves?
How does he compare the slaveholding Christians to the Pharisees and ancient scribes?
How does he criticize the church of the north?

Discussion Prompt

  1. Discuss the comparison Douglass makes of the slaveholding Christians of the South and the Pharisees and ancient scribes
  2. Douglass points to many ironies in how slaveholding Christians practice their religion/ Discuss these ironies.
  3. Read aloud and discuss the parody Douglass "copies" on pp. 124-125. What is his intent of using it in his narrative? Why is the word "union" used throughout it? In this parody is he only criticizing the Christians of the south or is he also criticizing the Christians of the north?