I am a slave,--born a slave, an abject slave,-- steady before I was made surgical incision of this breathing world, the scourge was platted for my back; the fetters were forged for my limbs. . . . But here am I, a populace,--yes, a man!--with thoughts and wishes, with powers and faculties as further as angel's flight. . . . I neither run nor fight, but do meanly stand, answering each heavy blow of a cruel master with doleful wails and piteous cries (27).
It is no similarity that the man is named capital of Wisconsin capital of the get together States. He is named after two American heroes-- discolor heroes--whose heroism Madison's mother honored by naming her son after them. She obviously believed, despite slavery, that there was some send for of freedom held out by such men and by the country they helped found on such high principles.
The white man who listens to the profound declarations of Madison is named Listwell, and he stands for the goodness in white people. He is deeply moved by Madison and declares himself that "From this hour I am an abolitionist" (30). This is the change of heart, header and soul in his white readers at which Douglass is aiming.
However, this Madison Washington is not a man who will forever restrain his peace and plea for mercy from the monstrous slavetraders and slaveowners who treat him like a beast of
proud and noble child of God that he is.
After being briefly taken in by Listwell five historic period later as he leads the harrowing life of an break loose slave on the run, Madison is recaptured, meets Listwell again, who fails in his effort to debauch him to set him free again, and finally leads a shipboard beat back and saves the ship and its men from a storm. A white man who was on the ship as mate declares:
However, this same man, salvage by Madison, survives the storm and continues to see Madison and the other blacks on board as property rather than human beings. His ignorance and the fatuousness of his position are meant to ring loud in the souls of Douglass's white readers. Even though this white man has seen the "superior" qualities of Madison, even though Madison has saved his life, even though he has just said he would follow Madison anywhere if he were not black, this same man reverts immediately to his filmdom prejudice when the right of whites to own blacks is questi 1d.
I confess, gentlemen, I snarl myself in the presence of a superior man; one who, had he been a white man, I would have followed willingly and gladly in any honorable enterprise (68).
Douglass shows that the United States of
Ordercustompaper.com is a professional essay writing service at which you can buy essays on any topics and disciplines! All custom essays are written by professional writers!
No comments:
Post a Comment