Compare And Contrast Douglass And Harriet Jacobs

Harriet Jacobs was a slave who was able to escape, and she describes her life as a slave and towards the end the start of her new life in the North in a brief narrative. In the beginning she describes her master and his vile actions, which are against her morals. She describes how sometimes he has a bad temper, but other times tries to be gentle, and states that she prefers his “stormy side.” She also describes her mistress who instead of helping her against the masters’ unruly behavior only feels jealousy and anger. In the account, she describes her master who was unrelenting in his quest to make her submit to him, and often followed her around. Harriet also scribes that she was always treated kindly until she came upon Dr. Flint. During the narrative, Harriet was locked in a shed that
was added to her grandmother’s house. It is also explained that Harriet has children, as she mentions them often. During the end of the narrative, it is only briefly mentioned that Harriet is a fugitive slave, and abruptly ends with her purchasing a train ticket.
Frederick Douglass was a slave born to an enslaved mother, and an unknown white father. In his narrative, he describes his path to freedom. Frederick began life working in the fields on Maryland’s Eastern shore. However, by the age of eighteen, he was sent to Baltimore and he learned to caulk ships. Douglass borrowed freedom papers from a friend, a freed slave and sailor, and started his voyage North. Douglass was able to gain passage on the train, but had a brief and worrisome talk with the conductor, although he was cleared to ride, he still felt on edge about being captured. Finally, during the end of the narration, Douglass is able to reach New York City, although his joy is short-lived, Douglass is now a free man. Leaving New York City, Douglass makes his way to New Bedford, Massachusetts. Around the fifth day after his arrival, Douglass wore clothes of a common laborer, and after walking for a period he was able to find a job, of bringing in and putting away coal. To finish, Douglass is able to make two silver half-dollars, and his hearts swells, realizing that no master could take away his well-earned money.

To compare and contrast these two narratives is relatively hard.
There are many similarities, yet also many differences. Some similarities include that both Jacobs and Douglass worked hard to escape to freedom and were successful. But, a difference would include the way they thought of their freedom. Jacobs thought that the North imitated the customs of slavery, being that colored people had the right to purchase a ticket, yet had to ride in the filthiest sections of the train. Though in the South, they were able to ride in the train cars behind the whites without having the “privilege” of paying. Yet, Douglass didn’t complain about the train cars, because he was much too nervous about being captured, so they have different viewpoints of the North when they first arrive. Another difference would be that Jacobs had children before she escaped and she had to leave them behind, but Douglass had no children to leave behind and was able to cut his ties much more freely. Lastly, another similarities is they both faced the dangers of being captured and sent back to their owners. In conclusion, both Jacobs and Douglass had alike yet disparate experiences with slavery and pathways to
freedom.