Frederick Douglass Heroic Slave Analysis

The State of Virginia embodies the Founding Fathers, the American Revolution and the nation by symbolically demonstrating the beauty of the union. But similarly to the State of Virginia, the sense of American Nationality is flawed because of the institution of slavery. Using Jeffersonian rhetoric, abolitionist Fredrick Douglass’ “Heroic Slave” transforms white attitudes through his promotion for solidarity, activism and resistance. Douglass effectively constructs a new narrative as a revision of the American Nationality that represents a new nation that addresses privilege and protects the rights of all men. Madison Washington, who’s name is figuratively a representation of the Founding Fathers, anchors the beginning of a new nation. Riding
on the ship Creole, already sparking conversation for a political reform, Douglass creates Madison Washington in the image of the average Negro slave. Using the mask of blackness, he even states Washington’s “face was ‘black, but comely,” describing his ability to navigate throughout the ship without interference of his White masters. Playing upon the White racial imaginary and innocence, Washington finds agency in his social positioning. Through this agency, Washington becomes able to be that vision of social change. “My resolution is fixed. ‘I shall be free.’” Douglass channels Jeffersonian dialogue in eventual expected overthrow of the Creole but eliminates revolutionary violence. This elimination of revolutionary violence is replaced with Douglass’ stride for equality through words. By addressing the typical abolitionist rhetoric, he creates this new understanding that the institution of slavery can along with whites attitudes can be accomplished from empathetic identification through words.