Frederick Douglass Quote Log

Pages 3-25 * “Capable of high attainments as an intellectual and moral being - needing nothing but a comparatively small amount of cultivation to make him an ornament to society and a blessing to his race - by the law of the land, by the voice of the people, by the terms of the slave code, he was only a piece of property, a beast of burden, a chattel personal, nevertheless!” * Page 4 * Pathos, logos * The audience of this piece is educated, white abolitionist men from the north. Because of this, this speaker chooses to frequently use logos to make his argument, which is evident in this passage. He is straight forward in describing what it truly means to be a slave, and how they are of no lesser value than white people. These are simply facts, but the tone in which they are presented enable the audience/reader to understand where he is coming from and take his side.

* “I reminded the audience … might burst of feeling.” * Page 4 * Pathos * The audience is abolitionists and the author presents them with an opportunity to take action by using pathos. He knows his audience wants to do something to stop slavery, but has no power to (being from Massachusetts), so he gives them the opportunity to “protect [Douglass] as a brother-man.” He also uses an impassioned tone to effectively arouse the reader. * “An American sailor … THE DOMESTIC INSTITUTION!” * Page 6 * Logos * The exigence (issue being addressed?) of this piece is the issue of slavery. Most pro-slavery people truly believed that blacks were of lesser value than them, and were of no potential benefit to society other than working as a slave. The author of the preface uses the logos appeal to prove this to be untrue, by explaining that the characteristics of a slave exist not because of the slave’s race, but because of the slavery itself. The capitalization of “the domestic institution” makes him sound