How Does Frederick Douglass Use Language In The Crucible
In the autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Douglass expresses on how slave owners would use their speech to affect their slaves. Douglass uses his experience with Mr. Covey to show how words can be used to oppress people physically and mentally. Douglass expresses how Mr. Covey made Douglass “broken in body, soul, and spirit” (Douglass 38). Mr. Covey would be very deceptive towards his slaves, issuing commands and orders whether they knew how to complete the task or not. If they did not complete their tasks up to his standards, he would make them into an example for other slaves by punishing them with whippings. By issuing commands, he could intentionally punish slaves whenever he wanted, inflicting
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An example of this happening is Douglass’ work under the Hugh Auld. Under Hugh Auld, this was the first instance that allowed Douglass was able to grasp the bread of knowledge. Hugh Auld’s wife taught Douglass how to read in the beginning, but later became cold and later punished Douglass for learning. Though she was initially kind hearted, she became cold hearted under the influences of becoming a slave master. This is important because initially she embraced Douglass and taught him how to read and write, but once she understood the power of words from her husband, she was described to be “even more violent in her oppression than her husband himself” (22). The acknowledgement of the power that words held forced her to become fearful of them which caused her to limit her distribution of the knowledge, for instance, Douglass was once reading from a newspaper, but when Mrs. Auld saw him, she “fully revealed her apprehension” (22). She realized that “education and slavery were incompatible with each other”
An example of this happening is Douglass’ work under the Hugh Auld. Under Hugh Auld, this was the first instance that allowed Douglass was able to grasp the bread of knowledge. Hugh Auld’s wife taught Douglass how to read in the beginning, but later became cold and later punished Douglass for learning. Though she was initially kind hearted, she became cold hearted under the influences of becoming a slave master. This is important because initially she embraced Douglass and taught him how to read and write, but once she understood the power of words from her husband, she was described to be “even more violent in her oppression than her husband himself” (22). The acknowledgement of the power that words held forced her to become fearful of them which caused her to limit her distribution of the knowledge, for instance, Douglass was once reading from a newspaper, but when Mrs. Auld saw him, she “fully revealed her apprehension” (22). She realized that “education and slavery were incompatible with each other”