Effects of Slavery Essay

Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobson both write their compelling narratives on what life was like as slaves during 19th century America. Both narrations define the rough life of bondage and the unforgiving effects that occurred during their clip as slaves. In the same manner. both narratives reveal the subject of the immoralities of bondage but besides given their different gender functions. their experiences are wholly different from one another. While both Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobson’s Narratives undergo the corrupt power of bondage in 19th century America and were able to get away. the function of gender in society mostly acts as a discrepancy within these two narratives. Both Frederick and Jacobs were born into bondage ; Frederick’s father most likely being his maestro. and Jacobs being lucky plenty to hold both of her parents. Though Jacobs had a safe and guarded childhood. after her parents died she began to see the cruelty of bondage. Frederick learns the immoralities of bondage earlier on in his life when he witnesses his aunt being dreadfully beaten by his slave proprietor. ( Notes. 2013 ) Both characters express their deep hatred for bondage through their narrative subjects. In Jacob’s narrative she argues that bondage destroys the criterions of slave holders. practically without exclusion. Jacob describes her feeling when she realizes Dr. Flint has entire control over her. “When he told me that I was made for his usage. made to obey his bid in everything ; that I was nil but a slave. whose will must and should give up to his. ne’er before had my puny arm felt half so strong. ” ( Jacobs. Life as a Slave Girl. IV ) Through this. she feels empowered to arise against him in Acts of the Apostless that subsequently determine her life. Jacobs has a strong hatred to slavery that she shows through her defiance and the opportunities she takes. Douglass shows his hate for bondage through his descriptive authorship. For case. he shows his intelligence by merely composing the narrative screening people that he is no animate being but an complete homo being.

The fact that he used his existent name in his narration shows his strength against bondage. Douglass believed he was entitled to be treated like a human being and was enraged that he wasn’t treated as such. The physiological maltreatment slaves went through was impossible. When Douglass was given to Edward Covey he was to be “broken. ” Covey took joy in interrupting down his slaves until they weren’t “human” any longer. His occupation was to take all of the “life” and joy out of a slave’s life so all they know is work. Douglass states that his. “ natural snap was crushed. [ his ] mind languished. the temperament to read departed. the cheerful flicker that lingered about [ his ] oculus died ; the dark dark of bondage closed in upon [ him ] ; and lay eyes on a adult male transformed into a beast! ” ( Douglass. Ten ) Through this quotation mark. one is able to see that he was broken by bondage. and turned into an animate being. Jacobs maltreatment is similar to Douglass’s experience with physiological when she realizes that Dr. Flint owns her organic structure. She is tormented by him at any clip. as he often gets her alone. She is stuck in her state of affairs because she can’t tell anyone to do Dr. Flint halt. She points out that slaves are given no ground to develop a strong moral sense. as they are given no ownership of their ain organic structure or concluding control over any of their actions. Both characters go through a clip in their life when a maestro has “broken” them physiologically. makes them believe they are less than homo. Both characters describe their childhood in wholly different ways. Douglass explains the system that slave proprietors used to “make a slave. ” By cutting off ties with 1s parents. particularly maternal lovingness. they are unable to hold on the construct of love and affinity. therefore doing them more as animate beings so people. Douglass explains that he ne’er. “enjoyed. to any considerable extent. her soothing presence. her stamp and alert attention. I received the newss of [ my mother’s ] decease with much the same emotions I should hold likely felt at the decease of a alien. ” ( Douglass. I ) Douglass’s used adjectives like “soothing” to reinvent the childhood he could hold had if he would’ve had his female parent in his life. Douglass was robbed of his childhood by the evil of bondage and his attitude towards that is shown through his descriptive authorship. Jacobs had a really different childhood so Douglass. Jacob’s had a slightly normal childhood for a slave. Jacob’s was fortunate plenty to hold both of her parents in her life every bit good as a brother for sum of clip. She was non a victim of being separated from her parents like Douglass. She was besides privileged plenty to be nescient of what she had been born into. After her mother’s decease. she is taken to her mother’s kept woman who teaches her sew. read and compose. Though both characters are born into bondage. they lead wholly different childhoods.

Gender dictates the working axial rotations Douglass and Jacobs were assigned in their clip as slaves. Jacob’s was once more fortunate to be making house work as a immature miss. most of her clip as a slave she acted as a house amah. By being a adult females Jacob’s wasn’t easy subjected to working a difficult twenty-four hours in the field. though field work was in her hereafter when Mr. Flint vindictively sends Jacobs to his plantation. Though she was to work in the Fieldss. such work was merely assigned by Mr. Flints experiencing towards her holding an matter with Mr. Sands. Douglass being a adult male was capable to much harsher work than Jacobs. Douglass was exposed to hardened slave Masterss who were cruel to him. and was given rough whippings. Douglass is profoundly emasculated by the hours of work he spends out in the Fieldss. every bit good as the rough whippings given by Covey. Douglass becomes capable of merely resting as a consequence of his whippings and extended hours of work. Douglass describes one of his many whippings in great item. “he lashed me till he had worn out hisswitches. cutting me so viciously as to go forth the Markss seeable for a long clip after. This tanning was the first of a figure merely like it. and for similar offenses. ” ( Douglass. Ten ) Slave work forces were capable to much harsher work than the adult females. and these two characters are primary illustrations of such.

Douglass and Jacobs were physically abused. but the context of their maltreatment was wholly different based on their gender. Jacob was capable to Dr. Flint’s frequent sexual torment. Jacobs was continually taken advantage of sexually during her clip under his appreciation. Jacob’s narrative is rather focused on the fact that she is a adult female when composing about her battles. “Slavery is awful for work forces ; but it is far more awful for adult females. Superadded to the load common to all. they have wrongs. and agonies. and chagrins peculiarly their ain. ” ( Jacobs. Sixteen ) Her maltreatment physiologically damaged her. and finally caused her to hold an matter
with another adult male merely to get away another’s torment. Jacobs was ne’er able to genuinely be a adult female of her ain. she was invariably pressed by the fact that she was a slave and had no right over her ain organic structure. She states in her narrative that her organic structure belonged to Dr. Flint. which was harmful to her. The fact Dr. Flint’s torment led Jacobs to holding an matter with another white adult male who she was non in love with. and finally led into her concealment detaining her from fussing her kids obstructed her opportunity for her to be a existent adult female. Douglass’s maltreatment was wholly different but had the same consequence on him ; he wasn’t able to be a true adult male. Throughout Douglass’s narrative and largely in his clip under the control of Covey. he describes how his endurance to go a existent adult male faded. Covey genuinely broke Douglass and continually provinces that he was everyplace. “under every tree. behind every stump. in every shrub. and at every window. on the plantation. ” ( Douglass. Ten ) Slavery took every ounce of his will to populate ; he had no involvement in reading. composing. or even get awaying to go a free adult male. The consequence bondage left on him shows that as a slave. Douglass was non able to be a existent adult male. While both Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobson’s Narratives undergo the corrupt power of bondage in 19th century America and were able to get away. the function of gender in society mostly acts as a discrepancy within these two narratives. Both characters show that as a slave. they weren’t able to move as a existent adult male or adult female. The physical and mental maltreatment. their childhoods and every facet of their lives as slaves. hindered them from holding a existent life for themselves. Though there were similarities in their narrations. their gender genuinely controlled the class of their lives.

Plants Cited
Douglass. Frederick. “I. X. XVI. . ” Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave. New York: New American Library. 1968. N. pag. Print. Jacobs. Harriet A. “XVI. IV. ” Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. New York: Oxford UP. 1988. N. pag. Print. Notes. C. ( 2013. April 10th ) . Class Notes. Print.