Compassion and Sympathy in the life of Fredrick Douglass
... As a newly escaped slave, Fredrick Douglass risked his life to write his autobiography, entitled “A Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass”. ... He appeals to their sympathy, religion and compassion to convey the idea that though we may have our differences, we are all part of the human race. ... Their purpose is to continually remind the reader of the pains of slavery, thereby generating sympathy. In the very first paragraph of the autobiography, Douglass tells the reader that he never knew his mother, and does not even know exactly how old he is. ... Douglass’ Aunt is whipped savagely. ... Not only is Douglass’ aunt a slave, but she is also a woman. ... Furthermore, Douglass is repeatedly broken in both body and spirit. ... Their fight seems to end in a stalemate, but it leaves Douglass feeling elated and more confident in himself. After this fight, Douglass feels reborn. He refers to the feelings he felt as “…a glorious resurrection, from the tomb of slavery, to the heaven of freedom”(Douglass 81). ... Douglass incorporates these religious references to identify with Christians and to attempt to bring all his readers together. The above quote clearly is included to liken Douglass to Jesus Christ at the time of his resurrection.