Frederick Douglass

Common Themes / Ideas / Images --

1.) Slavery affects both slaves and slave-owners.

2.) Religion -- as a justification for slavery and cruelty.

3.) Religion -- as incompatible with slavery.

4.) Owners -- religious owners are worse.

5.) Owners -- different “classes” of owners.

6.) Owners -- Religious vs. Non-Religious.

7.) Owners -- born into owning slaves vs. acquiring / inheriting slaves later.

8.) Education -- the key to freedom for slaves or any human being (wider audience).

9.) Education -- the key to being a human being.

10.) Animals -- have better treatment than slaves.

11.) Identity -- slaves were stripped of identity.

12.) Identity -- slaves became dependent on owners.

13.) Identity -- identity based on owners -- slaves “fought for” their owners -- to defend their owners’ honors.

14.) Identity -- whites prevented anything that made them more human-like -- separated moms and children; cut emotional ties; etc.