The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Chapters 6 & 7: Argu e!t a!

d "ersuasive Appeals
In Chapter Six, Douglass uses the example of his new master and mistress, Mr. Hugh and Sophy Auld, to reveal how slavery dehumanizes the slave owner as well as the slave. Fo us on the first three paragraphs in parti ular. !nderline or note any words that you thin" help shape Douglass#s argument and then answer the following $uestions. %ou an use an intera tive tool to explore these issues in &hapter Six' http'((intera tives.mped.org(view)intera tive.aspx*id+,-./title+Slaverys 0-1Dehumanizing0-12ffe ts 3. 4hat initially "eeps Sophy Auld from treating Douglass as a slave* -. 2valuate the last senten es of Douglass#s first paragraph. &hara terize the underlined words in this passage. How does this word hoi e help Douglass prove his point that slavery hurts the slave owner* How does Douglass#s appearan e of on ern for Mrs. Auld emphasize slavery#s de5ilitating effe ts on her(him* o 6ote that Douglass des ri5es Mrs. Auld at first as "Her face was made of heavenly smiles, and her voice of tranquil music." He then notes the hange in her 5y writing' "But, alas! This kind heart had but a short time to remain such. The fatal poison of irresponsible power was already in her hands, and soon commenced its infernal work. That cheerful eye, under the influence of slavery, soon became red with rage that voice, made all of sweet accord, changed to one of harsh and horrid discord and that angelic face gave place to that of a demon." ,. In paragraph , of &hapter Six, Douglass $uotes Mr. Auld for5idding his wife to tea h young Frederi " how to read' "!ow if you teach that nigger how to read, there would be no keeping him. "t would forever unfit him to be a slave. He would at once become unmanageable, and of no value to his master. #s to himself, it could do him no good, but a great deal of harm. "t would make him discontented and unhappy." 7his passage offers 5oth a portrait in omparison 5etween Mr. Auld and his wife, as well as serves as a turning point in Douglass#s life. How does Douglass#s $uotation of Mr. Auld serve Douglass#s own persuasive aims* How does this information prove to 5e a turning point in Frederi " Douglass#s life* 4hat revelation o urs to him in this hapter* And what irony is involved in this revelation* &onsider the importan e of litera y and the effe tiveness of using illitera y as a tool of ontrol. 4hat are some things that you might normally do in the ourse of an average day that you ould not do if you were illiterate* Fo us on the ways in whi h you would 5e limited and your life ontained.

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Chapters 6 & 7: Argu e!t a!d "ersuasive Appeals
In Chapter 7, paragraph -, Douglass provides more eviden e and onvi tion that slavery orrupts the slave owner or in this ase, Mrs. Auld, the slave owner#s wife. 8eep in mind that 39th entury Ameri a was also "nown for its ult of domesti ity and sentimentality:the 5elief that women were the moral standard 5earers in Ameri an so iety. 4hat does it say a5out so iety if a woman an 5ehave as Mrs. Auld does* ;efer to the following passage' $y mistress was, as " have said, a kind and tender%hearted woman &. that education and slavery were incompatible with each other. Despite Mrs. Auld#s 5est efforts to shut Frederi " up in <mental dar"ness,< he perseveres and learns to read. Fo us on the following passage and answer the $uestions' 3. 4hom does Douglass find to tea h him* -. How does he learn* ,. How does Douglass use irony to reinfor e slavery#s dehumanizing influen e* See paragraph =. The plan which " adopted& would occur by which " might be free.

&onsider, for example, Douglass# >uxtaposition of the hildrens# hunger next to the des ription of the <unpardona5le offense< of tea hing slaves to read in this <&hristian ountry.< How does the hypo risy inherent in slavery 5leed over in other aspe ts of daily life*

Assessment: Due Wednesday

;e?examine these passages and write a short response paper exploring one example of Douglass effe tively showing how an opponents# rhetori is faulty. @ossi5le examples in lude the misuse of &hristianity, Mr. Auld#s explanation for the pro5lem with tea hing slaves to read, or another situation ontained in these two hapters. How does Douglass effe tively dispute these laims* 4hat rhetori al devi es aid him in this tas"*