Cameron Bates

English 5th Period Pre-Ap English I

10/8/14

Mrs. Wiersig

Frederick Douglass’ Actions to Erase His Conflicts

In the autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, the author writes about  the many major conflicts he faces as a slave in the south, as a child and as a grown man, where it is difficult for a man of his race to overcome the boundaries that have been placed around him. Douglass shows himself changing from a brute into a man by taking these actions; learning to read, fighting Mr. Covey, and escaping slavery.

While learning to read Douglass encounters some conflicts from his masters, but overcomes them with his cleverness and determination. For example, when Douglass first moves to Baltimore his mistress “very kindly commenced to teach me the A.B.C’s.”(48) Her husband told her to stop and “this kind tender heart had but a short time to remain such.”(47) Mrs. Auld  becomes abusive and, more so than her husband, and Douglass now has an immense curiosity about reading and now wants to learn to read even more. The way he overcomes this conflict is by “making friends with all the little white boys whom he met in the street.” Out of his curiosity to read Douglass would get the kids to teach him to read by giving them all bread. Using his cleverness and determination helps Douglass learn to read and this gives him confidence to face the challenges ahead and to find out how he can learn more.

This new found confidence increases Douglass’ longing for freedom which helps him overcome his conflicts with Mr. Covey. For example, Douglass has been transferred to Mr. Covey to be better disciplined and to be trained as a field slave. When he becomes sick and weak, Mr. Covey tells him to get up, but Douglass defies him “Mr Covey then gave him a savage kick and told him to get up.” (77) Mr. Covey doesn’t care that Douglass is sick and can barely stand, but Douglass will not give into his cruelty. Furthermore, Douglass is continuously defying Mr. Covey and Covey gets mad at Douglass and this scares Douglass so “he asks his master to let him get a new home that Covey would surely kill him.”(79) Douglass even makes a seven mile walk so that he can try to get a new home. In addition, Douglass gets tired of Mr. Covey whipping him so he fights Mr. Covey and “he feels Mr. Covey has gotten the worst of the fight… This fight with Mr. Covey was the turning point in his life.”(85) Douglass has scared Mr. Covey, and has gained a little respect from him, Douglass also has realized that he wants out of slavery even more so now than ever. This changes Douglass’ point of view on the slave holders so he is no longer fearful and timid of them as he used to be.

These accomplishments over his conflicts have increased his confidence even more and he decides to try to escape slavery. For example, Frederick Douglass has been hired to Mr. Freeland and he had started a school there to teach the other slaves how to read and about the bible. He then realized his desire to want to escape and “he was no longer content, therefore, to live with him or any other slaveholder. I began, with the commencement of the year, to prepare myself for a final struggle,which should decide my fate one way or another.”(91) Douglass starts to devise a plan to escape slavery and he ends up getting caught and thrown in to jail. Furthermore, Douglass starts to devise another plan to escape and he goes and gets himself employed again so his master would not have to do so for him and while doing this his master “had no suspicion of his intent to run away.”(111) Douglass has tricked his master into thinking he was content with the privileges he has and during this time he has gotten money from free black men and went on with his escape. In addition, Douglass has now run off to New York and in order not to be sent back into slavery he “ saw in every white man an enemy, and in almost every colored man cause for distrust.” (113) He does not trust anyone after he escapes and he stays a free slave because of this. He goes on to be free and helps the end of slavery to happen because he had a determination of being free.

Douglass has conquered his conflicts by taking these actions: learning to read, fighting Mr. Covey, and escaping slavery. He started out a scared timid slave who knew nothing and ended up a wise, free man who helps end slavery. He became courageous and brilliant and was able to help our country by ending slavery through abolition speeches. He learned to read by using his brain and asking kids for help. He gained courage by fighting Covey which in turn helped him to escape slavery.