In his autobiography, Fredrick Douglass gives many reflections on slavery and the human spirit, from the singing of slaves and the transformation of Sophia Auld, to the attempt to learn to read and to write, Douglass shows how slavery changed humanity. the nature and prejudices of some slave owners. On the way to the Big House farm, the slave sang his thoughts, although it was not in tune. “They sometimes sang the most pathetic sentiment in the most ravishing tone, and the most ravishing sentiment in the most pathetic tone” (p. 8). Although some people sing the most when they are happy, this is not the case during slavery. In his account, Douglass shows how “crying for joy and singing for joy were rare for me when I was in the clutches of slavery” (p. 9). This clearly shows how slavery changed human nature through the songs of the slaves. Human nature is to sing when happy, but slavery has corrupted human nature so that slaves can only sing when they are saddest. Douglass is amazed by the strange kindness of his new mistress, Sophia Auld. Mrs. Auld has never owned a slave before and s...