The Life Story of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave highlights many of the injustices that African Americans faced in the 1800s under Southern slavery. Douglass's life story is presented in a way that makes a compelling argument against the institution of slavery, bolstered by anecdotes detailing beatings and inhumane cruelty at the hands of slave owners. However, Douglass's most compelling argument not only shows the physical burdens of slavery, but also speaks to the harmful consequences it brought to both slaves and their owners. The underlying theme of the story is that slavery corrupts the minds of slave owners and weakens their intellect. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay In order to justify keeping an entire race of people enslaved, slave owners had to pretend that black people were inferior – on the same level as animals. Therefore, they paid no attention to the sanctity of black families. They treated slaves as if their family ties had no value – something they would never imagine doing to another white person. This is illustrated by Douglass's own relationship with his mother, from whom he was separated as a child: "Very little communication took place between us...I was not allowed to be present during her illness, at her death or burial. ..I received the news of his death with much the same emotions that I probably should have felt at the death of a stranger" (Douglass, 21). This passage shows how slave owners were so convinced of the uselessness of slaves that they saw no reason to respect the bond between mother and child As a result, slaves' view of family was also skewed In the book, although Douglass. seems to know that his mother is important and desires a relationship with her, he is not saddened by her death because he was never allowed to have a healthy relationship with her He also has no affection. for his sisters and brother, with whom he was also unable to interact. Additionally, slave owners showed contempt for families by raping slave women, getting them pregnant, and then encouraging their white children to. whipping their half-black siblings (rumor had it that Douglass was fathered by his master). Slaves suffered from the loss not only of their freedom, but also of their family life, which slave owners deemed unnecessary for the slaves. Douglass argues that the minds of slave owners were so corrupt that they viewed slaves as animals – hence their lack of respect for black families and marriages. This is demonstrated through the story of Mr. Covey's first slave, Caroline: “Having purchased her, he hired a married man of Mr. Samuel Harrison, to live with him a year; and he used to sleep with her every night! " (Douglass, 74) Covey, who claimed to be a devout Christian, ignored the holy institution of marriage by forcing adultery on two unwilling people in order to raise more workers. Moreover, the man was not hired for only one year, showing that Covey had no intention of allowing the children to have any relationship with their father. The attitude that viewed blacks as inferior distorted the perception of slaves and owners. of slaves with regard toblack families. According to Douglass, slaves were also kept in mental slavery in the area of ​​education. The ability to read and write was denied – even hindered at all costs – to slaves. They were expected to work all day and remain ignorant of the world around them from a young age. Their masters preferred to see them indulge in drinking and boxing rather than learning to read the Bible: "It was necessary to keep our religious masters of St. Michael ignorant of the fact that instead of spending the Sabbath fighting , boxing and drinking whiskey, we were trying to learn to read the will of God; for they would much rather see us engaged in these degrading sports than see us behave as intellectual, moral, and responsible beings” (Douglass, 89). Douglass argues that slave owners would rather have slaves engage in frivolous and degrading activities than have us engage in frivolous and degrading activities. He read the very book on which their faith was centered. He says that slave owners kept slaves imprisoned because of this deprivation of knowledge because they made them believe that debauchery was all freedom. Moreover, when Douglass himself learned to read, he discovered that he was himself. no longer had the mentality of a slave and the injustices of the system became much more apparent, inspiring him to work harder to achieve freedom. This was a revelation that slave owners did not want to happen among their slaves because it could lead to rebellion. or mass desertion. Another way in which slave owners kept slaves from rebelling or running away was by accustoming them to the system to the point that they accepted it as a permanent reality. From a young age when they could perform physical labor, slave children were forced to work. They have become accustomed to a life of small rations, uncomfortable homes, long working hours and ever-vigilant overseers. Douglass said of the slaves who were selected to run errands in the largest house in the area: “In their minds it was associated with greatness. A representative couldn't be more proud of their election to a seat in the United States Congress... They would. sometimes sing the most pathetic sentiment in the most ravishing tone… It is to these songs that I trace my first scintillating conception of the dehumanizing character of slavery” (Douglass, 28-30). This form of imprisonment is the one that seems most affected by Douglass. This is imprisonment by convenience. Slaves are so resigned to their condition and so unaware of the possibility of a better future that they rejoice when they are enslaved somewhere a little more comfortable. They desire the respect and admiration of their cruel overseers and feel that they deserved it when they were sent to the Big Farm. Rather than competing with rival farms on their own individual abilities, they compete over who has the richest master and which master treats them best. Their entire identity is based on the wealth and reputation of their masters. It is also a form of psychological servitude because it causes slaves not only to accept their enslavement, but to adopt it as a definition of their own worth. This acceptance and acceptance of their status as slaves results in submission to perpetual servitude because it is the only way of life they have known. Another example given by Douglass of slaves' ignorance of any way of life other than that which they endured was his own journey to Baltimore to serve under Hugh Auld. HAS ;.