He wrote about his personal experience to reach out to the audience so they can, through his words, see and feel what he went through as a slave. Douglass’s idea of protest was active and peaceful to a certain extent. Douglass made it a point to learn how to read shortly after his mistress was forbidden, by her husband, from continuing teaching Douglass how to read. Douglass. According to Douglass, his master said, “If you give a nigger an inch, he will take an ell” (39). and Douglass did. He would do anything he could to continue his “education”. He went to children and tricked them into teaching him how to read and write. Also, he would sneak a book during any free time he had so that he can practice until he mastered it. With all of his reading, he realized that there was a life outside of being a slave and he was determined that he was not going to be a slave for his entire life, he was one day going to be free. Douglass explains how one day his life changes, “I have already intimidated that my condition was much worse, during that first six months of my stay at Mr. Convey’s, than in the last six. The circumstances leading to the change in Mr. Convey’s course…
In his speech, which was later published as The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro Frederick Douglass explores the injustices that plagued the African-American community during the time period in which he lived. Douglass questioned, “Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us?” These principles, “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” were not granted to the African-American population. In regards to the Fourth of July, Douglass stated that the white Americans “shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery”. Therefore, through…
Frederick Douglass’ purpose of writing “Fourth of July Oration” was to show the failure of America not living up to it’s core of liberty for all men. Douglass focuses on the aspect that the Fourth of July celebration not able to truly be celebrated by all citizens. Some stylistics choices made by Douglass, I believe, made his piece successful. However there were choices he made weakening his argument.…
The creator of the primary source was trying to express how hypocritical it is for people to celebrate freedom on the 4th of July. Slaves still don’t have freedom. People back then acted like slaves weren’t people. According to Frederick Douglas, a former slave,” Your celebration is a sham; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless.” This quote reminds me of how slave owners were always happy but slaves themselves were usually depressed and tired of doing work. They were depressed because they would get beaten so often for doing the littlest things. Most of them wanted to go out on their own and not be held in captivity. Frederick Douglass said,” There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are…
The speech that intrigued me the most was “What to a Slave is the Fourth of July”. This speech is one of Douglass’ most controversial speeches. It allowed me to visualize the pain that they endured to help instill equality in America. One excerpt that moved me states “This Forth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.”(Doug468) this meant that Frederick Douglass did not count himself apart of American traditions if he is not being treated like an American. The speech impacted me personally because it made me appreciate the value of freedom more than before. Thousands of men and women died in hopes of making a change. Their efforts were not in vein, and me, an African American male have to hold myself to a higher standard because living in a white America I am already at a disadvantage.…
"What to the slave is the fourth of July?", by Frederick Douglass, explains how Douglass viewed the celebration as mockery, a slap to the face for all African Americans. The Fourth of July is a holiday to honor the day that our country separated from England. It is a day to remind each of us of our freedom and our individuality and how fortunate we are to have it. So, as a slave who has neither individuality nor freedom, this holiday only served to remind them what they lack, and how they are considered inferior, according to Douglass. He states in his speech, "The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me".…
Douglass uses powerful sentences to get his point across. He uses “you” and “your” to show American belongs to the whites, he does not feel this is his country. Douglass states the 4th of July is only mockery of African American lives. “To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy…
In the excerpt “Learning to Read and Write”, Frederick Douglass talks about his experiences in slavery living in his masters house and his struggle to learn how to read and write. Frederick Douglass was an African American social reformer, orator, writer, and statesman. Some of his other writings include “The Heroic Slave”, “My Bondage and My Freedom”, and “Life and Times of Frederick Douglass”. In this excerpt, Frederick Douglass uses an empathic tone, imagery, certain verb choice, contrast, and metaphors to inform African Americans of how important it is to learn to read and write and also to inform a white American audience of the evils of slavery. I find Frederick Douglass to be relatively persuasive in his argument to his intended audiences.…
To Frederick Douglass the holiday is more of a holiday to be celebrated by the white people. In the text it says, “The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not me.” In the time that Douglass gave this speech he thought that only white people should celebrate the fourth of july because they inherit freedom, and it comes with the color of their skin. Today sadly American treats all races different from each other. African Americans are seen as unbehaved and violent, Asians are seen as smart, and pakistani and Arab people are seen a terrorist. The list of stereotypes go on and on, how can you celebrate a holiday meant for freedom when you're not even free of false judgement from other Americans nor are you free from the way you are treated based on your race. I hope that one day that America as a whole would not classify or treat races differently base on the stereotypes or the actions of others. I hope that one day everyone would be able to celebrate the fourth of July with pride because they are…
In his essay, Douglas explains that Americans praising this holiday are mocking slavery. He states that, “this Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn. To drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony.” (Douglas) He continues on slavery and the holiday by starting that on July 4, that there are still slaves who are still suffering. If he forgets that then it will be treachery. Douglas declares, “If I do forget, if I do not remember those bleeding children of sorrow this day “may my right hand forget her cunning, and may my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth.” [Psalms 137:6]” (Douglas) He is saying this holiday is not for African Americans because they were still slaves.…
“Freedom” a text written in English 363, and a literary analysis of the autobiography of Frederick Douglas, examines the use of literary elements (Formalism approach) that conveys Douglas’ wish for freedom from slavery and addresses the human condition for freedom. Frederick Douglas the author of, “Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave” writes about his wish for freedom from slavery during the 1800’s. Frederick Douglas begins his life with a good master, who allows him to become literate, but a change in owners leads to cruel treatment and then he seeks his freedom from slavery. Douglass in his poem to the ships reflects upon one Sunday afternoon like many other Sundays when he is off from work and near the water…
The Fourth of July is an American tradition/ritual that comes from the original thirteen colonies declaring independence from Great Britain, but now let me tell you in more detail. On July 4, 1776, the thirteen colonies claimed their independence from England, an event which eventually led to the formation of the United States. Each year on July 4th, also known as Independence Day, Americans celebrate this historic event. Conflict between the colonies and England was already a year old when the colonies convened a Continental Congress in Philadelphia in the summer of 1776. In a June 7 session in the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall), Richard Henry Lee of Virginia presented a resolution with the famous words: "Resolved: That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved."…
Chastised Americans saying that they have not lived up to the American Constitution. He says the American Revolution will lead to examples of freedom around the world. He also condemned slavery as a violation of American values and a shame. The speech was an example of American Nationalism and the limits of American Freedom after the Revolution.…
Frederick states that the Fourth of July to a slave," reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim". "To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sound of rejoicing are empty and heartless..." Frederick reveals the injustice that many slaves go through such as, "rob them of their liberty, to work them without wages, to keep them ignorant of their relations to their fellow men, to beat them with sticks, to flay their flesh with the last, to load their limbs with irons, to hunt them with dogs, to sell them at auction, to sunder their families, to knock out their teeth, to burn their flesh, to starve them into obedience and submission to their masters”. (Douglass…
When school was over for the year, Grace Toone looked forward to the July 4th celebration. Her mother, Clara Jones Toone would make new dresses for her girls. She was good at sewing and took great pride in having her girls look nice. On the morning of the 4th there would be a patriotic program at the church. In the afternoon, the town would gather to the square and run races, or ride bronco horses. Grace’s favorite was the ice cream. The 4th of July was the only time of year you could buy it.…