UCO: 504956
Aurora Mastrilli
Frederick Douglass Essay; Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave: Written by Himself
One of the first things Frederick Douglass tells us about himself is that he doesn’t know who his
father was, that his mother died when he was very young and that he hardly recognized his
biological siblings as relatives. In the pages he wrote, we find some attempt at replacing these
foundational family relationships.
The first motherly figure that appears in the book is his aunt Hester that, however, will not have
the chance to raise him as a mother would, since she herself is a slave and frequently whipped by
master Captain Anthony.
A more influential woman in Douglass’s life could be recognized in Hugh Auld’s (Captain
Anthony’s son‑in‑law’s brother) wife, Mrs. Sophia Auld. She is described by him as strangely kind
and different from all the other white women he encountered in his life. She’s said to be “ in a
good degree preserved from the blighting and dehumanizing effects of slavery.” because she
never owned slaves before. Frederick is strikingly amazed by her, and since he was less than 10
years old at the time, we can imagine how this woman might have fed his fantasy of having finally
found a mother figure. Moreover, the most important fact is that she started teaching him the
alphabet and to read small words. This has been a life changing event for Frederik that from that
moment on will understand the importance of education in the process of emancipation for all
the slaves.
A brother figure could be found in Colonel Loyd’s grandson Daniel with whom Douglass spent
time as a servant in hunting expeditions where they actually befriended as he witnesses in Ch. V
“My connection with Master Daniel was of some advantage to me. He became quite attached to
me, and was a sort of protector of me. He would not allow the older boys to impose upon me, and
would divide his cakes with me.”
As for the sister, he spent time with his real sister Eliza when he lived in Thomas Auld’s in the
1830s. Nevertheless, Frederick does not say a lot about her or about their relationship, which was
probably alienated by the work and by their condition of servitude.
The man who tried to give him some independence and hand out his knowledge could fit as a
father figure: Hugh Auld. He indeed allows Frederick to seek work on his own after having taught
him caulking at the shipyard. However, he was no better than other masters and Frederick
eventually managed to escape to NYC.
It is there where he becomes acquainted with a free black, David Ruggles, who suggests him to
go to Massachusetts in order to find a job as a caulker. He will also help him with the organization
and the wedding ceremony of Frederick and Anna Murray, Douglass’s future wife, a free black
woman that helped him escape from slavery and supported him in his abolitionist cause
throughouth their life together.