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The Slave Narrative

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Title: The Slave Narrative


1
The Slave Narrative
  • Definition and Purpose
  • Themes
  • Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of
    Frederick Douglass

2
Defining Slave Narratives
  • Slave narratives can be defined as the personal
    experiences of slaves before and after the Civil
    War (1865)
  • Generally they include the experiences of
    African-Americans who have escaped from slavery

3
Purpose of Slave Narratives
  • Attempted to arouse sympathy of readers in order
    to promote humanitarianism
  • Emphasized traditional Christian religious ideas
  • Showed acceptance of the ideals of dominant
    whites
  • Emphasized the cruelty of slave owners
  • Targeted white audiences

4
Influences on Slave Narratives
  • The King James Bible
  • New England Sermonizing Traditions
  • Abolitionist Orators
  • Devotional Books Spirituals encouraged people
    who were harboring slaves to free them in order
    to become a better people

5
Reasons for Popularity
  • Scenes of horror which gratified the popular
    appetite for literature
  • Religious influence illustrating ways people got
    closer to God
  • Interesting descriptions of life in the South
  • Propaganda

6
The Format of the Slave Narrative
  • Plot includes struggle for survival and
    transition into the promise land
  • Birth, death, and being resurrected
  • Body participates in a spiritual death

7
Elements of a Slave Narrative
  • Loss of Innocence Awareness of what it means to
    be a slave
  • Realization of alternatives to bondage and the
    determination to be free
  • The Escape
  • Freedom Obtained
  • Question 2 How do these elements work to
    communicate important messages to whites?

8
Themes
  • Exposure to physical, sexual, and emotional abuse
  • Comparison of slaves to other forms of life (ex.
    Cattle, pigs)
  • Determination to write and read
  • Vignettes of other characters succeeding and
    failing
  • Includes the loss of family members and the
    destruction of family ties

9
Themes (Continued)
  • Imaginary Audiences
  • Question 3 Why do you think slave narratives or
    narratives in general are an important part of
    American history? (7-10 Sentences)

10
Frederick Douglass
  • Life as a Slave
  • Awareness and Education
  • Escape
  • Activism

11
Life as a Slave
  • Douglasss narrative appeals to the human emotion
    (PATHOS) in his descriptive account of the slave
    experience.
  • Includes vivid descriptions of physical and
    emotional abuse
  • Captures scenes of life on the plantation
  • Makes reference to the destruction of family ties

12
Education/Awareness
  • Slaves were prevented from obtaining an education
  • The awareness of education gave a slave freedoms
    limited by society
  • Douglasss education forced him to become more
    aware of the limitations placed on him by slavery

13
ESCAPE
  • Douglasss frustration with the slave system
    intensified with his education
  • Douglasss educational knowledge contributed to
    his desire to escape slavery

14
ACTIVISM
  • After his escape, Douglass worked to abolish
    slavery
  • Douglass published an abolitionist paper called
    the North Star
  • He spoke publicly about the flaws of slavery
  • Worked for the Underground Railroad
  • Recruited soldiers for Civil War to fight for
    equal treatment of blacks

15
ReflectionONE PAGE
  • How does slavery serve as a contradiction to
    Americas values? Identify at least THREE
    specific American values. Refer to your values
    survey for assistance.
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