American Literary Realism

Generally speaking is set in the here-and-now and among people of average social position, accurately reproducing their speech and manners in actions which are true to human behavior.

The characters contend, on the whole optimistically, with ethical problems which they attempt to solve practically and arrive at the end of their story without the help of coincidence or improbable intervention.

Frederick Douglas

  • Born into slavery—unknown birthday
  • 1817?-1895
  • Escaped slavery, fled to NYC disguised as a sailor
  • Spoke so eloquently to the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society that he was hired to lecture about his experiences
  • Because the country’s most prominent antislavery speakers
  • Autobiography—Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas, an American Slave
  • Helped recruit African American troops, including his sons, to fight in the Civil War
  • Fought for civil rights for African Americans and women

Notes fromNarrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

  • Left Master Thomas’s house to live with Mr. Covey—became a field hand, was whipped due to an accident he had with oxen and a cart
  • Mr. Covey thought Frederick was wasting time. “My awkwardness was almost always his excuse for whipping me.” He ordered Frederick to take off his clothes. Frederick didn’t listen (probably why he was sent to Mr. Covey to have his spirit broken). Mr. Covey lashed him with switches.
  • He was given enough to eat, but could only take less than 5 minutes to eat. He had to work all day in the field (before sunrise, after sunset)
  • Mr. Covey—spends afternoons in bed, couldn’t be deceived, made the slaves feel like he was always there. The slaves called him “the snake”—he would sneak around the corn field to check on the slaves.
  • Mr. Covey succeeded in breaking the spirit of Frederick Douglas—he made him work during all weather—hail, snow, etc. –“I was broken in body, soul, and spirit. My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark that lingered about my eye died; the dark night of slavery closed in upon me…”
  • Sunday = leisure time.
  • Frederick would sometimes contemplate taking his life and that of Covey’s, but was prevented by hope and fear.
  • Frederick was fanning wheat, felt sick, and fell. Mr. Covey found him, kicked him, and wounded his head. He was covered with blood. He went to ask his former owner for mercy. Master says that Mr. Covey is a good man and that Frederick belongs to him.

Name:

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave

  1. What are your impressions of Frederick Douglass?
  1. What was Covey’s first reason for beating Douglass?
  1. How did Master Thomas respond when Douglass asked for Protection from Covey?
  1. How did Douglass keep Covey from beating him again?
  1. Explain what you think Douglass means when he states, “However long I might remain a slave in form, the day had passed forever when I could be a slave in fact” (570).
  1. What do Douglass’s choices reveal to you about his character?
  1. What would you say freedom means to Douglass?

Considering Author’s Purpose

  1. How does Douglass’s writing make his audience feel about slavery?
  1. What do the conflicts between Douglass and Covey reveal about slavery’s effects on both slaves and masters?