The Narrative describes Douglass's experience under slavery from his early childhood until his escape North at the age of twenty. Within that time, Douglass progresses from unenlightened victim of the dehumanizing practices of slavery to educated and empowered young man. He gains the resources and convictions to escape to the North and wage a political fight against the institution of slavery.
Anthony is the clerk for Colonel Lloyd. Anthony is a cruel man who takes pleasure in whipping his slaves, especially Douglass's Aunt Hester. He is called "Captain" because he once piloted ships up the Chesapeake Bay.
Colonel Lloyd is an extremely rich man who owns all of the slaves and lands where Douglass grows up. Lloyd insists on extreme subservience from his slaves and often punishes them unjustly.
Lucretia is as cruel an owner as her husband.
Thomas and Lucretia Auld allow Hugh to borrow Douglass as a servant for Hugh's son, Thomas. Hugh is not as cruel as his brother Thomas, but he becomes harsher due to a drinking habit in his later years. Educates Frederick even though it is said that whites maintain power by depriving blacks education.
Gets whipped countless times by Captain Anthony.
Free black women. After Douglass escapes they marry in New York and move to Massachusetts.
Immediately impressed with Douglass's poise and with the power of his story, Garrison hires him for the abolitionist cause.
When he found out she died, at age 7, he is hardly affected. Knows his father is black. Some say his dad is his master. Mix-raced children become slaves. Master's wives resent and hate these kids and are insulted by their existence, making them suffer or selling them off.
Mr. Plummer Captain's Anthony's overseer, a drunk with a whip which he uses a lot. Finds out that he Hester is sneaking away with another slave named Ned. Captain Anthony whips Aunt Hester, sometimes in front of Douglass.
Captain Anthony and his son-in-law, Captain Auld, take the goods by ship to sell in Baltimore. 300-400 slaves total. Slaves get monthly allowance of pork or fish, and corn meal. Receive one set of linen clothing for the year, one blanket but no bed. Mr.
Severe first overseer. Hopkins replaces him after he dies. Considered a fair overseer. Central Plantation= Great House Farm. Slaves on their way to the Great House Farm usually sing wild, spontaneous songs that sound both joyful and sad. Douglass explains that he did not know the underlying meaning of these songs while he was a slave, but now understands that the songs are a bitter complaint about slavery.
Master is picky about the horses and wil whip them for anything that goes wrong, even the simplest things. Slaves never complain in fear of being punished more. Lloyd has so many slaves that he hasn't see all of them face to face. Lloud sees a slave walking and asks him about his master. Who replies he is not treated well. That salve is chained and sold to a Georgia Slave trader.
Slaves now always say they are treated very well, to avoid the punishments.
He does not argue or hear protests and sometimes provokes slaves only for an excuse to punish them. His ensures that all of the slaves bow down to him, while he, in turn, willingly bows down to the Colonel. Mr. Gore is a silent man, never joking as some overseers would. He performs barbaric deeds of punishment with a cool demeanor.
Gore shoots Demby from not coming out of the river to soothe his pain. This is an example of many masters/overseers getting away with murder.
Slave children are given no other clothing but a long linen shirt. The cold of the winters so harms Douglass's feet that he could insert the pen he now writes with into the cracks of his flesh. Children eat corn mush out of a communal trough, so only the strongest children get enough to eat. Moves to Hugh Aulds plantation. If he did not leave Lloyd's plantation he would not be free writing his autobiography.
Auld is very nice, but then she becomes cruel. Mrs. Auld teaches him the alphabet and small words. Mr. Auld orders her to stop.
City slaves get more freedom. Urban slave owners are careful not to appear cruel or neglectful to slaves in the eyes of non?slaveholding whites. Exceptions to this rule certainly exist, however. The Hamiltons, for example, neighbors of the Aulds, mistreat their two young slaves, Henrietta and Mary.
Period of suicidal despair. Douglass learns to write.
Apprehensive to leave Baltimore cuz city life is much better. Douglass's return to the plantation, he has seen Master Andrew kick Douglass's younger brother in the head until he bled. Master Andrew has threatened to do the same to Douglass. Sold to Mrs. Lucretia Auld and Andrew Auld. Lucretia and Andrew both die without freeing any of their slaves.
Thomas reclaims Douglass. But she doesn't care since Hugh is a drunk, and Sophia became cruel.
Auld is inconsistent in his discipline and cowardly in his cruelty. While Douglass lives under Auld, he sometimes purposely lets Auld's horse run away to a nearby farm. Douglass then goes to fetch the horse and eats a full meal at the neighboring farm. Auld sends him to Covey, who is known to break slaves.
He barely escapes with his life. When he fails he is severely punished. Slaves work in the fields all daylight hours. Sometimes he accompanies them.
They call him the snake cuz he sneaks up on them to see if they're resting. Douglass loses his spirit, his intellect, his desire to learn, and his natural cheerfulness. He considers killing himself, or even Covey, but he is paralyzed by both hope and fear. Ships in Chesapeake Bay by Covey's property represent freedom.
Walks to Auld's with blood poring from his head after being kicked for collapsing of fatigue. Auld's sympathise but send him back. When he returns Covey chases him with a whip into the fields, but eventually gives up. Meets Sandy Jenkins and goes to his house. Returns to Covey with the supposed "magical root".
He believes it worked but then Covey tries to ties his legs in the stables. He fights back. Grabs him by the throat. Covey calls another slave Hughes for help. Douglass kicks Hughes down.
He next calls Bill, but he refuses. They fight for 2 hours. Covey brags that he whipped Douglass, which he didn't. Never touches Douglass again.
Regains spirit and defiance. Never receives another whipping for the 4 last years he is a slave. On Christmas the slaves can drink and have fun. Jan 1 he is sent to live Mr. William Freeland. Freeland works his slaves hard but treats them fairly.
"Free land". Plan to escape gets ruined. They are captured and sent back to Thomas Auld. Sent to jail.
Everyone is freed but Douglass cuz he was said to be the leader. Thomas sends Douglass to Hugh. Works at shipyard with William Gardner. Attacked by 4 white apprentices, nearly loses his left eye. He becomes an apprentice at Hugh Auld's own shipyard.
Douglass quickly learns caulking under Walter Price and soon earns the highest possible wage. Each week, Douglass turns over all his wages to Hugh Auld.
Douglass asks the same of Hugh Auld, who agrees, with the stipulation that Douglass must find all his own work and pay Auld three dollars each week to buy his own tools, board, and clothing. Though it is an ungenerous arrangement, Douglass looks forward to having the responsibilities of a free man. Douglass plans to escape. In New York, and a man named Ruggles takes him in. Advises him to go to Massachusetts to become a Caulker. He writes to his wife Anna Murray and they get married in New York.
Mr Johnson suggests he change his name to Douglass. The Northern blacks take care of one another and guard escaped slaves from recapture. Douglass attends an antislavery convention in Nantucket and is urged to speak about his experience as a slave. He is nervous about speaking in front of whites, but soon talks with ease. Since that day, Douglass has worked to plead the case against slavery.
