As Douglass's narration continues we're induced in a complex and gory illustration of what life behind the many times invisible chains of slavery meant for men, women, and children. Death becomes repetitive as Douglass presents different episodes in which he witnessed the brutality overseers perpetuated over disobedient slaves. Then again, disobedience is a very ambiguous term when referring to the time of slavery. In Douglass's words, "He was one of those who could torture the slightest look, word, or gesture, on the part of the slave, into impudence, and would treat it accordingly. There must be no answering back to him; no explanation was allowed a slave, showing himself to have been wrongfully accused."(34) Basically slaves were subject to their masters' and overseers' cruelty constantly so the narrative appeals to the readers sympathy when relating to the slaves and touches on anger when presenting the white folks.
Pathos then becomes the most prominent rhetorical instrument used by Douglass. The severe injustices slaves were subjected are narrated in such a way that allows us to witness the action and at the same time stand impotent in there defense. Any attempts at justice were frowned upon, and the frequent crimes against African Americans were also ignored. If "it was worth half a cent to kill a nigger" life had no intrinsic value for they served as disposable meat fulfilling a duty any other piece of meat could do just as well.
Ethos is also very important to the narrative as it adds the feeling of discrimination and racial division characteristic to this time in history. You could either be black or white and this defined everything from your most natural rights, to your every single detail in life. We see the overseers as these hard and impersonal characters that had power over hundreds of slaves only through the movement of their whips. They wouldn't rebel against any of them and disobedience was out of the question just because they were the once that could decide between life and death. The power these white figures exerted over the black slaves was almost godlike and Douglass demonstrates it thoroughly across the text.
"They seemed to think the greatness of their masters was transferable to themselves."(33)
The last of the rhetoric tools is harder to find but there was a great example that caught my attention. One of the prominent arguments behind killing a slave was that there usually were no witnesses even as dozens of black slaves stood to watch. "His horrid crime was not even submitted to judicial investigation. It was committed in the presence of slaves, and they of course could neither institute a suit, nor testify against him..."(36) This powerlessness slaves underwent is demonstrated strongly in Douglass's argument. They were completely invisible to the judicial system and had no hope to be free.
As I look into the narrative and come to understand more of who Douglass was and what he experienced I can't help but wonder where he gathered the strength to flee? How did he do it and how was he so successful when he faced so little hope? The text will eventually reveal all this answers, or so I hope, but for now its all open to prediction.
Pathos then becomes the most prominent rhetorical instrument used by Douglass. The severe injustices slaves were subjected are narrated in such a way that allows us to witness the action and at the same time stand impotent in there defense. Any attempts at justice were frowned upon, and the frequent crimes against African Americans were also ignored. If "it was worth half a cent to kill a nigger" life had no intrinsic value for they served as disposable meat fulfilling a duty any other piece of meat could do just as well.Ethos is also very important to the narrative as it adds the feeling of discrimination and racial division characteristic to this time in history. You could either be black or white and this defined everything from your most natural rights, to your every single detail in life. We see the overseers as these hard and impersonal characters that had power over hundreds of slaves only through the movement of their whips. They wouldn't rebel against any of them and disobedience was out of the question just because they were the once that could decide between life and death. The power these white figures exerted over the black slaves was almost godlike and Douglass demonstrates it thoroughly across the text.
"They seemed to think the greatness of their masters was transferable to themselves."(33)
The last of the rhetoric tools is harder to find but there was a great example that caught my attention. One of the prominent arguments behind killing a slave was that there usually were no witnesses even as dozens of black slaves stood to watch. "His horrid crime was not even submitted to judicial investigation. It was committed in the presence of slaves, and they of course could neither institute a suit, nor testify against him..."(36) This powerlessness slaves underwent is demonstrated strongly in Douglass's argument. They were completely invisible to the judicial system and had no hope to be free.
As I look into the narrative and come to understand more of who Douglass was and what he experienced I can't help but wonder where he gathered the strength to flee? How did he do it and how was he so successful when he faced so little hope? The text will eventually reveal all this answers, or so I hope, but for now its all open to prediction.
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario