Frederick Douglass Was One of Research Proposal

Douglass understands the importance of name which represent an assertion of identity, and identity is freedom: "I subscribe myself" -- I write my self down in letters, I underwrite my identity and my very being, as indeed I have done in and all through the foregoing narrative that has brought me to this place, this moment, this state of being." (Douglas 75 in Davis, Gates 157). This is why he changed his name to Douglass when he reached New Bedford (Lampe vii). Douglass confesses that in the past, it was "still dangerous, in Massachusetts, for honest men to tell their names," (Ibid) in the sense that name equaled identity, and it was forbidden for slaves to assume their own.

In his, "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave," Douglass paints a very vivid picture of slavery.In addition to being historically valuable, his book is an accomplished autobiography which has the power to send the author's message; despite being very personal, the book does not lose its purpose, i.e. To depict the life of slaves in nineteenth century America. At the same time, however, "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave" tackles themes which are still relevant today, such as the importance of education, freedom, and equality of chances.

Sources

Davis, Charles T. And Henry Louis Gates Jr. The Slave's Narrative. Oxford University Press, 1985.

Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave. Kessinger Publishing, 2004.

Lampe, Gregory P. Frederick Douglass:….....