Fredrick Douglass: The Self- Actualization of his Narrative
Abraham Maslow created a hierarchy of needs to show how each individual changes throughout one's life. He believed that when man ascends to higher levels, their needs change and individuals can reach the highest level of self- actualization, provided they are given an education that promotes growth, (Gwynne). He began with physiological and security needs, then social and esteem needs, and finally self- actualization. Maslow uses these levels to show the life changes of Fredrick Douglass, a former slave. Douglass struggled throughout his life to find his need to be and do what he was "born to do," (Maslow). Fredrick Douglass's narrative reaches the self- actualization level in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs by exhibiting the highest level of characteristics of self- actualizers.
Having a clear perception of reality and not being afraid of failure represent two of the many self-actualizers that Douglass possesses in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Douglass' reality consisted of hard work, physical abuse, and no pay as a slave; however, because Douglass realized this, he showed how slaves could achieve this self-actualization. Through this narrative, the reader experiences the journey to self-actualization while bound by slavery. Although Douglass struggles constantly to meet his needs, he had little control over his life, which made reaching this level hard to meet. Douglass states, "For the moment, the dreams of my youth and the hopes of my manhood were completely fulfilled. The bonds that had held me to my 'old master' were broken. No man now has a right to assert mastery over me" (pagebypagebooks.com). Through this quote, Douglass shows that on the day of his freedom his "old master" could no longer restrict him from becoming a self-actualized man. Furthermore, Douglass realized the new reality o
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