The book Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, written by him is the story of the rise and development of Douglass as a slave and his fight for freedom. Douglass fought in the untraditional way by educating himself and educating others instead of physically fighting back. Douglass was born a slave who never really knew his mother or actual identity of his father. He lived on many different plantations with two different masters. Slavery being a totalitarian system effects every aspect of his life. Including his family, the environment he lives in, where he works, what he is taught (if anything at all), and eventually gives him a reason to want to be free. If slavery had been a more sociable system, most of the slaves probably would not feel the need to escape or be free.
             One of the first steps slaveholders take to keep slaves under their control is to destroy the family bond. Children are taken from their mothers early in life, usually before their first birthday, and raised by an older woman who is too old to help in the fields. There is very little contact after the separation. Brothers and sisters treat each other more like acquaintances than family. Douglass is taken from his mother and raised by his grandmother. When he learns of his mother's death around age seven he does not cry or feel any emotion towards her because she is a stranger to him. Breaking the family bond is a way to control any uprisings that may occur. Because the slaves have no family connection, and are looking out for themselves, the other slaves ignore any beatings or unfair treatment towards one slave.
             At this time families are seen more as a social unit rather than biological. Everything is about politics and outward appearances. Slaveholders usually have large families, sons and daughters to inherit the plantation and wealth. But another side of this family is the ill-assorted slave children that result...