My Bondage and My freedom
Frederick Douglass believed that slavery did just as much harm to those in charge as it did to the slaves. In a system where the slaves underwent beatings, constant verbal abuse and were left in the overbearing shadow of ignorance, Douglass's statement is certainly a strong one. Douglass's statement is a strong one because at first there does not appear to be much support for it. However, when the slave owner's lack of reason and control is looked at a case can begin in favor of Douglass. The Southern slave owner's lack of reason and control cause them to fall short in economics, politics, interactions with non-slave owners and interactions between other slave owners. When all of that is looked at one can see that Douglass's statement has very strong support. In Douglass's novel My Bondage and My Freedom he states: The slaveholder, as well as the slave, is the victim of the slave system. A man's character greatly takes its hue and shape from the form and color of things about him. Under the whole heavens there is no relation more unfavorable to the development of honorable character, than that sustained by the slaveholder to the slave (80).
The Southern slave owners were no more protected from the controversy slavery created than the slaves were from their owners uncontrollable out bursts of anger. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so" (155). The slave owners display a lack of control and reason far below that of the rest of society. When Douglass's Mistress was caught teaching him she was lectured severally on why she should not teach him. The politicians aren't corrupt because of their character they are a product of their environment. The slaves may not have their total freedom, but at least they don't have to react mechanical in their emotions and actions. The lack of reason and ability to see the other side of the situation caused the turbulence within the Pullman Company. However, this system did not work well for Pullman because, unlike the slaves, the workers could appeal their treatment and band together for what they believed was right. Slaves for the most part can communicate with other slaves and most people. So ultimately it was the slavery driven lack of reason and rational that created the communication gap between the states, not the paranoia alone. This kind of treatment as Douglass states is "a part of the system, rather than part of the man" (83). Once she learned that it is not allowed to teach a slave she went beyond that and strove to keep Douglass from learning anymore. He is blind to the truth because he is so hooked on slavery that he has become near sighted. Old master's reaction to the whole situation is part of the system because whether the slave was right or wrong he was not allowed to protect her because that is how he is suppose to react in those situations due to the system. Do the controllers of the slave system suffer even more than the slaves them selves? Yes they do.
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Acceptance Essays
