Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
             In his autobiography Frederick Douglass presents a vivid picture of a horrifying period of American history that far too few people understand. Douglass's personal narrative as a slave lets readers feel the fear of his past and allows us to experience the suffering and pain inflicted by underserved beatings and an unhealthy lifestyle with too much physical exertion. Douglass exhibits very personal and fervent feelings about his history and helps his readers understand the intense hatred and disgust the American slave had for his possessor, and the sickness of hate that allowed human beings to keep other human being as chattel.
             The typical American slave standard of living was worse than some of the most poverty stricken countries of today. Most slaves were not as privileged to be classified as "fat and happy." Slave "owners," often referred to as "masters," simply did not have to provide adequate food and clothing because there was no enforcement of it by law or any other authority regulator. In general, consideration and generosity for slaves were at the discretion of their beholders. Within these tragic lifestyles, ties between biological family members within the slave community were very rare. Most slave children new little, if anything, about there parents. The slaveholders instructed the elderly to care for young children and often broke the bonds between parents and their children to keep unity suppressed and ignorance high. Although Douglass too had been separated from his mother he knew of her whereabouts and was able to make contact with her prior to her death relatively early in his adolescence. We see that Douglass' persistence to keep his first name shows us he still values his heritage and family.
             Education was another matter that Douglass deeply valued. He believed education was "the pathway from slavery to free...