The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglas, a Retelling
By Matthew Cox


Fredrick Douglas is born a slave in either 1718 or 1818, but is not sure of the accurate year (Sparknotes). Many historians believe that his father is the Captain Anthony, the owner of his mother, Harriet Bailey. Douglas is sold shortly after he is born. Captain Anthony is a clerk of a rich plantation owner called Col. Lloyd. He manages a huge farm called the “Great House Farm.” It has hundreds of slaves who are overworked, exhausted, and underfed. Also, they do not get adequate housing or clothing. Slave drivers often times beat or whip slaves, even ones who are loyal and obey the rules. The two cruelest overseers on the plantation are Mr. Severe and Mr. Austin Davis. Douglas serves as a house slave a young child and not in the fields. At the age of seven, Fredrick gets sold to Hugh Auld. He is Capt. Anthony’s son-in-law’s brother who lives in Baltimore. There, Douglas lives in luxury and away from the brutality that plantation slaves face. City slave-owners do not treat their servants harshly because they want look humane and respectable.

Sophia, Hugh’s wife never has managed slaves before. She is very kind to Douglas and teaches him how to read. Hugh tells het to stop sating that education makes slaves hard to control. Over time, both Hugh and Sophia become more abusive. However, Douglas likes Baltimore and continues to teach himself how to read. As he becomes more educated, Fredrick learns about the evils of slavery. The slave also finds out about the abolitionists who are anti-slavery. Douglas plans to escape to the North. However, Capt. Anthony and his heirs die, Fredrick moves in with Thomas Auld, Anthony’s son-in-law. He is cruel and hides his meanness with religious teachings. The owner says that Douglas is hard to manage and sends him to work for Edward Covey. This man is known for “breaking” slaves by being harsh. Covey breaks Fredrick’s will in six months by working and whipping him.
Douglas is more concerned about recovering from his injuries than educating himself. He fights Covey for two hours and wins. The slave owner never touches Fredrick again.

Next, Auld rents Douglas out to William Freeland for two years. He is gentler than Covey. However, the slave is bent on escaping. Fredrick teaches slaves in their homes so they can read and write. Although the African-Americans get threatened, they still learn from Fredrick. While working at Freeland’s, the slave plans to escape with three others. However, somebody exposes their plan and have the involuntary-servants sent to jail. Thomas sends Douglas back to Hugh. He teaches the slave how to caulk boats.

Unfortunately, the slave runs against racial tension while working in the ship yards. White workers fear that the increasing number of African-Americans who start jobs in ship-building. The whites want to keep their jobs and harass the apprentice Douglas. After getting threats of violence, he switches boat companies. After time, he learns caulking and earns the highest wages in his workplace. However, he must give his money to Hugh. Douglas hires himself out in his spare time and earns enough cash. This allows him to have money during his escape to New York. Fredrick does not tell anyone else about his background so he will not get sent back to his master. He changes his name from Bailey to Douglas. Fredrick meets Anna Murray who marries him. Both of them move north to Massachusetts. They become involved with the abolitionist movement. Because Fredrick is a brilliant orator and writer, he is often times hired as a speaker for the anti-slavery movement.


Work Cited

“Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglas.” Sparknotes 2006. 20 March 2008
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/narrative/summary.html