A review by floatinthevoid
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass

dark informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.25

In this memoir, Frederick Douglass recounted the harrowing experience of living as an enslaved person. While following the story of his journey to freedom, I'm impressed by the sharpness of his mind. Douglass reflected keenly on oppression, racism, and religion.

This book greatly displays Douglass' eloquence, resulting in a very poignant narrative about the injustice, the dehumanization he'd gone through during that part of his life. 

All is gloom. The grave is at the door. And now, when weighed down by the pains and aches of old age, when the head inclines to the feet, when the beginning and ending of human existence meet, and helpless infancy and painful old age combine together— at this time, this most needful time, the time for the exercise of that tenderness and affection which children only can exercise towards a declining parent— my poor old grandmother, the devoted mother of twelve children, is left all alone, in yonder little hut, before a few dim embers.

For a person to born into slavery, human relation is controlled, deprived. To be able to form a connection with another is a toil of active choice. 

Douglass' ability to read and write is self-taught. And this is the key to freedom. I was once again reminded how important literacy is for every human being. That a system deliberately build an illiterate group of people is a part of strategy in maintining dominance and power. 

Incredibly powerful and inspiring, this memoir is important to preserve memories so we don't forget history.