Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.

How does Douglass develop his theme of oppression in these chapters?

By using imagery throughout the passage, Frederick Douglass demonstrates the theme
of slavery and how miserable it was. Douglass describes the fear he felt or the ways slaves
were punished which hit Douglass of how miserable slavery was, and the inhumane ways
slaves were treated.
First,​ ​a theme that is continuous and broad is slavery. To put it another way, Douglas is
very descriptive and uses a well use of imagery in the passage because he tells these true
events that he experienced in his life. For instance, “I’ll learn you how to disobey my orders!.
And after rolling up his sleeves, he commended to lay on the heavy cowskin, and soon the
warm, red blood came dripping on the floor. I was so terrified and horror-stricken at the sight,
that I hid myself in a closet, and dared not venture out till long after the bloody transaction”
(Douglass, 27). In other words, Douglass is describing the gruesome incident that was
happening right in front of him with very descriptive words which connects to the theme
because it shows slaves were mistreated and was miserable for them.
Lastly, Douglass demonstrates the theme of slavery and how miserable it was by using
imagery. Douglass points out how slaves were inhumane was they were treated. Douglas
writes about “men and women, old young, married single, were ranked with horses sheep,
and swine” (Douglass 70). In other words, slave women and men were so scorn. The slaves
were thought as nothing but pure slaves whom they can control. This connect to Douglass’s
theme of how inhumane slavery was because slaves were treated not as humans but as
animals and as toys whom they can whip without being concerned of them.
Ultimately, the assumption here is the way Douglass develops his theme of oppression in
these chapter is describing the way slaves were treated to prove his point that slavery was
miserable for those who experienced it, and the inhumane way slaves were treated. In
today’s world we may not have slavery anymore but there still discrimination against colored
people or ethnicity and how they are ​less inferior.​ This connects to Douglass point/theme of
how slavery was miserable and inhumane because most slaves were colored people and
were not treated fairly.