Tristan Book

Mrs. Burke

Honors English 11

November 30, 2016

Emotional/psychological oppression is a constant theme throughout the story, and can be

seen by the textual evidence seen in the majority of the story. There are three reasons

emotional/psychological oppression can plainly be seen in Frederick Douglass's autobiography.

These would include family components, dehumanization, and internalization.

For instance, one of the reasons for his deep emotional/psychological oppression is the

family component. For example, he saw his mother only a handful of times before she died, and

was not even allowed to go to her funeral. Although, since Frederick did not know her that well

it was not as big of a deal as he explains in this quote, "Never having enjoyed, to any

considerable extent, her soothing presence, her tender and watchful care, I received the tidings of

her death with the much the same emotions I should have probably felt at the death of a

stranger." (21) Furthermore, the slaveholders desensitized them so much that he could not feel

saddened much by the news of her death. Moreover, as he got older in fact, his grandmother was

left in a hut in the woods to die. As Frederick describes in a very specific manner, "She stands

she sitsshe staggersshe fallsshe groansshe diesand there are none of her children or

grandchildren present, to wipe from her wrinkled brow the cold sweat of death, or to place

beneath the sod her fallen remains." (62) He felt more of a connection to her because he worked

with her on the same plantation for some time.

Another example of his emotional/psychological oppression could be interpreted through

the dehumanization he saw and received. For example, when Captain Anthony died he did not
possess a will, therefore Frederick was subjected to valuation as part of Captain Anthony's

property. Then Frederick goes on to describe his value amongst the rest of Captain Anthony's

possessions, "We were all ranked together at the valuation. Men and women, old and young,

married and single, were ranked with horses, sheep, and swine. There were horses and men,

cattle and women, pigs and children, all holding the same rank in the scale of being, and were all

subjected to the same narrow examination." (58-59) Not only was he thought as less than human

on this occasion, but during the course of his entire time as a slave. Frederick and his

companions were not fed well and were not well clothed, as can be seen by his description of

how the children were fed, We were not regularly allowanced. Our food was coarse corn meal

boiled. This was called mush. It was put into a large wooden tray or trough, and set down upon

the ground. The children were then called, like so many pigs, and like so many pigs they would

come and devour the mush; some with oyster-shells, others with pieces of shingle, some with

naked hands, and none with spoons. He that ate fastest got most; he that was strongest secured

the best place; and few left the trough satisfied. (43) Frederick very similar treatment and

disliked it just as much as those children did.

A final example of the emotional/psychological oppression that Frederick deals with

throughout the story is internalization. As can be clearly seen in the book, he internalizes a lot of

things he sees. Such as, the gate he sees during his childhood, It was the blood-stained gate, the

entrance to the hell of slavery, through which I was about to pass. As, a child he should not be

exposed to that nor at any point in a humans life should they be exposed to that. Moreover, he

often saw slaves being whipped, I have seen him tie up a lame young woman, and whip her

with a heavy cowskin upon her naked shoulders, causing the warm red blood to drip; and, in

justification of the bloody deed, he would quote this passage of ScriptureHe that knoweth his
master's will, and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes. These memories would scar

him forever.

In conclusion, the emotional/psychological oppression that Frederick suffered though the

duration of the book is apparent through the following reasons. These consist of

dehumanization, family components, and internalization. This limits Frederick ultimately the

most as it mentally beats him down.