The well-known civil rights leader Frederick Douglass writes his narrative about personal experiences with slavery, as well as, his efforts towards becoming a free man. Hidden within his narrative, he reveals his thoughts and ideas as regards the institution of slavery and the equality among men. However, Douglass's ideas closely coincide with those of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Even in his time, Rousseau illustrates his convictions favoring anti-slavery.
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Douglass, in his narrative, describes his paradigm to freedom. He talks of his first mistress, Mrs. Auld how she taught him the alphabet and to read simple words. Then Mr. Auld, Becoming aware of his wife's doings, scolds her for teaching Douglass. Douglass then illustrates how Mrs. Auld suddenly changes from a kind-hearted woman to a slaveholder. After speaking with neighboring white children, Douglass learns to read and write. He describes his feelings as he.
reads various works from abolitionists, even though he does not know what an abolitionist is.
Douglass writes," The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers. I could.
regard them in no other light than a band of successful robbers, who had left their homes, and.
gone to Africa, and stolen us from our homes, and in a strange land reduced us to slavery." In this.
quote, Douglass gives strong insight into his beliefs of slavery. Likewise, Rousseau believes that slavery, for whatever reason, is wrong. He says," You and I have made a compact which.
represents nothing but loss to you and gain to me. I shall observe it so long as it pleases me to do so- and so shall you, until I cease to find it convenient." In this sardonic quote, Rousseau conveys the absurdity and idiocy that accompanies slavery. Thus, Rousseau, like Douglass, concludes that slavery against human nature, and any supposed rights in the institution are unfounded.
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As far as the slaveholders are concerned, they obviously believe in the right of slavery,.
