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Analysis of Extract 2 in The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass has plenty of ideas and motifs meant to
reinforce big ideas. Extract 2 deals with the importance of education, and the incompatibility
with slavery and oppression, as well as the corruption of human compassion through following
the crowd. Through the analysis of tone, mood, theme, content, stylistic devices, structure, and
the audience and purpose of the extract, one comes to the conclusion that this extract builds up
the idea that indeed, the way to enslave someone is to keep them from learning.
Even though Douglass was once a slave, he wields his words to create emotion through
tone and mood. The use of words towards the end of the first paragraph such as “depravity”,
“mental darkness”, “irresponsible power”, “brute” all portray a sense of darkness or despair, thus
highlighting how bleak his future seemed at the time. The beginning of the second paragraph
with words like “kind” , “tender-hearted”, “simplicity”, “warm” all have a caring, friendly tone,
quite in contrast to the first paragraph. However, this rapidly changes throughout the paragraph
with “heart of stone” , “tiger-like”, “violent”, “anxious”, which alert the reader to a sense of
danger, or impending doom for poor Douglass. The mood of this extract is almost
disappointment, or anticipation for what Douglass will do next, how Douglass will break free
from the figurative and literal chains of slavery.
Another method of expressing the big idea is through theme and content. The themes of
this passage include transformation (of Master Hugh’s wife), education (of Douglass) and
slavery. The content of the paragraph is equally as important in regards to the big idea. Douglass
and Mrs. Auld are both being educated, however his mistress is slowly realizing that slavery and
Analysis of Extract 2 in The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass has plenty of ideas and motifs meant to
reinforce big ideas. Extract 2 deals with the importance of education, and the incompatibility
with slavery and oppression, as well as the corruption of human compassion through following
the crowd. Through the analysis of tone, mood, theme, content, stylistic devices, structure, and
the audience and purpose of the extract, one comes to the conclusion that this extract builds up
the idea that indeed, the way to enslave someone is to keep them from learning.
Even though Douglass was once a slave, he wields his words to create emotion through
tone and mood. The use of words towards the end of the first paragraph such as “depravity”,
“mental darkness”, “irresponsible power”, “brute” all portray a sense of darkness or despair, thus
highlighting how bleak his future seemed at the time. The beginning of the second paragraph
with words like “kind” , “tender-hearted”, “simplicity”, “warm” all have a caring, friendly tone,
quite in contrast to the first paragraph. However, this rapidly changes throughout the paragraph
with “heart of stone” , “tiger-like”, “violent”, “anxious”, which alert the reader to a sense of
danger, or impending doom for poor Douglass. The mood of this extract is almost
disappointment, or anticipation for what Douglass will do next, how Douglass will break free
from the figurative and literal chains of slavery.
Another method of expressing the big idea is through theme and content. The themes of
this passage include transformation (of Master Hugh’s wife), education (of Douglass) and
slavery. The content of the paragraph is equally as important in regards to the big idea. Douglass
and Mrs. Auld are both being educated, however his mistress is slowly realizing that slavery and
