Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an

Name: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
Author: Frederick Douglass

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave is an autobiography written by Frederick Douglass and published in 1845. It is a powerful account of Douglass’s life as a slave in the United States and his struggle for freedom. The book begins with Douglass’s birth in Maryland in 1818. He was born into slavery and was separated from his mother at a young age. He was raised by his grandmother and other slaves on the plantation of Colonel Lloyd. Douglass recounts the harsh conditions of slavery, including the physical and psychological abuse he endured. He also describes the various methods of resistance he used to fight against his oppressors. Douglass eventually escaped to the North in 1838 and became a prominent abolitionist. He wrote the Narrative to expose the brutality of slavery and to encourage others to fight for freedom. The book was widely read and helped to galvanize the abolitionist movement. Douglass’s Narrative is an important work of literature that provides a vivid and powerful account of the horrors of slavery. It is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and a reminder of the importance of freedom.

By Frederick Douglass · First published 1845 · Genre: Autobiography, Historical Fiction, Non-Fiction · 17 chapters · 38,899 words

First lines

I was born in Tuckahoe, near Hillsborough, and about twelve miles from Easton, in Talbot county, Maryland. I have no accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen any authentic record containing it. By far the larger part of the slaves know as little of their ages as horses know of theirs, and it is the wish of most masters within my knowledge to keep their slaves thus ignorant. I do not remember to have ever met a slave who could tell of his birthday. They seldom come nearer to it than planting-time, harvest-time, cherry-time, spring-time, or fall-time. A want of information concerning my own was a source of unhappiness to me even during childhood. The white children could tell their ages. I could not tell why I ought to be deprived of the same privilege. I was not allowed to make any inquiries of my master concerning it. He deemed all such inquiries on the part of a slave improper and impertinent, and evidence of a restless spirit. The nearest estimate I can give makes me now between twenty-seven and twenty-eight years of age. I come to this, from hearing my master say, some time during 1835, I was about seventeen years old.

What this Textopian page supports

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave is listed on Textopian as a novel by Frederick Douglass, dated 1845 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: Frederick Douglass
Date: 1845 CE
Language: English
Genres: Autobiography, Historical Fiction, Non-Fiction, Biography, Social Commentary
Length: 38,899 words
Structure: 17 chapters, 192 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
Readability and classroom-planning context
Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave?
How does this novel by Frederick Douglass fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Autobiography first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Autobiography — The book is an autobiography of Frederick Douglass, detailing his life as an American slave.
Historical Fiction — The book is based on real events and people, and is set in a specific time period.
Non-Fiction — The book is based on real events and people, and is not a work of fiction.
Biography — The book is a biography of Frederick Douglass, detailing his life as an American slave.