Frederick Douglass Checkup Questions 1

“from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave” by Frederick Douglass

Read the selection from the autobiography Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass. Then, reread the lines indicated with each question below. Answer each question, citing text evidence.

1. Lines 1–11: Locate the pronouns I, me, and my in the text. From what point of view is Douglass writing? How does this point of view help Douglass achieve his purpose?

2. Lines 1–11: What impact does the use of master and mistress have on the text, given that Douglass had been a free man for seven years when he wrote this. What do these word choices reveal about Douglass?

3. Lines 14–41: Explain Douglass’s purpose in devoting so much space in his autobiography to describing his connection to this woman.