Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Response Question :: Childhood (1-41)

In Chapter 1, We learn about how Douglass had anything but a "normal" childhood. Which fact or experience from his early childhood do you find the most cruel, and why? Be specific!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

The one thing that i think is the most cruel about his childhood is him being taken away from his mom at such a young age. I would be very sad if i didn't know who my mother is and wasn't able ot have that kind of connection. For him I think that was very hard because he was growing up as a slave and it can be hard being in that position and then at the end of the day not have anyone to go home to for comfort at the end of the end of the day can really hurt him. So i am very grateful that i have a mom to love me at the end of the day.

Anonymous said...

The most cruel scene in this book, during Frederick Douglass' childhood, is how he had to witness another slave get beaten. The thing thats worse than that is how he bared witness to this slaves blood and screams. This scared Frederick into a closet and he didn't want to leave that closet until,"the bloody transaction was over."

Dauntae L.

Anonymous said...

What I found most cruel in his non normal childhood life was how his life was before he lived on Master Daniel Lloyd plantation.First, he was whipped excessively by his old master . He also was a victim to hunger and cold, although the cold affected him the most.I really think that during hot summers and freezing winters only having a linen shirt was too cruel .

Justine said...

Slaves were controlled in many ways. Public beatings were used to "set an example." I like how Maurice uses the word "victim" in his post. Why is this an appropriate word for slaves, especially children?

Anonymous said...

I think the most cruel thing that had happened to fredrick douglas when he was young was when he worked at Colonel Llyod's Plantaion, and he was mistreated by his master. He suffered from hunger and the cold and he was also whipped by his master a lot. I thought that it was the most cruel part of his life, but it also showed the way how slaves were being mistreated throughout there life.

Anonymous said...

Frederick Douglas did have a very bad childhood. I find that the most cruelest part of his childhood is that he was seperated from his mother and didn't know who his father was. The only times he got to see his mother was at night and it wasn't for that long because he always feel asleep and she wasn't there in the morning. Also his mother died and was probably hard on him. Rumors went around that his owner was also his father and that must of been horrible thinking of such a thing.

Anonymous said...

I think the most cruel thing about his experience as a slave is when he had to teach his self to read an write. why he had to do these things because back then they didn't think that Fredick Douglass an others were or shouldn't know how to read and write.