Quote 1: “to sell them at auction,  to sunder their families, to knock   out   their          teeth, to  burn their flesh, to starve them into obedience and submission to their masters?” (Douglass, Page 10, Line 7)

Paraphrase: Slaves were auctioned as commodities. They can’t protect their families or even their bodies. They can only survive by obeying. Slavery is a cruel, bloody and uncivilized social phenomenon.

Response: For slave owners, slaves were just their tools or commodities. As long as they can tame slaves, slaves can bring profits to them. Slave owners used sticks, whips, etc. to hurt slaves into submission. The slaveholder auctioned the children and wife of the slave for profits, which led to the breakdown of the family. This kind of oppression of slaves will inevitably lead to the resistance of slaves and also accelerate the division of the United States.

Quote 2: “the Constitution is a GLORIOUS LIBERTY DOCUMENT. Read its preamble, consider its purposes. Is slavery among them? Is it at the gateway? or is it in the temple? it is neither.” (Douglass, Page 19, Line 3)

Paraphrase: The constitution is a great and democratic document. It emphasizes the right of everyone to be equal and free. Documents about the legality of slavery do not exist in the United States Constitution.

Response: After the victory of the American Revolutionary War, when the constitution was formulated, the north and the south of America had conflicts because of slavery. Slavery was not mentioned in the constitution, which led to the outbreak of the civil war in the future. Only the slave owners were the biggest beneficiaries of this system, and slavery also violated the spirit of the founding of the United States and the Christian tradition. At that time, Britain had abolished slavery, and the trend of the whole world was advancing towards civilization.

Quote 3: “Would you have me argue that man is entitled to liberty? That he is the rightful owner of his own body? You have already declared  it. Must I argue the wrongfulness  of slavery? Is that a question for Republicans? (Douglass, Page 9, Line 31)

Response: Douglass used the writing strategy of questioning to shock the audience and make people thinking through continuous questions. This strategy can arouse the attention and reflection of the audience, and emphasize his views and thoughts. The strategy of questioning effectively infects the audience through strong tone.

Quote 4: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yea! we   wept when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there, they  that carried us away captive, required  of us a song;    and  they who wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How can we sing the Lord’s song in      a strange land? If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let  my tongue        cleave  to the  roof  of  my  mouth.” (Douglass, Page 8, Line 10)

Response: Douglass used the writing strategy of searching-selecting. He quoted passages from the Bible to resonate with the audience. At that time, the wailing of slaves was as same as the wailing of Jews which mentioned in the Bible. In the United States, most people believe in Christianity, and the Christian spirit is deeply rooted in their mind. The Bible also opposes this cruel oppression which supports the author’s argument from a biblical perspective. From the Christian perspective, the thoughts in the Bible also oppose this kind of cruel oppression which supported the author’s argument. So, Douglass used the quotations from the Bible can effectively persuade the audience.