Ethan Mau
English 1121
9/11/2020
Prof. Penner

Quote 1: “That I am here to-day is, to me, a matter of astonishment as well as of gratitude. You will not, therefore, be surprised, if in what I have to
say, I evince no elaborate preparation, nor grace my speech with any high sounding exordium. “(Douglass, pg 1)

Paraphrase: I am surprised and grateful that I am here, free today, but you will not be surprised that I am not celebrating the same freedom you are celebrating today.

Response: Frederick Douglass is speaking a truth, where the Fourth of July is considered the day ” America ” the country gained freedom, versus specifically the ordinary people did not gain freedom. Slaves did not gain freedom until centuries later, and there are still slaves today in modern-day America.

Quote 2: ” 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. ” (Douglass, pg 9)

Paraphrase: This is your own rule set, you should follow it, you have already declared people are free, and human rights.

Response: Human history is filled with hypocrisy, something I would consider is a fatal human flaw in our brain function. This can be also seen within plenty of American history, where the constitution states people are free, yet a fatal flaw with that is just slavery existing.

Quote 3: ” I take this law to be one of the grossest infringements of Christian Liberty, and, if the churches and ministers of our country were not stupidly blind, or most wickedly indifferent, they, too, would so regard it (Douglass, pg14)

Writing Strategy: Douglass tends to use a lot of religious comparisons, or christian descriptions in his quotes. This one being, how having slaves is one of the grossest infringements of Christian Liberty. I am strictly against using religious comparisons in moral decision making, but this is a strategy that Douglass used to gain supporters, link his views to christian morals, during a time where America was majority christian because that is what the White Folk taught their slaves.

Quote 4: “Is this the land your Fathers loved,
The freedom which they toiled to win?
Is this the earth whereon they moved?
Are these the graves they slumber in?”

Writing Strategy: In this quote, Douglass turns to more of a poetry style, wondering if slavery is what the american people really wanted. ( imo yes ) He wonders if all the suffering they caused was really what they wanted. All the people who lead terrible lives, being forced into slavery from a young age, led their entire lives without a sniff of freedom.