The origins of the slave narrative, as a subgenre of literature, can be found in the speeches and writings of formerly enslaved people. It exemplifies a distinctive facet of the culture of North America. They made compelling arguments for ending slavery worldwide, drawing on their personal experiences to support their claims. In this vein, notable authors include Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs. The authors had a specific readership in mind when they set out to create their works, but they approached the task differently and achieved varying success levels as a result. Even though they were concerned about the plight of enslaved African-Americans, they directed their story at white people living in North America.
Douglass and Jacobs’ autobiographies effectively depict the slave narrative theme. The book “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave,” written by Frederick Douglass in 1845, not only recounts the experiences of a formerly enslaved person, but it does so insightfully and eloquently. Due to his characteristics, Douglass made a realization to the reading public, which stood in stark contrast to the common perceptions of Black people’s intelligence at the time. He successfully demonstrated what life was like for enslaved people in the real world and persuaded people that equality was necessary (Douglass, 1851). When Jacobs published “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” in 1861, the abolitionist movement was already well-established. As a result, the author could zero in on a more specific issue concerning the disparity in the treatment of women and men in society. Jacobs was the first enslaved African-American woman to tell her story in the United States. It was only natural for her to make motherhood the primary focus of her work because she was writing for women.
Slavery and the slave trade in the United States enslaved both Harriet Jacobs and Frederick Douglass. Slavery’s cultural norm of racial intermingling and subsequent inheritance of servitude enslaved them. Any child born to an enslaved person while they were in indentured servitude was enslaved. The authors were born into slavery while their parents were still working for their masters on colonial settler farms, which caused them great hardship. Slavery during the slave trade varied from mild to brutal, targeting both sexes. During slavery, women were vulnerable to sexual harassment because they were seen as helpless victims. Most African American men were considered vital and physically fit for work on settler farms. They had longer life expectancies than men of any other race in pre-Civil War era American cities like Virginia.
Understanding the source of their oppression, enslaved people such as Douglas and Harriet Jacobs took a stand against the racism and slavery prevalent in colonial America. They could do so because they recognized the source of their oppression. They knew that the enslaved people’s inability to read and write kept them in the dark about the positive and negative developments surrounding their slavery cycle. They lacked the technical expertise to devise a workable solution to the problem and, therefore, could not do so. Despite receiving numerous insults, Douglas and Harriet remained steadfast in fighting against slavery. Later, many of their most significant works were committed to writing. These writings contributed significantly to developing the canon of African American literature by guiding enslaved people and the general American population on how to escape slavery. Due to their courageous stand against their oppressors and subsequent success in their pursuit of freedom, Douglas and Harriet were held in the highest regard.
Since the authors’ experiences and goals are comparable, they employ comparable methods to convince their audiences. These works fall under the same genre umbrella, allowing for an inevitable structural overlap. First and foremost, it anticipated that the formerly enslaved people would provide harrowing accounts of their experiences during their time spent in servitude. These accounts were anticipated to detail the ill-treatment they received from their masters and their unquenchable thirst for freedom. Since many people thought, the author could not learn to read and write given her circumstances, describing how she did so was extremely important. The description of the enslaved person’s dramatic escape contributed both an element of excitement and an increased level of intensity to the narrative. In addition, they were to provide evidence of their sincerity and genuineness as Christians by their hypocritical masters. Due to the similarities in their backgrounds and personalities, Douglass and Jacobs directed most of their writings toward educated White North Americans.
Reading these books during that period was highly beneficial to the culture of enslaved people living at the time because they challenged the slave culture’s preconceived notions about black people. Not only did they not expect this Black man to be literate, but they were also shocked to learn he had written a book, and these revelations stunned them. They felt an immediate pull toward the Blackman; they kept their attention fixed on him. Both works stand out for their eloquence and dramatic flair, which are significant reasons they engage readers. These two things, taken together, are significant contributors to the works’ overall appeal. Frederick Douglass and Jacobs ultimately reached out to the White community. Since it was against the law for enslaved people to learn to read or write, and because they were only required to use their voices to communicate with one another, there was no reason for them to learn to read or write. Slave narrative writers did this, knowing that only white people could affect meaningful change.
Although works by the two authors share similarities, there are significant differences between their audiences and how their work is received. These distinctions are attributed mainly to the political climates in which the works were written and published. For example, the publication of Frederick Douglass’s autobiography was a spark that ignited the abolitionist movement in the United States. Even though Jacobs’s book was released in 1861, its popularity stayed strong because of the ongoing Civil War. In addition, Douglass was a well-known figure from the beginning of his public speaking and writing career, in contrast to Jacobs’s obscure beginnings. Jacobs’s career began with public speaking and writing. On the other hand, Jacobs’ book was quickly forgotten and ignored, in stark contrast to Douglass’s work, which went through several editions in its first two years of publication. As a result, the authors were aiming for a completely different demographic with their work.
The authors’ written expressions used a wide range of vocabulary and literary devices to convey their ideas. By the time he got around to writing the book, Douglass was a seasoned public speaker who had perfected several techniques for persuading an audience. As he told it, his story began to take on the characteristics of a myth as he described his transformation from a helpless, enslaved person to a free citizen of the United States. He described his journey from slavery to freedom in the United States. There is as much eloquence and depth of thought in the author’s writings as in a good sermon. For instance, he describes how the enslaved people’s music reflects his heartbreak and how it comforts him like tears would comfort someone hurting. He likens the solace that the enslaved people’s music provides to that of a person’s tears in a time of grief. Douglass’ ability to craft a compelling narrative and hold his readers’ attention is due in no small part to his use of evocative language and images.
On the other hand, Jacobs writes in style reminiscent of novels written in the 19th century that were primarily aimed at women and were read by women most of the time. The books center on the main character, a woman, and the experiences and perspectives that are distinctive to her. She conveyed the feeling she was going through at the time through writing techniques that evoked emotion (Jacobs, 1861). Since that time, Jacobs’ story has not only become more accessible to readers but has become more emotionally resonant. Jacobs wanted his audience to feel passionate about the issues he discussed, whereas Frederick Douglass wanted to persuade the people listening to him. In contrast, Frederick Douglass’s writings are directed toward a significantly more diverse readership than enslaved people alone. In contrast, most of Jacobs’ work was aimed primarily at women of White ethnicity.
It is abundantly clear that the fundamental gender gap between the two authors is reflected in their divergent perspectives on slavery and the issue of slavery. Douglass was a symbol of defiance and tenacity because he always played the role of the lone voice of strength and autonomy in his tales. It is why he writes about becoming a stronger person and a better person overall. Even though society tore his family apart, he prevailed over adversity and emerged as a prominent figure in the abolitionist movement. Jacobs paints a picture of the stereotypical religious and submissive woman dependent on the love and care of her family and community. She gave a detailed account of the difficulties that women encountered in both enslavement and freedom, paying particular attention to the difficulties experienced by women responsible for the care of children. In addition, she emphasizes the widespread problem of sexual abuse that slave women face at the hands of their masters, and she says that this abuse is widespread. Therefore, while Jacobs focused on issues specific to women, Douglass addressed issues relevant to a significantly wider population.
In conclusion, the respective audiences of the authors were very different, even though their intentions were identical. Douglass successfully elicited a response from the general public due to the wide range of concerns and strategies he brought to their attention. He convinced Whites of his superior intelligence and literacy thanks to his command of the English language and his persuasive and oratorical abilities. Jacobs was able to strike a chord with women of color and most white women, even though she was not successful in becoming known. By concentrating on problems relevant to this particular demographic’s members, she could only reach a limited number of people. Douglass and Jacobs attempted to use their personal experiences to influence white people, but they knew that only white people could make a difference.
References
Douglass, F. (1851). Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American slave. Written by himself.
Jacobs, H. A. (1861). Incidents in the life of a slave girl: Jacobs, Mrs. Harriet Brent Jacobs. Published for the author.