Why slavery is wrong

Frederick Douglass condemns the act slavery. This is revealed from his arguments and examples he has given that condemn this act.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Why slavery is wrong specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In his work, Douglass recounts the manner in which slaves were prevented from getting knowledge by their masters in order to keep them ignorant. When Douglass wrote his work, slavery was seen as a normal thing in the society that could not be eliminated. Black people were perceived to be incapable of participating in economic and civil rights activism and thus should be held to work for white people. Douglass narrates ways through which the whites strategize to keep black people in a state of slavery from birth time and throughout their life time. They do it by not telling them their place of birth and hiding them from their parents. When slave children are growing, they are denied education because t hey know they would be empowered to live on their own. Slaveholders deny slaves the art of writing and reading so that their story would never be told. According to Douglass, this is an inhuman act. Despite the fact that slaves are held hostage and deprived of the opportunity to get an education, they should use all means to get knowledge as a means to be liberated. From Douglass story, â€Å"he gets to know that the only means to freedom is through education when Hugh Auld warns his wife not to teach slaves because it would ruin them.† When Douglass heard this story, he got the idea of how whites manage to keep blacks in a state of ignorance so that they cannot come out of their captivity. Douglass sets an example of self education when he learns to read and write using his personal means. Thereby, freeing himself from slavery and using it to fight for the rights of fellow slaves. According to the book, â€Å"Douglass got freedom as a result of self education, but he does n ot guarantee that education itself gives freedom in itself.† It is a means through which slaves can understand injustice done to them and their colleagues; they get to know that they are equal to their masters in all ways. In the context of the book, Hugh Auld foresees that this awareness brings suffering and a sense of guilt among slaves. Once slaves are aware of injustices done to them by their masters they live with pain and if they try to escape, their lives will be in danger. This reveals how damaging slavery is to the slaves if they are made aware of their rights.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In his book, Douglass reveals how damaging slavery can be to the slaves themselves and their masters. He wrote that, â€Å"The moral health of slaveholders is in question when they assert their authority and power on slaves.† Douglass revolves around this theme and dep icts it as unnatural act of humanity. He describes some characteristics of slave masters in order to reveal the negative impacts of slavery. He writes that, several slaveholders have been tempted to commit adultery, rape and even bore children with slaves. These behavior patterns such as adultery threaten to split families of slave masters. According to Douglass, some men who bore children are forced to intimidate their own children by selling them or punishing them while their wives become nasty. An example is given of Thomas Auld who develops distorted religious ideologies so that he can forget the sins he has committed. As a result of slave holding, Sophia Auld is transformed from a perfect woman to an evil lady. Hence, Douglass argues that slavery should be abolished for the good of all people. In his narration, Douglass brings out a characteristic of correct and false Christianity. His distinction is that true Christianity is the â€Å"Christianity of Jesus† while false Christianity practiced by slaveholders is the â€Å"Christianity of this land.† He continues to say that Christianity practiced by slaveholders does not show their goodness but a sign of hypocrisy to hide their brutality. In summary, Douglass tries to convince his audience that slavery is wrong as seen from his arguments against slavery, and examples he has given. He has proven that it is wrong to enslave others because it is inhuman and against Christian ideals. This essay on Why slavery is wrong was written and submitted by user Angelina Mayo to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.