Slave Narratives Essay Example

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, Africans were forced into slavery in American colonies. Enslaved Africans had to live in horrifying conditions and were treated cruelly : women were raped, slaves were continuously whipped, they had no proper clothes to keep them warm…Many slaves and authors that were unconcerned by slavery therefore wrote about the situation that slaves were put through. Some slave narratives that became popular over time were “ The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano” and the “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass”. Additionally, there were also books about slavery, written by white authors, that became popular, such as “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Slave narratives were more succesful in serving the Abolotionist movement  than books written by white authors. Indeed, the realistic aspects of Equiano and Douglass’ narratives opposed the idyllic image of slavery given by slaveholders while Stowe’s story was too unrealstic, their narratives were also considered more successful as they led to the abolishment of laws for slavery, their narratives allowed them to have a platform to inform about the dreadful situation.

Frederick Douglass’ narrative was far more realistic compared to “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” which therefore perfectly opposed the idyllic image of slavery that slaveholders showed. Frederick Douglass’ clearly represented the situation of slaves, without overexagerating or understating the behavior and situation of slaves. Indeed, the anger slaves felt towards their masters was represented in his narrative during the scene with his fight against Covey : “I seized Covey hard by the throat ( Narrative of Frederick Douglass, 67)” and “for he had drawn no blood from me, but I had from him” ( 68). Additionally, the horrible state and beating that slaves went through show the brutality of slaveholders : “tied her hand to hook[...] and soon the warm, red blood (amid heart-rending shriekds from her, and horrid oaths from him) came dripping to the floor” (Narrative of Frederick Douglass, p.18).The given details do not correspond to the idyllic image given by slaveholders. On the other hand, we face the hypocrisy of most of them. This realism is what helped the abolitionist movement as it showed the true “image” of slavery and the lies that slaveholders said. Through this realism, the violence and ruthlesness of slavery was publicize throughout the North. This was a great way to serve the abolitionist movement as it was spread out through the country, leading to a majority of people being against slavery as they were more informed. Stowe however underwhelmed the behavior of slaves by making them more submissive and patient and therefore not showing the anger that they have agsint slave holders. “Insert details from book”. Since she is exterior to the slavery situation, her representation is unrealistic and was therefore not an argument against slavery and could not help the abolotionist movement. The rise in opposition to slavery due to the publicizing of the narratives led to the abolishment of laws for slavery.