Commonplace Quotations

Reflections

Douglass, Narrative of the Life

"Moreover, slaves are like other people, and imbibe prejudices quite common to others. They think their own better than that of others.  Many, under the influence of this prejudice, think their masters are better than the masters of other slaves. . . . Indeed, it is not uncommon for slaves even to fall out and quarrel with themselves about the relative goodness of our masters. . . . They seemed to think that the greatness of their masters was transferable to themselves. It was considered as being bad enough to be a slave; but to be a poor man's slave was deemed a disgrace indeed." (p. 12; Ch 3)

Jan. 6

Often when reading Douglass, I notice how he's not simply recounting a neutral history or relating facts. He offers his own judgments and seems also to keep in mind what he would readers to take away from his autobiography.  In this section, he wants to counter a preconception he imagines readers might have of slaves. Oddly but in a way that ends up being quite powerful, it's the theme of African American's being "people too" to which he returns, even as here, when it involves sharing the same weaknesses of others. 

You get an idea (commonality among whites and blacks) along with observations from experience.  What's finally most effective is how he can be both a witness and also an observer who is "above" this: "they seemed to think" and "it was considered".

I wonder if it is a common worry of an autobiographical writer - to make sure that readers don't confuse the thoughts or actions described with those of the author him/herself?  Maybe Douglass had to tread an especially careful line, gaining the authority of the "witness"  from his having experienced slavery but also having to establish his own differentness or exceptional nature?