The narrative of the life of Frederick Douglas tells a story about a slave from Maryland in the 1800s. His life was a lot better than other slaves’. He was given the opportunity to be educated and learn how to read. Later, as a fugitive, he ran away up north to start his own family. When married, he changed his last name to mask his identity and continued to promote himself as an educated black.

However, before his life became better, he had to suffer through what almost every other slave has to survive. Similar to other slaves, Douglass did not know who he really was, why he was working for his named master, and what he could potentially do with his life. He obviously didn’t realize what was being done to him, and he didn’t realize what he could make of himself. He may have heard stories about other slaves attempting to escape from this prison, but instead losing their lives. He heard stories about things around him, but couldn’t comprehend them.

He received abuse, but he didn’t realize that he didn’t deserve it: “I did not, when a slave, understand the deep meaning of those rude and apparently incoherent songs. I was myself within the circle; so that I neither saw nor heard as those without might see and hear.” He felt as if everyone around him was equal, including his white master. He felt accepted, and that’s all that truly mattered to him in his heart.

Upon discovering the true reason that the slaves were there, things changed. Douglass finally concluded that he didn’t belong there: “In coming to a fixed determination to run away, we did more than Patrick Henry, when he resolved upon liberty or death.” Finally, he realized that the true meaning of living life was to be free and one one’s own with no white master controlling their every movement.