Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is a memoir and discourse on slavery and abolition by Frederick Douglass. It was first published in 1845. Douglass emphasizes the dangers that slavery poses to all aspects of society and identifies education as a significant means with which to bring down that institution. Recounting events from his experience, Douglass reveals that slave owners—even those that present themselves as devout and pious—face a corruption of values that includes the effort to dehumanize enslaved people by keeping them illiterate and uneducated. Read the full book summary and key facts, or the full text. 

Summary

Read one-minute Sparklet summaries, the detailed chapter-by-chapter Summary & Analysis, the Full Book Summary, or the Full Book Analysis of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.

Characters

See a complete list of the characters in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass and in-depth analyses of Frederick Douglass, Sophia Auld, and Edward Covey.

Literary Devices

Here's where you will find analysis of the main themes, symbols, and motifs in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.

Quotes

Find the quotes from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass you need to support your essay or refresh your memory.

Quick Quizzes

Test your knowledge of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass with these quiz questions.

Essays

Read short essays about how Douglass shows how the practice of slavery has a corrupting effect on the slave holders, the role of Garrison and Phillips's prefaces, and whether the Narrative can be considered an autobiography, as well as suggested essay topics for Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.

Further Study

Read more on the background of Douglass and his Narrative as well as suggested readings for Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.

Take a Study Break