“Frederick Douglass: Question and Answers” was an African American abolitionist, writer, and statesman who escaped from slavery and became a leading voice in the fight for racial equality. Douglass’s autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, is a powerful and moving account of his experiences as a slave and his journey to freedom. Read More Plus One English Question and Answers.
Frederick Douglass Question and Answers
Question 1.
Why were the slaves kept ignorant from knowing their birth dates?
Answer:
The white masters want their slaves to be totally ignorant of their parentage. They hide their date of birth and seal the prospects of the slave children knowing who their fathers are. The slave children seldom come nearer to their birthday than planting-time, harvest-time, cherry-time, spring-time, or fall-time. It is as if the society of the whites has a conspiracy of emotionally depriving the black children of a sense of belonging. The slave children cannot cling to any root and are forced to be with their masters. This ploy on the part of the white masters must have been to ensure that the slave children grew up with no self-confidence. Such a meek existence would ensure that the children .did not rebel against the injustice meted out to them in any way.
Question 2.
Write a note on the cruelty of Mr Plummer.
OR
Give instances to show the ruthlessness of Mr Plummer.
OR
Why does Douglass say that Mr Plummer was a savage monster?
Answer:
Mr Plummer was so ruthless that Captain Anthony, who himself was a cruel slaveholder, was enraged by the cruelty of Plummer. Mr Plummer, as the overseer, was in charge of the farm and the slaves and exploited the situation fully to torment the slaves. He went around with not only the cowskin but also a heavy cudgel and cut and slashed women’s heads horribly. Mr Plummer comes out as a man who took sadistic pleasure in hurting others.
Question 3.
Why is the slaveholder compelled to sell his mulatto children, according to Douglass?
Answer:
Frederick Douglass was a mulatto child. Children who have one black and one white parent are called mulatto children. Such mulatto children are born to white slaveholders who very often keep their black women slaves as their mistresses.
According to Frederick Douglass, such slaveholders are compelled to sell their mulatto children because such slaves invariably suffer greater hardships than others. They are a constant offence to their white mistress (wife of the white master). She is ever disposed to find fault with them; they can seldom do anything to please her; she is never better pleased than when she sees them under the lash, especially when she suspects her husband of showing to his mulatto children favours which he withholds from his black slaves. Consequently, the master is frequently compelled to sell his mulatto slaves for two reasons – out of deference to the feelings of his white wife as well as on humanitarian grounds. If he does not do so, he would be forced to not only whip them himself but must also stand by and see a white son tie up his brother, who is of a few shades darker complexion than himself and ply the gory lash to his naked back.
Frederick Douglass’s work is a reminder that we should all be grateful for the freedoms and opportunities that we have. We should also be mindful of the ways in which we can contribute to making the world a better place.