Frederick Douglass Argues and Persuades

After reading this article, I learned the definitions and purposes of the Greek terms logos, pathos and ethos. With logos (argument by logic), ethos (argument by character), and pathos (argument by emotion), you can convince everyone you want. I never would've thought that persuasion had such a big study behind it, but it does and it most certainly works. At least it has been working while I read The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave. Many times we read or use logos, pathos and ethos without even noticing them and it was in Frederick Douglass's narrative that I was able to find some interesting examples. 

"His presence was painful; his eyes flashed confusion; and seldom was his sharp, shrill voice heard, without producing horror and trembling in their ranks." (Douglass, 36). Douglass's use of adjectives (painful, sharp, horror) emote the way Mr. Gore's presence affected people emotionally. That's why this is pathos.

Shrill: (adj.) (of a voice or sound)
High- pitched and piercing

When Douglass mentions parts of his life that have sentimental value to him or that directly affects his emotions, it is clear that he uses pathos. Douglass argues with emotion when he mentions that someone killed his wife's cousin. "The wife of Mr. Giles Hicks...murdered my wife's cousin, a young girl between fifteen and sixteen years of age...breaking her nose and breastbone with a stick." (Douglass, 37). He describes how inhumanely this girl was killed. To make it worse, it was someone that was part of his family. That has emotional value, and convinces us to believe him. The last example I came across with was: "...and in an instant poor Demby was no more. His mangled body sank out of sight, and blood and brains marked the water where he had stood." (Douglass, 36). This quote shows sympathy, which is exactly what pathos is all about. 

Quarrel: (noun) An angry
argument or disagreement.

The next form of rhetoric that I found was ethos. At the end of chapter three, Douglass narrates, "...It is not uncommon for slaves even to fall out and quarrel among themselves about the relative goodness of their masters, each contending for the superior goodness of his own over that of the others." (Douglass, 34). This is a perfect example of ethos since each of the slaves fights over the other one about whose master is better. It is argument by character: employs each of the persuaders's reputation. The other ethos example I found, plays with the persuader's reputation and personality: "I speak advisedly when I say this, - that killing a slave, or any colored person, in Talbot county, Maryland, is not treated as a crime, either by the courts or the community." (Douglass, 37). Douglass had to say that he was advisedly speaking, for he wouldn't have made that opinion himself, probably because we know he was a black man and a slave. 

Utter: (verb) Say
something aloud.

Finally, I come to logos. To me, logos is the hardest form of rhetoric to find. It is all about logic, but it passes unnoticed to me. Approaching the end of chapter three, I found this: "I have been frequently asked, when a slave, if I had a kind master, and do not remember ever to have given a negative answer, nor did I, in pursuing this course, consider myself as uttering what was absolutely false." (Douglass, 33). He says that whenever someone asked him if his master was a nice person, well he wouldn't respond negatively - I mean he was a slave, he HAD to watch out for what he said - but he also wouldn't lie completely. To me, this is something very logical, very obvious. If he were to say bad things about his master, he would probably get killed or sold. This is why I consider that quote as logos.

To me, pathos is the easiest form of rhetoric to find and use. I consider myself a very emotional person, and after I thought about it, I noticed that pathos is what best works for me when arguing. To close this entry, I'd like to link this youtube video of Mufasa's death in The Lion King simply because it utilizes pathos just like in Frederick Douglass's narrative. 

Slavery, Privileges and Music

I'll begin this entry by pointing out some vocabulary words that were new to me.

Feeble: (adj.) lacking strength

Obdurate: (adj.) Stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action.

Coarse: (adj.) Rough or loose in texture or grain.

Sloop: (noun) A small square-rigged sailing warship with two or three masts.

The first two chapters of Frederick Douglass's narrative pretty much introduce the context of the time in which he was living. We learn that it's around mid 1800's and that he was a slave, son of a white father and black mother. He described many traditions that occurred during the slavery times. For example, I didn't know that a slave mother was separated from his child before the baby had his first birthday. Or that children of slave women and white men had to follow their mother's condition, turning them into slaves. I just can't imagine how hard that must have been for everyone who had to go through that. It's almost unimaginable for me to place myself in that position. My mother and I are so close that I even feel lost whenever she leaves for two-week business trips. Sadly, Frederick Douglass just saw his mother a few times when he was just a kid and at night while she sneaked out from the plantation where she was working at.  

I found it very impressive that Douglass, who was a slave, could even be writing what he was writing. He said right at the beginning that white boys could read and write and that he shared that same privilege, unlike the other slaves who were just "stupid" due to their illiteracy.That sense of privilege is something I can relate to, especially here in Colombia. According to this article from El Tiempo, the high social stratum (5 & 6) in Bogota is just 4% of Bogota's total population. That just makes me privileged to be a part of that very reduced group of people, just like Frederick Douglass who was probably one of the very few or even the only slave who was capable of reading at that time. 

Another thing that impressed me was how music was so crucially important to slaves. When I'm asked to think of slaves, I never really relate the thought of slaves to music. I mean, yes they must have brought their African traditions and culture, but I basically think of them doing severe labor. However, Douglass describes how poignant music was to slaves in general especially to him. He even mentions how he teared up while writing about the songs they chanted. These songs were an allegation against slavery, as well as prayers to God so that he could have some mercy. It was through those songs that he realized how slavery was so repulsive and uncivil. I relate to that, to the fact of realizing something about our society through music. Some songs that really have influenced my way of thinking and realization are: "Society" by Pearl Jam, "Super Rich Kids" by Frank Ocean featuring Earl Sweatshirt, and "Where is the Love" by the Black Eyed Peas. I like the way music serves as a voice and as an escape, both for Frederick Douglass and for me.

Up to now, Frederick Douglass's narrative has been tender and compelling. His portrayal of slavery is very perceptible and clear. I'm enjoying it and I know it will get even better as I find out where his literacy skills will take him in life. 

Addiction Abide

An excerpt from the first and only screenplay I have ever written.

At Least Don't Be an Ignorant in the Web

I completely agree with what Wickman says in the article; blog is not the same as blog post. For two years now, I've had a tumblr blog and that's why I understand his point.  I really liked his analogy of using magazine and article to state the difference between blog and blog post because people who are not familiar with those terms or the topic in general will understand it better. I believe that the internet has become such a big part of our lives that it is our duty to understand concepts such as "blog" and "blog post" completely. If you don't, then I guess you're just an internet ignorant.