Mistress of Contrasting Character: From Kindness to Fierceness

1. Group Members • Danny Healey • Michael Flickinger • Patrick Hutson • Leo Lei

2. Passage Chapter: VII Page: 37-38 My mistress, who had kindly commenced to instruct me, had, in compliance with the advice and direction of her husband, not only ceased to instruct, but had set her face against my being instructed by any one else [1]. It is due, however, to my mistress to say of her, that she did not adopt this course of treatment immediately. She at first lacked the depravity indispensable to shutting me up in mental darkness. It was at least necessary for her to have some training in the exercise of irresponsible power, to make her equal to the task of treating me as though I were a brute. My mistress was, as I have said, a kind and tender-hearted woman; and in the simplicity of her soul she commenced, when I first went to live with her, to treat me as she supposed one human being ought to treat another. In entering upon the duties of a slaveholder, she did not seem to perceive that I sustained to her the relation of a mere chattel, and that for her to treat me as a human being was not only wrong, but dangerously so. Slavery proved as injurious to her as it did to me. When I went there, she was a pious, warm, and tender-hearted woman. There was no sorrow or suffering for which she had not a tear [2]. She had bread for the hungry, clothes for the naked, and comfort for every mourner that came within her reach [3]. Slavery soon proved its ability to divest her of these heavenly qualities. Under its influence, the tender heart became stone, and the lamblike disposition gave way to one of tiger-like fierceness [4]. The first step in her downward course was in her ceasing to instruct me. She now commenced to practise her husband's precepts. She finally became even more violent in her opposition than her husband himself. She was not satisfied with simply doing as well as he had commanded; she seemed anxious to do better. Nothing seemed to make her more angry than to see me with a newspaper. She seemed to think that here lay the danger. I have had her rush at me with a face made all up of fury, and snatch from me a newspaper, in a manner that fully revealed her apprehension [5]. She was an apt woman; and a little experience soon demonstrated, to her satisfaction, that education and slavery were incompatible with each other. From this time I was most narrowly watched. If I was in a separate room any considerable length of time, I was sure to be suspected of having a book, and was at once called to give an account of myself. All this, however, was too late. The first step had been taken [6]. Mistress, in teaching me the alphabet, had given me the inch, and no precaution could prevent me from taking the ell [7]. `

3. Annotation 1 My mistress, who had kindly commenced to instruct me, had, in compliance with the advice and direction of her husband, not only ceased to instruct, but had set her face against my being instructed by any one else The phrase “…in compliance with the advice and direction of her husband,…” is an example of parenthesis. This phrase shows that Douglass believes that slavery is supported by the family unit. In this instance Master Hugh influences his wife to adopt a harsh demeanor that is typical of slaveholders. Return to passage

4. Annotation 2 There was no sorrow or suffering for which she had not a tear This is an example of an inverted sentence and also a double negative. The phrase “not a tear” shows that Mistress Hugh at the end of her life was not compassionate towards slaves. Mistress Hugh’s life is a microcosm of the corrosive effects of slavery on people. Return to passage

5. Annotation 3 This is an example of parallelism. Parallelism in this excerpt is used to emphasize Mistress Hugh’s generosity by repeating “for the ______” over and over. Mistress Hugh’s change in character (mentioned later in the passage) is typically of all slaveholders since slavery corrupts people and brings out human’s harsh character. She had bread for the hungry, clothes for the naked, and comfort for every mourner that came within her reach Return to passage

6. Annotation 4 Under its influence, the tender heart became stone, and the lamblike disposition gave way to one of tiger-like fierceness. This sentence is an example of antithesis. Douglass’ use of antithesis in this sentence shows the sharp contrasts of the views of his Mistress overtime. At first she is has a “tender heart” and a “lamblike disposition” however over time she develops a “stone heart” and “tiger-like fierceness” demonstrating her cruel attitude. The greater purpose of this sentence is to show how slavery makes owners worse people over time. This makes slave holding a poison to people which Douglass believes should be abolished. Return to passage

7. Annotation 5 I have had her rush at me with a face made all up of fury, and snatch from me a newspaper, in a manner that fully revealed her apprehension. This sentence is an example of parenthesis. The part “and snatch from me a newspaper” is a grammatically unnecessary addition inside the middle of the sentence. Douglass intentionally does this to make the reader want to read this part again since it naturally sounds confusing. This phrase is significant to the overall passage because it highlights Mistress Hugh’s absurd idea that he should be unable to read. Return to passage

8. Annotation 6 Mistress, in teaching me the alphabet, had given me the inch, and no precaution could prevent me from taking the ell Antithesis is once again used by Douglass to contrast ideas. He contrasts the minimal amount of information he is given (the alphabet) which is the “inch” with the large endeavor and potential of being able to read or “the ell”. This sentence characterizes Douglass as someone who is determined since he uses the little he is given to do difficult tasks like learning. Return to passage

9. Annotation 7 The first step had been taken. This sentence is an example of syntax employed by Douglass. Although the majority of Douglass’ sentences are long and either compound or complex, this sentence is short and simple. Douglass’ uses this short sentence to show that he only needed a little or “the first step” in order to get started in his ambition to become literate. Return to passage

10. Rhetorical term Parallelism: Several parts of a sentence or several sentences are expressed with similar grammatical structure to show that the ideas in the parts or sentences are equal in importance. Parallelism may involve words, phrases or clauses. Ex: What you see is what you get Return to passage

11. Rhetorical Term Inverted Sentence: a sentence which reverses the basic subject-verb order of a sentence. Example: Down the street lived the man and his wife. Normally this sentence would be written “The man and his wife lived down the street” Return to passage

12. Rhetorical Term Double Negative: when two forms of negation are used in the same sentence. When two negatives are used in English, a positive is formed instead. Example: “I do not disagree” actually means that you do agree. Return to passage

13. Rhetorical Term Antithesis: Establishing a clear, contrasting relationship between two ideas by joining them together or juxtaposing them, often in parallel structure. Example: Speech is silver but silence is gold. Return to passage

14. Rhetorical Term Parenthesis: Consists of a word, phrase, or whole sentence inserted as an aside in the middle of another sentence. Example: The English (it must be owned) are rather a foul-mouthed nation. Return to passage

15. Vocabulary Microcosm (noun)- something (such as a place or an event) that is seen as a small version of something much large Example of a Microcosm: The conditions of one impoverished inner city might be able to describe the conditions/effects of poverty in America as a whole. Return to passage

16. Vocabulary Ell (noun) a unit of measurement which is approximately the length of a man’s arm from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger. For most people this is about or around 45 inches. Return to passage

17. Vocabulary Term and definition Return to passage