Question

How does Douglass use the word nature in the excerpt from his narrative My Bondage and My Freedom? According to Douglass, how must human nature adapt to permit and even promote slavery? Cite evidence from the text to support your response.

Answer 1

Frederick Douglass believes that human beings do not inherently possess the attributes of slaveholders and slaves. Human nature doesn’t prepare anyone to inflict cruelty on others or to endure torture. He says that in order to prepare humans to have the characteristics of a slave owner or a slave, “Nothing but rigid training, long persisted in, can perfect the character of the one or the other.” It is difficult for humans to let go of their freedom easily and also to develop feelings of hatred for fellow human beings.

Answer 2

Douglass drew on the idea of natural rights and the natural law tradition in his argument against slavery.He had a firm faith in the progress of man, civilisation, and Western Christendom; hence, he saw American slavery as a brutal backwardness that ran counter to the progress of history.

Use this answer if you do not want to copy platos answer 100%