Question

your shout of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; Why does Douglass MOST LIKELY say that shouts of liberty and equality are hollow mockery? A) to show that the slave owners showed no compassion and often mocked abolitionists B) to show the pitiful status of the slave, whose life was hollow and equally miserable C) to show the audience that the version of equality celebrated by America was an empty word, mocking the slaves D) to show that slaves were not comfortable vocalizing their discomfort with their situation

Answer 1

Answer:

I would say the correct answer is C) to show the audience that the version of equality celebrated by America was an empty word, mocking the slaves.

Explanation:

The "shout of liberty and equality" is an empty ("hollow") word because there is no liberty or equality for the slaves. If the liberty really existed, it would have been there for everyone. As for equality, it is impossible to ascertain it in a country where inequality is so blatant and obvious. Furthermore, boasting about these concepts is cynical when one knows that the whole colored population is excluded from them. Hence the mockery Douglass refers to.

A) is not correct because this passage isn't about slaveowners and their lack of compassion. It's directed towards the whole nation that is still being blind to facts. B) is kind of correct but it's not the best choice because it leaves out the cynicism and mockery. D) isn't correct because this excerpt doesn't refer to the slaves' silence; on the contrary, it shows that the nation is blind and deaf to the slaves' plight.