How did slavery affect Mr. Auld?
USSO 10100: Development of the U.S. and it is People 22 March 2021
Every Master has a system in taking charge of what is in their power. In the Narrative of The Life of Frederick Douglass, Fredrick Douglass depicts the dehumanization of the slaves through his lens. We grasp the perspective of a slave. The masters are all uniquely different but with all the intention to flourish economically and control their thralls. Through Douglass’s lens, Captain Auld is regularly around other overseers. Captain Auld does not have much experience about being a slaveholder as being a captain. A captain is usually relatively close to their workers due to their commitment to work together. Although witnessing how these men typically dominate the fields, taking his power as an upcoming Master was the beginning of his exertions in slavery.
Every year slaves only had one pair of cheap clothing, shoes, and no beds. They were as poor as Captain Auld. Captain Auld was a miserable man who acquired the slaves through marriage (46). Auld’s ego did not permit him to ever resonate with the slaves’ hardships. As if dehumanizing them made it easier to never to see them as another being. The pressure to impersonate as a prosperous slaveholder arose, and economic expectations led him to exceed his slaves’ total potential by abuse. Douglass first witnesses the dreading sorrows with the depressing songs slaves would sing in hope for the future. These songs were such prayers that help each slave get through each day and pain. Slaves also seek God’s guidance, but Auld continue to be blind by hatred and ignorance.
If one is new to the game, one seeks to play like the team players —Auld force to envision himself as other masters since he lacked experience. Merely trying to mimic many masters led him to be a confused, controlling, and inconsistent man. He was the copyist of many, and the conflicts of his identity were evident to his slaves. (47) As he becomes a cold abusive master, he fails to control. He was a fraud. Slavery was highly stressful when he took his first steps as a master. So, he did what most masters do, lash to apply fear to his slaves. Abusing gave him a sense of authority over his slaves but not about his next move. Auld’s wife had to demand slaves to call Auld “master.” Although sometimes slaves would call him Captain. As if the job was impossible without the right actions.
There is a saying that through salivation, everyone finds their purpose. Auld found him after visiting a Methodist camp meeting around the neighborhood. He became a faithful believer and influencer of Christianity. Like how Christianity was used to justify certain cleanses in the past he uses it to justify his madness towards his slaves. Auld was more at ease with slavery as he gained popularity with other believers. This hyphens his status as an admirable master when at first, he was completely lost. His home was always welcome for prayer, he became the class leader (49). He dedicated prayer morning, noon, and night. As he always included torturing throughout his schedule as well.
Through the lens of a slave, there is a limit of information about a master’s perspective on Slavery. Auld’s underlining purpose or fears are not as visible. Auld’s desire to continue abusing after even connecting with God was because he reflected on his slaves. Auld was once impoverished, and the poor are weak. This new grasp of power would also feed his ego and give him a new sense of identity as a Master of slaves as he whips Henny, a disfigured weak slave, for hours for no legitimate reason. It is as if Auld is still struggling as a master due to picking on his most frail meat. Despite this, Christianity is an excellent barrier to deception when things are not making sense to him. However, one can also claim Auld feels sympathy for the unfortunate but only to the ones he approves as his people, making sense of the dehumanizing treatment. As Auld becomes a generous man, stuffing his visitors and starving his slaves (48). Although he justified his brutality, saying that a Master should beat his slaves if they did not obey his will (49). His connection with the church helped him gain a purpose in his actions as a Master.
Not all growth is good progress. Auld’s prayers gave him more justifications to abuse. Slavery gave him a more sense of inclusiveness in the community as an exhorter. He had perfected his identity as a master but not his leadership as a master to his slaves. Auld lack order in himself, but Slavery was no longer as hard as a Captain. He became the master he desired but never mastered himself.
Douglass, Frederick. n.d. Narrative of The Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave 1845
