Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass shows the true face of American slavery. This book does not simply reveal the life of slaves in factual details but also impresses with an abundance of literary devices that enhances the tragedy and ambiguity of past times. Here, Douglass uses allusion, reversal, and irony to emphasize the pitifulness of Colonel Lloyd.
Douglass demonstrates a high power of observance that reflects in his use of literary devices. One can see a direct allusion to Job in the Old Testament when Douglass describes Colonel Lloyd’s wealth (Douglass, 1845). In this case, Job is mentioned to underline Lloyd’s richness but not the piety that would not allow him to be cruel and disrespectful to his slaves. Thus, a reader can also decode reversal in episodes when Lloyd puts more value on his horses instead of the keepers. He always complains that the animals are not cared for enough, not well fed, and have no “proper attention” (Douglass, 1845, p. 14). Such a depiction of Colonel Lloyd accentuates his focus on assuring well-being for his possessions but not the people who provide it that points out the misery of this character. Noteworthy, slaves terrorized by their masters praise them instead of berating them, which suggests irony. The slaves of Colonel Lloyd fight with those of Jacob Jepson, trying to convince each other that one is the richest and the other is the smartest (Douglass, 1845). Here, the pitifulness of the masters is seen in their aptness to cause pressure and fear in slaves.
In conclusion, Frederick Douglass writes about the horrific events of American slavery. Nevertheless, the use of literary devices such as allusion, reversal, and irony makes the characters lively and emphasizes their vices, as in Colonel Lloyd. Therefore, these details make the reader live through all hardships with the characters.
References
Douglass, F. (1845). Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American slave. Elegant Ebooks.