Chapter V

Question

As to my own treatment while I lived on Colonel Lloyd's plantation, it was very similar to that of the other slave children. I was not old enough to work in the field, and there being little else than field work to do, I had a great deal of leisure time. The most I had to do was to drive up the cows at evening, keep the fowls out of the garden, keep the front yard clean, and run of errands for my old master's daughter, Mrs. Lucretia Auld. The most of my leisure time I spent in helping Master Daniel Lloyd in finding his birds, after he had shot them. My connection with Master Daniel was of some advantage to me. He became quite attached to me, and was a sort of protector of me. He would not allow the older boys to impose upon me, and would divide his cakes with me.

I was seldom whipped by my old master, and suffered little from any thing else than hunger and cold. I suffered much from hunger, but much more from cold. In hottest summer and coldest winter, I was kept almost naked--no shoes, no stockings, no jacket, no trousers, nothing on but a coarse tow linen shirt, reaching only to my knees. I had no bed. I must have perished with cold, but that, the coldest nights, I used to steal a bag which was used for carrying corn to the mill. I would crawl into this bag, and there sleep on the cold, damp, clay floor, with my head in and feet out. My feet have been so cracked with the frost, that the pen with which I am writing might be laid in the gashes.

We were not regularly allowanced. Our food was coarse corn meal boiled. This was called mush. It was put into a large wooden tray or trough, and set down upon the ground. The children were then called, like so many pigs, and like so many pigs they would come and devour the mush; some with oyster-shells, others with pieces of shingle, some with naked hands, and none with spoons. He that ate fastest got most; he that was strongest secured the best place; and few left the trough satisfied.

I was probably between seven and eight years old when I left Colonel Lloyd's plantation. I left it with joy. I shall never forget the ecstasy with which I received the intelligence that my old master (Anthony) had determined to let me go to Baltimore, to live with Mr. Hugh Auld, brother to my old master's son-in-law, Captain Thomas Auld. I received this information about three days before my departure. They were three of the happiest days I ever enjoyed. I spent the most part of all these three days in the creek, washing off the plantation scurf, and preparing myself for my departure.

The pride of appearance which this would indicate was not my own. I spent the time in washing, not so much because I wished to, but because Mrs. Lucretia had told me I must get all the dead skin off my feet and knees before I could go to Baltimore; for the people in Baltimore were very cleanly, and would laugh at me if I looked dirty. Besides, she was going to give me a pair or trousers, which I should not put on unless I got all the dirt off me. The thought of owning a pair of trousers was great indeed! It was almost a sufficient motive, not only to make me take off what would be called by pig-drovers the mange, but the skin itself. I went at it in good earnest, working for the first time with the hope of reward.

The ties that ordinarily bind children to their homes were all suspended in my case. I found no severe trial in my departure. My home was charmless; it was not home to me; on parting from it, I could not feel that I was leaving any thing which I could have enjoyed by staying. My mother was dead, my grandmother lived far off, so that I seldom saw her. I had two sisters and one brother, that lived in the same house with me; but the early separation of us from our mother had well nigh blotted the fact of our relationship from our memories. I looked for home elsewhere, and was confident of finding none which I should relish less than the one which I was leaving. If, however, I found in my new home hardship, hunger, whipping, and nakedness, I had the consolation that I should not have escaped any one of them by staying. Having already had more than a taste of them in the house of my old master, and having endured them there, I very naturally inferred my ability to endure them elsewhere, and especially at Baltimore; for I had something of the feeling about Baltimore that is expressed in the proverb, that "being hanged in England is preferable to dying a natural death in Ireland." I had the strongest desire to see Baltimore. Cousin Tom, though not fluent in speech, had inspired me with that desire by his eloquent description of the place. I could never point out any thing at the Great House, no matter how beautiful or powerful, but that he had seen something at Baltimore far exceeding, both in beauty and strength, the object which I pointed out to him. Even the Great House itself, with all its pictures, was far inferior to many buildings in Baltimore. So strong was my desire, that I thought a gratification of it would fully compensate for whatever loss of comforts I should sustain by the exchange. I left without a regret, and with the highest hopes of future happiness.
Choose one chapter from Douglass’s autobiography. In a paragraph, write a brief summary of the events in the chapter, explaining how the chapter fits into the autobiography as a whole.

Decide how the chapter you chose for Activity 1 supports and develops one of these central ideas from the autobiography.

Ignorance keeps people in chains.
Slavery damages both the enslaved and the enslaver.
Education is part of the path to freedom.
In an essay of 250 to 500 words, analyze how Douglass develops that idea in the chapter you chose. Describe the details he uses to support that central idea and explain the order in which the details appear in the chapter.

Use specific quotations and evidence from the chapter to support your analysis. Organize your essay clearly, and follow the rules of English grammar and punctuation.
Use the introduction the body paragraph 1 and 2 to write your essay correctly and perfectly with the correct flow

Self-Assess
Use the rubric to decide whether your essay fulfills the standards of ideas/purpose; analysis; organization; comprehension; and grammar, conventions, and spelling.

Answer 1

Summary of Chapter V

In Chapter V of Frederick Douglass's autobiography, Douglass recounts his experiences as a child slave on Colonel Lloyd’s plantation, emphasizing his harsh living conditions and the lack of parental care after his mother’s death. Despite having little direct supervision, he faces the cruelty of enslavement manifested through hunger, cold, and inadequate clothing. Douglass shares the fleeting joy he feels upon learning he will be sent to Baltimore to live with Mr. Hugh Auld, highlighting the stark differences between his existence on the plantation and his potential future. This chapter is pivotal within the narrative as it marks Douglass’s transition from childhood innocence to the complexities of his environment while also setting the stage for his subsequent quest for education and freedom.

Essay: The Role of Ignorance in Chains

In Chapter V of Frederick Douglass’s autobiography, the theme of ignorance as a mechanism that keeps people in chains is evident through Douglass’s reflections on his upbringing as a slave. He describes the dehumanizing experiences of childhood on Colonel Lloyd’s plantation, where he and other enslaved children existed in a state of neglect and deprivation. This chapter illustrates how ignorance not only perpetuates the cycle of slavery but also diminishes the humanity of both the enslaved and their enslavers. Douglass employs vivid imagery and personal anecdotes to convey his feelings of despair and yearning for a different life, as well as the limited understanding of his own potential due to a lack of education.

At the beginning of the chapter, Douglass shares, “I suffered much from hunger, but much more from cold,” capturing the brutal reality of his existence without adequate clothing or shelter. His remarks about being “kept almost naked” serve to highlight the deliberate ignorance exercised by slaveholders regarding the basic needs of their slaves. By framing his experiences in this way, Douglass illustrates that ignorance—particularly the ignorance of what a proper childhood should encompass—serves to both oppress the enslaved and validate the slaveholders' cruelty. Moreover, Douglass emphasizes his lack of awareness about his situation as a child when he states, “My home was charmless; it was not home to me; on parting from it, I could not feel that I was leaving anything which I could have enjoyed by staying.” This reflects not only the emotional disconnection caused by slavery but also the ignorance instilled in enslaved individuals, leading them to underestimate their own worth and potential.

The anticipation Douglass feels about moving to Baltimore serves as a critical turning point in the chapter. He exclaims, “If, however, I found in my new home hardship, hunger, whipping, and nakedness, I had the consolation that I should not have escaped any one of them by staying.” Here, Douglass acknowledges that ignorance of the conditions he might face in Baltimore does not deter his eagerness to escape his current reality. This desire for change highlights the hope that education and new experiences can bring, which, at this point, Douglass believes he can demand of himself. His excitement ultimately stems from a perceived belief that a new environment will offer opportunities for learning and growth, contrasting sharply with the ignorance that has characterized his life on the plantation.

In conclusion, Douglass’s experiences on Colonel Lloyd’s plantation in Chapter V of his autobiography underscore how ignorance keeps people in chains. His vivid descriptions of the neglect and emotional detachment from his surroundings emphasize the devastating impact of systemic ignorance on enslaved individuals. This chapter foreshadows his journey towards freedom and the pursuit of education, laying the groundwork for Douglass's later transformation into a powerful advocate for abolition and human rights. Through his reflections, Douglass not only challenges the ignorance surrounding the institution of slavery but also signals the importance of seeking knowledge as a means of liberation.