Skip to main content
Humanities LibreTexts

4.21.2: Reading and Review Questions

  • Page ID
    63780
  • \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

    1. How, and why, does Douglass obviate binary oppositions on which rest cultural definitions of race and racial difference?
    2. What are some of the racial and cultural oppositions that are enforced by the slave system do blacks face? Why?
    3. How does the slave system belie the very oppositions by which white slave-holders define themselves as “naturally” and culturally superior to blacks? How, if at all, do such insights in the Narrative compare to those in Uncle Tom’s Cabin?
    4. What role does education play in Douglass’s advancement towards freedom from slavery? How does his development compare to that of the fictional Topsy’s? Why?
    5. To what atrocities does Douglass bring attention? Why? How do you know?

    4.21.2: Reading and Review Questions is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

    • Was this article helpful?