Lesson 5 Frederick Douglass ||Unit Five: Human Rights || Textbook page 99, 100, 101, 102 & 103 || Class eleven and twelve || Unit Five: Human Rights || English first paper || Bangla meaning, line by line Bangla meaning , short questions and summary ||

February 22, 2025 0


Lesson 5 Frederick Douglass ||Unit Five: Human Rights || Textbook page 99, 100, 101, 102 & 103 || Class eleven and twelve || Unit Five: Human Rights || English first paper || Bangla meaning, line by line Bangla meaning , short questions and summary || 



Douglass wrote several books about his life, including his famous autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Here is an excerpt from this book:

Chapter 1
I was born in Tuckahoe, near Hillsborough, and about twelve miles from Easton, in Talbot county. Maryland. I have no accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen any authentic record containing it. By far the larger part of the slaves know as little of their ages as horses know of theirs, and it is the wish of most masters within my knowledge to keep their slaves thus ignorant. I do not remember to have ever met a slave who could tell of his birthday. They seldom come nearer to it than planting-time, harvest-time, cherry-time, spring-time, or fall-time. A want of information concerning my own was a source of unhappiness to me even during childhood. The white children could tell their ages.
I could not tell why I ought to be deprived of the same privilege. I was not allowed to make any inquiries of my master concerning it. He deemed all such inquiries on the part of a slave improper and impertinent, and evidence of a restless spirit. The nearest estimate I can give makes me now between twenty-seven and twenty-eight years of age. I come to this, from hearing my master say, sometime during 1835. I was about seventeen years old.
My mother was named Harriet Bailey. She was the daughter of Isaac and Betsey Bailey, both colored, and quite dark. My mother was of a darker complexion than either my grandmother or grandfather.
My father was a white man. He was admitted to be such by all I ever heard speak of my parentage. The opinion was also whispered that my master was my father, but of the correctness of this opinion, I know nothing, the means of knowing was withheld from me. My mother and I were separated when I was but an infant -before I knew her as my mother. It is a common custom, in the part of Maryland from which I ran away, to part children from their mothers at a very early age. Frequently, before the child has reached its twelfth month, its mother is taken from it, and hired out on some farm a considerable distance off, and the child is placed under the care of an old woman, too old for field labor. For what this separation is done, I do not know, unless it be to hinder the development of the child's affection toward its mother, and to blunt and destroy the natural affection of the mother for the child.

This is the inevitable result.
I never saw my mother, to know her as such, more than four or five times in my life; and each of these times was very short in duration, and at night. She was hired by a Mr. Stewart, who lived about twelve miles from my home. She made her journeys to see me in the night, travelling the whole distance on foot, after the performance of her day's work. She was a field hand, and a whipping is the penalty of not being in the field at sunrise, unless a slave has special permission from his or her master to the contrary-a permission which they seldom get, and one that gives to him that gives it the proud name of being a kind master. I do not recollect of ever seeing my mother by the light of day. She was with me in the night. She would lie down with me, and get me to sleep, but long before I waked she was gone. Very little communication ever took place between us. Death soon ended what little we could have while she lived, and with it her hardships and suffering. She died when I was about seven years old, on one of my master's farms, near Lee's Mill. I was not allowed to be present during her illness, at her death, or burial.

She was gone long before I knew anything about it. Never having enjoyed, to any considerable extent, her soothing presence, her tender and watchful care, I received the tidings of her death with much the same emotions I should have probably felt at the death of a stranger




Here is the word meaning in bangla along with synonym and antonym.

  1. Accurate (নির্ভুল) – Synonym: Exact (সঠিক), Precise (যথাযথ) | Antonym: Inaccurate (ভুল), Incorrect (অসঠিক)

  2. Knowledge (জ্ঞান) – Synonym: Information (তথ্য), Understanding (বোঝাপড়া) | Antonym: Ignorance (অজ্ঞতা), Unawareness (অজ্ঞানতা)

  3. Authentic (প্রামাণিক) – Synonym: Genuine (খাঁটি), Real (বাস্তব) | Antonym: Fake (নকল), False (মিথ্যা)

  4. Ignorant (অজ্ঞ) – Synonym: Uninformed (অবহিত নয়), Uneducated (অশিক্ষিত) | Antonym: Knowledgeable (জ্ঞানী), Educated (শিক্ষিত)

  5. Privilege (বিশেষ অধিকার) – Synonym: Benefit (সুবিধা), Advantage (লাভ) | Antonym: Disadvantage (অসুবিধা), Restriction (নিষেধাজ্ঞা)

  6. Estimate (আনুমানিক হিসাব) – Synonym: Approximation (আনুমানিকতা), Calculation (গণনা) | Antonym: Exactness (নিখুঁততা), Precision (যথাযথতা)

  7. Deprived (বঞ্চিত) – Synonym: Denied (অস্বীকৃত), Disadvantaged (অবনতি) | Antonym: Privileged (সুবিধাপ্রাপ্ত), Fortunate (ভাগ্যবান)

  8. Inquiry (জিজ্ঞাসা) – Synonym: Question (প্রশ্ন), Investigation (তদন্ত) | Antonym: Answer (উত্তর), Response (প্রতিক্রিয়া)

  9. Impertinent (অশিষ্ট) – Synonym: Rude (অভদ্র), Disrespectful (অশ্রদ্ধাশীল) | Antonym: Polite (ভদ্র), Respectful (শ্রদ্ধাশীল)

  10. Opinion (মতামত) – Synonym: View (দৃষ্টিভঙ্গি), Belief (বিশ্বাস) | Antonym: Fact (তথ্য), Reality (বাস্তবতা)

  11. Correctness (সঠিকতা) – Synonym: Accuracy (নির্ভুলতা), Rightness (ন্যায়তা) | Antonym: Error (ভুল), Wrongness (ভুলতা)

  12. Separation (বিচ্ছেদ) – Synonym: Division (বিভাজন), Isolation (পৃথকতা) | Antonym: Union (ঐক্য), Connection (সংযোগ)

  13. Hinder (বাধা প্রদান করা) – Synonym: Obstruct (প্রতিরোধ করা), Prevent (প্রতিরোধ করা) | Antonym: Assist (সহায়তা করা), Encourage (উৎসাহিত করা)

  14. Affection (স্নেহ) – Synonym: Love (ভালোবাসা), Care (যত্ন) | Antonym: Hatred (ঘৃণা), Indifference (উদাসীনতা)

  15. Development (উন্নয়ন) – Synonym: Growth (বৃদ্ধি), Progress (অগ্রগতি) | Antonym: Decline (পতন), Regression (অবনতি)

  16. Custom (প্রথা) – Synonym: Tradition (ঐতিহ্য), Habit (অভ্যাস) | Antonym: Innovation (নবপ্রবর্তন), Change (পরিবর্তন)

  17. Considerable (উল্লেখযোগ্য) – Synonym: Significant (গুরুত্বপূর্ণ), Substantial (প্রশস্ত) | Antonym: Insignificant (তুচ্ছ), Minor (ক্ষুদ্র)

  18. Performance (কর্মদক্ষতা) – Synonym: Execution (বাস্তবায়ন), Accomplishment (সাফল্য) | Antonym: Failure (ব্যর্থতা), Neglect (অবহেলা)

  19. Permission (অনুমতি) – Synonym: Consent (সম্মতি), Authorization (অনুমোদন) | Antonym: Prohibition (নিষেধাজ্ঞা), Restriction (সীমাবদ্ধতা)

  20. Proud (গর্বিত) – Synonym: Honored (সম্মানিত), Confident (আত্মবিশ্বাসী) | Antonym: Ashamed (লজ্জিত), Humble (নম্র)

  21. Recollect (স্মরণ করা) – Synonym: Remember (মনে করা), Recall (স্মরণ করা) | Antonym: Forget (ভুলে যাওয়া), Ignore (উপেক্ষা করা)

  22. Journey (ভ্রমণ) – Synonym: Trip (ভ্রমণ), Expedition (অভিযান) | Antonym: Stationary (স্থির অবস্থা), Rest (বিশ্রাম)

  23. Tender (স্নেহপূর্ণ) – Synonym: Gentle (নম্র), Kind (দয়ালু) | Antonym: Harsh (কঠোর), Cruel (নিষ্ঠুর)

  24. Watchful (সতর্ক) – Synonym: Alert (সতর্ক), Vigilant (সজাগ) | Antonym: Careless (অসতর্ক), Negligent (অবহেলাকারী)

  25. Hardship (দুর্দশা) – Synonym: Suffering (কষ্ট), Struggle (সংগ্রাম) | Antonym: Comfort (স্বস্তি), Ease (সহজতা)

  26. Suffering (দুর্ভোগ) – Synonym: Pain (যন্ত্রণা), Agony (যন্ত্রণাদায়ক) | Antonym: Pleasure (আনন্দ), Relief (উপশম)

  27. Illness (অসুস্থতা) – Synonym: Disease (রোগ), Sickness (অসুস্থতা) | Antonym: Health (স্বাস্থ্য), Wellness (সুস্থতা)

  28. Burial (সমাধি) – Synonym: Funeral (অন্ত্যেষ্টিক্রিয়া), Interment (সমাধি) | Antonym: Exhumation (কবর থেকে তোলা), Resurrection (পুনরুত্থান)

  29. Tidings (সংবাদ) – Synonym: News (খবর), Information (তথ্য) | Antonym: Silence (নীরবতা), Ignorance (অজ্ঞতা)

  30. Emotion (অনুভূতি) – Synonym: Feeling (অনুভূতি), Sentiment (ভাবাবেগ) | Antonym: Indifference (উদাসীনতা), Insensitivity (সংবেদনহীনতা)

  31. Considerable (উল্লেখযোগ্য) – Synonym: Significant (গুরুত্বপূর্ণ), Large (বৃহৎ) | Antonym: Insignificant (অগুরুত্বপূর্ণ), Small (ক্ষুদ্র)

  32. Presence (উপস্থিতি) – Synonym: Existence (অস্তিত্ব), Attendance (উপস্থিতি) | Antonym: Absence (অনুপস্থিতি), Nonexistence (অনস্তিত্ব)

  33. Soothing (শান্তিদায়ক) – Synonym: Comforting (সান্ত্বনাদায়ক), Calming (শান্তিময়) | Antonym: Disturbing (বিরক্তিকর), Agitating (উত্তেজক)

  34. Stranger (অপরিচিত ব্যক্তি) – Synonym: Foreigner (বিদেশী), Unknown (অজানা) | Antonym: Friend (বন্ধু), Acquaintance (পরিচিত)

  35. Allowed (অনুমোদিত) – Synonym: Permitted (অনুমোদিত), Authorized (অনুমোদনকৃত) | Antonym: Forbidden (নিষিদ্ধ), Restricted (নিষিদ্ধ)



Here is the line-by-line Bangla meaning of the passage, with English digits before each English sentence:


Chapter 1

1. I was born in Tuckahoe, near Hillsborough, and about twelve miles from Easton, in Talbot county, Maryland.
আমি টাকাহোতে জন্মগ্রহণ করেছি, যা হিলসবোরোর কাছে এবং ইস্টন থেকে প্রায় বারো মাইল দূরে, টালবট কাউন্টি, মেরিল্যান্ডে অবস্থিত।

2. I have no accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen any authentic record containing it.
আমি আমার বয়স সম্পর্কে সঠিক কোনো ধারণা রাখি না, কখনোই এমন কোনো নির্ভরযোগ্য নথি দেখিনি যাতে এটি উল্লেখ ছিল।

3. By far the larger part of the slaves know as little of their ages as horses know of theirs, and it is the wish of most masters within my knowledge to keep their slaves thus ignorant.
দাসদের বৃহৎ অংশই তাদের বয়স সম্পর্কে ততটাই কম জানে যতটা ঘোড়ারা তাদের বয়স সম্পর্কে জানে, এবং আমার জানা মতে অধিকাংশ মালিক তাদের দাসদের এই অজ্ঞতার মধ্যে রাখতেই চায়।

4. I do not remember to have ever met a slave who could tell of his birthday.
আমি কখনো এমন কোনো দাসের সঙ্গে সাক্ষাৎ করিনি যে তার জন্মদিন বলতে পারত।

5. They seldom come nearer to it than planting-time, harvest-time, cherry-time, spring-time, or fall-time.
তারা সাধারণত জন্মদিন নির্ধারণ করতে পারে না, কেবল চাষের সময়, ফসল কাটার সময়, চেরির মৌসুম, বসন্তকাল, বা শরৎকাল অনুযায়ী কিছুটা আন্দাজ করতে পারে।

6. A want of information concerning my own was a source of unhappiness to me even during childhood.
আমার নিজের জন্মতারিখ না জানাটা শৈশবেও আমার জন্য দুঃখের কারণ ছিল।

7. The white children could tell their ages.
শ্বেতাঙ্গ শিশুরা তাদের বয়স বলতে পারত।

8. I could not tell why I ought to be deprived of the same privilege.
আমি বুঝতে পারতাম না কেন আমাকে এই একই অধিকার থেকে বঞ্চিত করা হয়।

9. I was not allowed to make any inquiries of my master concerning it.
আমাকে আমার মালিকের কাছে এটি সম্পর্কে কোনো প্রশ্ন করতেও দেওয়া হতো না।

10. He deemed all such inquiries on the part of a slave improper and impertinent, and evidence of a restless spirit.
তিনি মনে করতেন, দাসদের পক্ষ থেকে এমন কোনো প্রশ্ন করা অনুচিত, উদ্ধত আচরণ এবং এক বিদ্রোহী মনোভাবের লক্ষণ।

11. The nearest estimate I can give makes me now between twenty-seven and twenty-eight years of age.
আমার দেওয়া সবচেয়ে কাছাকাছি অনুমান অনুযায়ী এখন আমার বয়স সাতাশ থেকে আটাশ বছরের মধ্যে।

12. I come to this, from hearing my master say, sometime during 1835, I was about seventeen years old.
আমি এই অনুমানে আসি কারণ ১৮৩৫ সালের কোনো এক সময়ে আমার মালিককে বলতে শুনেছিলাম যে তখন আমার বয়স প্রায় সতেরো বছর ছিল।

13. My mother was named Harriet Bailey.
আমার মায়ের নাম ছিল হ্যারিয়েট বেইলি।

14. She was the daughter of Isaac and Betsey Bailey, both colored, and quite dark.
তিনি ছিলেন আইজ্যাক এবং বেটসি বেইলির কন্যা, দুজনেই কৃষ্ণাঙ্গ এবং বেশ গাঢ় বর্ণের।

15. My mother was of a darker complexion than either my grandmother or grandfather.
আমার মা ছিলেন আমার দাদী বা নানার চেয়েও গাঢ় বর্ণের।

16. My father was a white man.
আমার বাবা ছিলেন একজন শ্বেতাঙ্গ।

17. He was admitted to be such by all I ever heard speak of my parentage.
যতজনকে আমি আমার পিতৃত্ব সম্পর্কে কথা বলতে শুনেছি, তারা সকলেই একথা স্বীকার করেছিল।

18. The opinion was also whispered that my master was my father, but of the correctness of this opinion, I know nothing, the means of knowing was withheld from me.
এছাড়াও গোপনে বলা হতো যে আমার মালিকই ছিলেন আমার বাবা, তবে এটি সত্য কি না, আমি জানি না, কারণ এটি জানার কোনো উপায় আমাকে দেওয়া হয়নি।

19. My mother and I were separated when I was but an infant—before I knew her as my mother.
আমি যখন শিশু ছিলাম, তখনই আমার মা এবং আমাকে আলাদা করা হয়েছিল—আমি তাকে মা হিসেবে চেনার আগেই।

20. It is a common custom, in the part of Maryland from which I ran away, to part children from their mothers at a very early age.
মেরিল্যান্ডের যে অংশ থেকে আমি পালিয়েছিলাম, সেখানে ছোট শিশুদের খুব অল্প বয়সেই তাদের মায়ের কাছ থেকে আলাদা করার প্রচলন ছিল।

21. Frequently, before the child has reached its twelfth month, its mother is taken from it, and hired out on some farm a considerable distance off, and the child is placed under the care of an old woman, too old for field labor.
প্রায়শই, শিশু বারো মাস বয়সেও পৌঁছানোর আগেই তার মাকে তার কাছ থেকে বিচ্ছিন্ন করা হতো এবং দূরের কোনো খামারে শ্রমের জন্য ভাড়া দেওয়া হতো, আর শিশুটিকে এমন এক বৃদ্ধার তত্ত্বাবধানে রাখা হতো যিনি মাঠে কাজ করার জন্য খুব বেশি বয়স্ক ছিলেন।

22. For what this separation is done, I do not know, unless it be to hinder the development of the child's affection toward its mother, and to blunt and destroy the natural affection of the mother for the child.
এই বিচ্ছেদ কেন করা হতো, আমি জানি না, তবে সম্ভবত এটি করা হতো শিশুর মায়ের প্রতি ভালোবাসার বিকাশ রোধ করার জন্য এবং মায়েরও সন্তানের প্রতি স্বাভাবিক ভালোবাসাকে দুর্বল ও ধ্বংস করার জন্য।

23. This is the inevitable result.
এটাই অনিবার্য পরিণতি।

24. I never saw my mother, to know her as such, more than four or five times in my life; and each of these times was very short in duration, and at night.
আমি আমার জীবনে চার বা পাঁচবারের বেশি আমার মাকে মা হিসেবে চিনতে পারিনি; আর প্রতিবারই এই সাক্ষাৎ খুব অল্প সময়ের জন্য এবং রাতের বেলা হতো।

25. She was hired by a Mr. Stewart, who lived about twelve miles from my home.
তিনি মিস্টার স্টুয়ার্ট নামক একজন ব্যক্তির কাছে কাজ করতেন, যিনি আমার বাড়ি থেকে প্রায় বারো মাইল দূরে থাকতেন।

26. She made her journeys to see me in the night, travelling the whole distance on foot, after the performance of her day's work.
তিনি আমাকে দেখার জন্য রাতের বেলা দীর্ঘ পথ পায়ে হেঁটে আসতেন, সারাদিনের কাজ শেষ করার পর।

27. I do not recollect of ever seeing my mother by the light of day.
আমি মনে করতে পারি না যে আমি কখনো দিনের আলোতে আমার মাকে দেখেছি।

28. She died when I was about seven years old, on one of my master's farms, near Lee's Mill.
আমি যখন প্রায় সাত বছর বয়সী, তখন তিনি লি’স মিলের কাছে আমার মালিকের এক খামারে মারা যান।

29. I was not allowed to be present during her illness, at her death, or burial.
তার অসুস্থতার সময়, মৃত্যুর সময় বা দাফনের সময় আমাকে সেখানে উপস্থিত থাকতে দেওয়া হয়নি।

30. She was gone long before I knew anything about it.
তিনি মারা গিয়েছিলেন অনেক আগেই, আমি যখন কিছু জানতেও পারিনি।

31. I received the tidings of her death with much the same emotions I should have probably felt at the death of a stranger.
আমি তার মৃত্যুর সংবাদ এমন অনুভূতি নিয়ে গ্রহণ করেছিলাম, যেমনটা সম্ভবত একজন অপরিচিত ব্যক্তির মৃত্যুর খবরে অনুভব করতাম।




Here are some multiple-choice questions (MCQs) based on the excerpt from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, along with their answers.


1. Where was Frederick Douglass born?

A) Easton, Maryland
B) Tuckahoe, near Hillsborough, Maryland
C) Baltimore, Maryland
D) Richmond, Virginia
Answer: B) Tuckahoe, near Hillsborough, Maryland

2. Why did Douglass not know his exact age?

A) His parents never told him
B) Slave owners did not keep birth records for slaves
C) He was too young to remember
D) He was born during a war
Answer: B) Slave owners did not keep birth records for slaves

3. What did Douglass compare slaves' knowledge of their ages to?

A) The knowledge of their masters
B) The knowledge of horses about their ages
C) The knowledge of children about their birthdays
D) The knowledge of farm workers about the seasons
Answer: B) The knowledge of horses about their ages

4. What emotions did Douglass feel about not knowing his age?

A) Happiness
B) Indifference
C) Unhappiness
D) Anger
Answer: C) Unhappiness

5. How did white children differ from enslaved children in terms of knowledge about their age?

A) White children could tell their ages, but enslaved children could not
B) Both groups knew their exact ages
C) White children also did not know their ages
D) Enslaved children were taught their ages by their mothers
Answer: A) White children could tell their ages, but enslaved children could not

6. What would happen if an enslaved person asked their master about their age?

A) They would be rewarded
B) They would be ignored
C) It was considered improper and impertinent
D) They would be given a certificate of birth
Answer: C) It was considered improper and impertinent

7. Around what age did Douglass estimate himself to be at the time of writing?

A) 15-16 years old
B) 20-21 years old
C) 27-28 years old
D) 35-36 years old
Answer: C) 27-28 years old

8. Who was Douglass’s mother?

A) Harriet Bailey
B) Elizabeth Keckley
C) Sarah Stewart
D) Mary Todd
Answer: A) Harriet Bailey

9. What was rumored about Douglass’s father?

A) He was a wealthy slave owner from Virginia
B) He was a white man, possibly Douglass's master
C) He was an escaped slave
D) He was a famous abolitionist
Answer: B) He was a white man, possibly Douglass's master

10. Why were enslaved children often separated from their mothers?

A) To send them to school
B) To keep them from forming strong emotional bonds
C) To encourage independence
D) Because the law required it
Answer: B) To keep them from forming strong emotional bonds

11. At what age were enslaved children typically separated from their mothers?

A) Before their twelfth birthday
B) Before their first birthday
C) Before they could walk
D) Around ten years old
Answer: B) Before their first birthday

12. Who took care of enslaved children after they were separated from their mothers?

A) Their fathers
B) Plantation overseers
C) Older enslaved women too old for field labor
D) Their masters’ wives
Answer: C) Older enslaved women too old for field labor

13. How often did Douglass see his mother in his lifetime?

A) Every weekend
B) Only four or five times
C) Every night
D) Never
Answer: B) Only four or five times

14. When did Douglass’s mother visit him?

A) During holidays
B) During the night
C) On his birthdays
D) Every morning before work
Answer: B) During the night

15. How did Douglass’s mother travel to visit him?

A) She rode a horse
B) She walked twelve miles on foot
C) She took a carriage
D) She was brought by her master
Answer: B) She walked twelve miles on foot

16. What punishment awaited enslaved workers if they were not in the field by sunrise?

A) They lost their jobs
B) They were given extra work
C) They were whipped
D) They were given fewer rations
Answer: C) They were whipped

17. How did Douglass describe a master who gave an enslaved person permission to stay away from work?

A) As a kind master
B) As a cruel master
C) As a weak master
D) As a fair master
Answer: A) As a kind master

18. Why was Douglass never able to see his mother during the day?

A) She was always at work
B) She lived too far away
C) She was forbidden from visiting him
D) He was kept locked inside
Answer: A) She was always at work

19. How did Douglass feel about his mother’s death?

A) Deep sorrow and grief
B) The same as if a stranger had died
C) Relief that she was free from suffering
D) Confusion and anger
Answer: B) The same as if a stranger had died

20. Where did Douglass’s mother die?

A) In his master's house
B) In a hospital
C) On one of his master’s farms
D) In another state
Answer: C) On one of his master’s farms

21. Was Douglass allowed to be present at his mother’s funeral?

A) Yes, he attended and spoke at her burial
B) No, he was not allowed to be present
C) Yes, but only for a few minutes
D) No, but he visited her grave later
Answer: B) No, he was not allowed to be present

22. Who informed Douglass about his mother’s death?

A) His master
B) A fellow enslaved person
C) A letter from his family
D) A newspaper
Answer: B) A fellow enslaved person

23. What does Douglass suggest was the purpose of separating enslaved children from their mothers?

A) To weaken their emotional bonds
B) To help them focus on work
C) To encourage independence
D) To protect them from abuse
Answer: A) To weaken their emotional bonds

24. What impact did his mother’s absence have on Douglass?

A) He felt no emotional connection to her
B) He grew up resenting his master
C) He became more attached to other enslaved people
D) He developed a strong connection with his father
Answer: A) He felt no emotional connection to her

25. How does this excerpt reflect the dehumanization of enslaved people?

A) They were denied basic knowledge about themselves
B) Their family bonds were deliberately broken
C) They were treated as property rather than people
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above



Here are some critical questions based on the excerpt from Frederick Douglass's autobiography, along with answers:

  1. What is significant about Douglass’s uncertainty regarding his birthdate? Douglass emphasizes that slaves were deliberately kept ignorant of their age, a practice designed to dehumanize them and strip them of a basic human right. The lack of knowledge about his own age reflects the broader system of control over enslaved people’s identities.

  2. How does Douglass describe the typical knowledge slaves have of their own age? Douglass describes that slaves generally knew little about their ages, often relying on seasons like "planting-time" or "harvest-time" for approximate reference. This ignorance was a tool of control used by slave owners to prevent slaves from feeling their humanity.

  3. What does Douglass mean by saying that being ignorant of his age was a source of unhappiness for him? Douglass expresses a sense of injustice and frustration because white children had the privilege of knowing their ages, while slaves were deliberately kept in the dark. This inequality made him aware of the social and personal deprivations slaves faced.

  4. What role does Douglass’s lack of knowledge about his father play in his life? Douglass’s uncertainty about his father’s identity—whether it was his master or another white man—reflects the complex and painful nature of familial relationships under slavery. It shows the breakdown of family ties and the manipulation of family structures by slave owners.

  5. What does Douglass’s statement about his mother’s race reveal? Douglass notes that his mother was of a darker complexion than his grandparents, indicating that he was of mixed race. This serves as a reminder of the ways in which slave owners exploited and controlled both black and mixed-race children.

  6. How does the custom of separating children from their mothers contribute to the slave system? The custom of separating children from their mothers served to prevent strong emotional bonds, weakening family ties and thus making it easier for slave owners to control the emotional and psychological well-being of slaves. It also prevented children from developing affection for their mothers, making them easier to manipulate.

  7. What does Douglass suggest about the impact of these separations on a child’s development? Douglass suggests that the forced separation from his mother caused emotional damage. The natural affection a child has for its mother and vice versa was deliberately suppressed, which had a lasting impact on Douglass’s early years and sense of identity.

  8. How does the author describe his limited encounters with his mother? Douglass only saw his mother a few times, and each encounter was short and happened at night, when she traveled on foot after long hours of labor. These brief, fleeting moments highlight the emotional and physical toll slavery had on families.

  9. Why does Douglass say he received the news of his mother’s death with indifference? Douglass’s indifference to his mother’s death comes from the fact that he had little emotional connection with her. Her absence from his life, due to her being hired out and their brief encounters, left him detached from the loss, illustrating the emotional damage caused by slavery.

  10. What is the significance of Douglass not being allowed to be with his mother during her illness, death, or burial? Douglass’s exclusion from his mother’s final moments illustrates the complete lack of agency enslaved people had over their own lives. Slaves were treated as property, and the system prevented any personal or familial rights, even in the case of death.

  11. How does Douglass’s treatment as a child reflect the broader system of slavery? Douglass’s treatment, particularly the separation from his mother and the emotional neglect, highlights the systematic cruelty of slavery. It shows how slavery stripped families of their rights, and its impacts were both physical and psychological.

  12. How does Douglass’s experience of being raised without his mother contribute to his sense of alienation? Growing up without his mother, Douglass felt disconnected not only from her but from a sense of belonging or personal history. The emotional void created by slavery left him feeling like an orphan in his own life, disconnected from love and care.

  13. What does Douglass’s description of his mother’s labor reveal about the nature of slavery? Douglass describes how his mother worked long hours in the fields and had to walk great distances to see him. This reflects the brutal demands of slavery, where slaves were subjected to grueling labor without regard for their personal lives, relationships, or well-being.

  14. Why is it significant that Douglass does not know whether his master was his father? The uncertainty about whether his master was his father points to the cruelty and exploitation embedded in the system of slavery. It illustrates how slave owners could exercise power over every aspect of their slaves' lives, including their family relationships.

  15. What broader theme about slavery does this passage highlight? This passage underscores the dehumanizing nature of slavery, where even the most basic aspects of human existence—such as knowing one’s age, experiencing familial bonds, and understanding one’s parentage—were stripped away, leaving enslaved people in a state of psychological and emotional deprivation.





Summary of the passage 

In this passage from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, the author describes his early life as an enslaved child in Maryland. He reflects on the ignorance of his birthdate, which was common among slaves as masters intentionally kept them uninformed. Douglass mentions that he was separated from his mother, Harriet Bailey, when he was very young, a common practice to weaken the bond between mother and child. His mother was forced to work far away, only visiting him at night. He rarely saw her and never knew her as a mother. She died when Douglass was about seven, and he was not allowed to be with her during her illness or at her funeral, leaving him indifferent to her death.











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