Frederick Douglass - Chapter 1 Quiz

What is the full title of Frederick Douglass' autobiography?

• Frederick Douglass: Up From Slavery

• Frederick Douglass: His Own Master

• Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave

• How A Slave Became A Man: The Life of Frederick Douglass

Answer explanation

The word Narrative is important here because the Slave Narrative was an entire genre of literature in the 18th & 19th century. The word Narrative also allows the author or authors to fictionalize or dramatize parts of the book. To avoid risk of recapture or endangering those who aided in their escape, names and places often had to be concealed - Douglass does that several times in the book.

In what state was Frederick Douglass born?

• Virginia

• Maryland

• South Carolina

• West Virginia

Answer explanation

In the city of Tuckahoe, in Talbot County.

"In all its glaring odiousness, slaveholders have ordained, and by law established, that the children of slave mothers shall in all cases follow the condition of their mother." The word odiousness refers to something that is

• important

• memorable

• disgusting

• illegal

Answer explanation

other synonyms for odious are: repulsive, offensive, revolting, deplorable, and horrid. Odious comes from the Latin word odium, which means "hatred"

At what age was Douglass separated from his mother?

• as an infant

• 3

• 5

• 7

Who does Douglass believe was his father?

• Frederick Douglass's father was a black man

• Frederick Douglass's father was a man named Jack Douglass.

• Frederick Douglass's father was believed to be a European immigrant

• Frederick Douglass's father was believed to be his own master.

Answer explanation

He spends a good deal of chapter 1 discussing the evil practice of slavers using their illegitimate sons as slaves.

What is the name of the brutal overseer whom Douglass calls "a miserable drunkard"?

• Mr. Anthony

• Mr. Covey

• Mr. Severe

• Mr. Plummer

Answer explanation

Anthony was his owner. Plummer was the overseer, or person in charge of keeping the slaves in line through violence, fear, and intimidation. Covey and Severe are not mentioned in Chapter 1, but they are also sadistic overseers we meet later in the book.

What was the main reason for Douglass's separation from his mother?

• Douglass's mother abandoned him

• Douglass's mother was sold to another plantation

• Practice of slave owners separating children from their mothers

• Douglass's mother was sick and unable to care for him

Two things Douglass has no certain knowledge of are

• who his mother is

• who his father is

• where he was born

• his birthday

What did Douglass witness at the age of seven?

• The separation of a family

• The death of his grandmother

• Brutal whipping of his Aunt Hester

• W.L. Garrison giving a speech on Abolitionism

"It struck me with awful force. It was the blood-stained gate, the entrance to the hell of slavery, through which I was about to pass." Here Douglass uses

• Imagery

• Metaphor

• Pathos

• All of these

Answer explanation

"blood-stained gate" as imagery and loaded language that creates powerful pathos, appeal to pity - metaphor in comparing the brutal whipping of his aunt to a gate or "entrance to the hell of slavery." This line is a great example of his ability to mix poetic and rhetorical devices; while describing the most horrific memory of his childhood.