Freedom is often defined as personal liberty; a state in which one is free of confinement or bondage. This definition however lacks a major aspect of what freedom truly means. To be free is not only to be released from the grips of oppression but to be intellectually and emotionally independent from feelings of self entrapment. Freedom is much more complicated than leaving the past behind you and this complexity is seen in the autobiographies of Frederick Douglass and Tobias Wolff. Literary critic William Andrews believes that autobiographies such as Douglass’ are not simply about freedom but demonstrates a complicated understanding of autobiographical freedom. I agree with Andrew’s opinion in regard to Douglass and Wolff because while they both write about freedom there is a deeper meaning to their stories developed by their textual freedom. While they both achieve physical freedom their minds are still suppressed by their pasts. The scenes told of their lives do not necessarily focus on freedom but add together to create a larger meaning.
Freedom is not simply the theme of these autobiographies; it is the driving force behind many of the scenes included in each book. Douglass conveys to readers that his main goal is to escape from slavery in various passages beginning early on. A key scene occurs when Douglass stands up to Mr. Covey, a slave breaker, to protect himself from abuse. This fight is described by Douglass as a “turning point” in his career as a slave (Douglass, 290.) Finally understanding his own courage and abilities ignites a lost flame inside of the slave, he recalls, “It rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom and revived within me a sense of my own manhood. It recalled the departed self-confidence, and inspired me again with determination to be free” (Douglass, 290). At this moment readers are made to feel a sense of hope as they finally see that Douglass has begun to find what he lost in slavery: himself. Douglass feels his first bit of metal freedom which only makes him want more. The word, “manhood,” used in this passage is significant in describing that slavery has robbed Douglass of his ability to feel human.
In another important scene Douglass reveals the evils of slavery thus evoking sympathy from readers. Without ever mentioning the word freedom it is clearly evident that Douglass is trapped both physically and mentally in a world he cannot truly live in. While working in the shipyard Douglass is brutally attacked by his co-workers. This is a terrifying but honest scene in which it becomes clear that not only did slave owners treat slaves poorly but society as a whole looked down upon them, thus taking away their dignity and self-worth. He remembers this scene saying, “…one ran up behind me with a handspike, and struck me a heavy blow upon the head…I fell and with this they all ran upon me, and fell to beating me with their fists” (Douglass, 306). By including this event in the autobiography Douglass further develops the complexity of freedom. He is not free on his master’s land, he is not free in the city and he is not free to defend himself against those falsely attacking him. In the end Douglass defies the odds by escaping the oppression of slavery and publishing this autobiography on his experiences. This is the most obvious example of textual freedom. Without Douglass gaining some form of freedom this book would have never been written.
Like Douglass, Tobias Wolff is also successful at invoking sympathy from readers in an attempt explain the complexity of his own freedom. Dwight, a father figure in Toby’s childhood life, is oppressive and abusive. Toby is often belittled by him and made to feel that he does not belong. While living with Dwight and his family Toby appears to struggle the most with his yearning to be free. Dwight assigns Toby jobs and treats him poorly while he is relatively civil to his own children. When first moving into Dwight’s house, Toby is given boxes of sharp horse chestnuts that he is told to husk them alone with his bare hands. Wolff recalls, “My fingers were crazed with cuts and scratches. Even worse, the broken husks bled a juice that made my hands stink” (Wolff, 96). Although no mention is made to freedom in this passage we are given the sense that Toby is going to be controlled and will suffer a greater loss of freedom in his new environment. Just as Douglass does, Wolff uses this scene to complicate his outlook on how freedom is taken away by those who believe they have all the power. Dwight’s irrational commands and actions can be compared to that of a slave owner.
Another complicating part of both Wolff and Douglass’ autobiography is their lack of a steady home. Home is often related to stability and comfort and therefore one without a home is thought of as carefree or sometimes, free of ties to bind them down. This however is more complicated in both autobiographies. Toby never has a steady home as a child; he moves from Florida, to Utah, to Salt Lake to Chinook. This never gives him a chance to find himself because he is often too busy becoming someone that he isn’t. When moving to his new “home” in Utah he states, “I didn’t come to Utah to be the same boy I’d been before. I had my own dreams of transformation” (Wolff, 8). However, Toby finds that no matter how many times he tries to reinvent himself he is never pleased with who he becomes. This is because Toby does not have mental freedom. He is free of a true home but his mind is cluttered with ideas that he should be someone else. This adds to the greater theme of freedom by stating that even though you are granted mental freedom you must allow yourself the chance to find it.
In his young childhood Douglass also admits to not feeling any attachment to his so called home. He recalls that, “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” (Douglass, 206). A complication of freedom, Douglass is not attached to the place where he has grown up giving one the impression that he is free of feeling emotional attachment. But perhaps the feeling of attachment is a part of mental freedom because it gives one the ability to experience emotion. Douglass often is free of emotion throughout the book except when he is referring to freedom. As most slaves, he was simply going through the motions of life obeying his master’s commands until the spark of freedom was ignited.
Both autobiographies end at a point when the authors are beginning a new phase in their lives. For Wolff it is leaving Hill boarding school and returning to a life he is still unsure of and for Douglass it is reaching New Bedford and living the life of a freed man. Although they have both reached a physical freedom neither of them are mentally free. They both still carry around the emotional burden of their pasts suggesting that freedom isn’t simply escaping evils but rather becoming the person you want to be despite it. Douglass and Wolff successfully narrate the complications of freedom rather than simply telling stories of the path to it.
I pledge my honor that I have completed this work in accordance with the Honor Code. Megan Kummerlowe
Reflection: I feel that I was effective in setting up a thesis and tying my body paragraphs back to that argument. I believe my weak point in the essay was creating diverse sentences and using multiple formats. If I were to expand on this essay I would include examples of how perspective (I vs. he) blurred the lines of freedom and complicated both autobiographies.
Works Cited:
Douglass, Frederick. “Narrative of The Life of Frederick Douglass.” Classic American
Autobiographies. New York: Signet Classic. 1992. 229-327. Print.
Wolff, Tobias. This Boy’s Life. New York: Grove Press, 1989. Print.
