Slavery Is Evil - Book Report/Review Example

Slavery, on the other hand, is the state of one bound in servitude as the property of a slaveholder or household; a civil relationship whereby one person has absolute power over another and controls his life, liberty, and fortune; the subjection of a person to another person, especially in being forced into work; the condition of being subject to some influence or habit; and work done in harsh conditions for low pay (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/slavery).Along with the aforementioned definitions of the two opposing terms are two rhetorical questions: Would "nice" slave owners make the system morally justifiable or are the system doomed to immorality Is such a hypothesis about "nice" slave owners workableBy simply citing some passages in the eleventh chapter of Frederick Douglass' narrative, a sufficient answer to the preceding questions will be achieved.

The chapter begins with: "I now come to that part of my life during which I planned, and finally succeeded in making, my escape." It is evident that foremost in the narrator's being is a desire and driving force to escape, to be free. His intention in narrating his experience is two-fold: "that others would thereby be involved in the most embarrassing difficulties;" and as an expression of his regret that slaveholders may become more vigilant to watch over their slaves because of him.The narrator continues to give reasons why he decided to escape.

One is his restlessness due to unawareness that he did not enjoy the product of his labor: "I could see no reason why I should, at the end of each week, pour the reward of my toil into the purse of my master." He came to a realization that he is indeed a captive with no pleasure of his own. He sensed that the master has been conditioning him to be content with his status as a slave: "But in spite of him, and even in spite of myself, I continued to think, and to think about the injustice of my enslavement, and the means of escape.

" When he transferred to another owner, he was able to get some privileges like personal time, getting employment and contracts with other employers in exchange for a three dollar payment. His frustration and sense of defeat moved him all the more to escape against all odds: "The wretchedness of slavery and the blessedness of freedom were perpetually before me. It was life and death with me." He ended the narration by relating his experience of still feeling a slave when he was asked to speak in front of white people.

Indeed, there is no such thing as moral slavery. There is not even "nice' slavery. All forms of slavery are immoral. It should never be allowed to exist in any part of the world, and no individual could allow himself/ herself to be enslaved.