The Use of Trickery, A Theme in the Novel The Life of...

Some people deceive others into doing their bidding for them, while others trick for the jokes that come out of it; however, some may claim the need to trick is a requirement to survive. In Frederick Douglass’s Narrative in the Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglass utilizes the ability to play the game of trickery to convey his journey to freedom. Through the use of anecdotes, appeal to pathos, and figurative language, Douglass expresses the necessity of slaves to play the game of trickery to survive in the world of tricksters. Douglass employs the use of anecdotes to clarify why he would deceive others. After Mrs. Auld’s transformation, Douglass resorts to â€Å"various stratagems† (22) to learn to read and write. In some sense, Douglass†¦show more content†¦Humans need nourishment to survive; if they do not get their nourishment, they will suffer fatigue, and although the slaves do not get enough food, Douglass and the three other slaves in the kitchen receive only â€Å"half a bushel of corn-meal per week† (31), which is not much, justifying Douglass’s ploy with his master’s horse. Lastly, Douglass employs the anecdote about Sandy’s root and the fight with Convey to explain the slave’s survival in the world of trickery. Douglass receives a root from Sandy Jenkins which requires carrying â€Å"always on†¦ [the] right side† (42) to prevent from being whipped by a â€Å"white man.† Though Douglass is skeptical and believes Sandy is a charlatan at first, Douglass accepted the gift. To test if the root truly performs its duty, Douglass and Mr. Convey commenced a fight. Mr. Convey’s â€Å"courage quailed† when Douglass fights back. No one disturbs the two hour fight between the workers at Mr. Convey’s farm, including Bill, a hired worker. Since no harm came to him during the fight, Douglass believes in the powers of the root; this action of trickery leads to Douglass’s survival in a trickster’s world. By exploiting Mr. Convey’s game at which he plays, claiming none could deceive him, Douglass is able to counter Mr. Convey, beating him at the game of trickery. Douglass recounts the anecdotes of his life to communicate the importance of hoaxing