creative ideas concerning the subject of slavery created a massive impact, as briefly described before in the historical section of this paper. Both autobiographies caused awakenings to the plight of oppressed slaves, but the first’s impact more greatly affected the awareness of the public. With his first autobiography, Frederick Douglass touches upon three criteria of a canon work: a lasting theme, creative subject matter, and societal impact. Although his second autobiography deserves recognition, it lacks the fundamental originality of theme and subject matter of the first, and therefore does NOT deserve a place in the canon of great American literature. Frederick Douglass used his autobiographies as his main method of conveying his ideas to the public. However, he also wrote one novella, titled “The Heroic Slave”, which remains a mystery. Critics do not mention this work, and so probably disregard or overlook it because of it’s relative obscurity. Each autobiography brought the reader up to speed with the author’s life until the time of printing. Hence, each one stands as a unique work. Even the retelling of certain events take on a different hue throughout the “editions” of his life.. The first of his autobiographies, Narrative of the Life, gives an impression of realism and naturalism. “I will give Mr. Freeland the credit of being the best master I ever had, till I became my own master.” (Narrative, 72) This quote demonstrates the straightforward, yet biting style in this autobiography. William Lloyd Garrison, before becoming embittered with Douglass, offered this opinion of the writer as he first read from his works. “I shall never forget his first speech at the convention—…and the applause which followed from beginning to the end of his felicitous remarks” (Autobiographies, Preface, 3). As Garrison notices, Douglass hardly minces words in his works, an...
