The most obvious link I observe between Douglass and Willard is the new levels of power displayed by those who were formerly deprived of it. Frederick Douglas, despite all outside attempts to forcibly undermine his power as a speaker, was among the first of his race who had the opportunity to make a tremendous impact on pre-Civil War society. This theme is slightly harder to trace in Frances Willard's Woman and Temperance, but her introductory biography clearly shows that her activism in the WCTU to allowed her to come into possession of great social and influence, as she recruited countless other women to her cause just as Douglass drew other abolitionists to his.
Both writers gradually gained surer social standing through their rhetorical capabilities, exercised adeptly within those spheres of society restrictions of the time allowed them to enter. Apparently, even those who wanted to help Douglass share his stories so as to combat slavery introduced him to an audience as "a 'chattel,' — a 'thing'— a piece of southern 'property'— the chairman assuring the audience that it could speak" (1077). Horrifying as this passage is to read, what I perceive to be sarcasm of Douglass's part makes it slightly easier for me. He, at least, did not allow such prejudices to prevent him from mastering the art of public speaking, even at the cost of audiences doubting he had been a slave due his apparent degree of education (1078).
On this note, a link between the two which I did not grasp immediately was a persuasive strategy the two speakers shared. Both Willard and Douglass use memorable stories (which, in the case of Willard, are somewhat humorous while being cringe-inducing) in order to drive home grave points.
For example, from the Woman and Temperance excerpt:
"It was from a new worker, and was so simply said, and with so much of large-eyed wonder 'for the cause,' that if not so tragic I would have deemed it vastly comical: 'Why, do you know, that until our new President was elected I did not know that anybody could be an officer at all and yet be such a poor one!'" (1140)
Whereas stories chronicled within My Bondage and My Freedom are never comical, only tragic:
"Here opened upon me a new life— a life for which I had no preparation. I was a 'graduate from the peculiar institution,' Mr. Collins used to say, when introducing me, 'with my diploma written on my back!'" (1076)
I take this to mean that Douglass's life experiences, which served as material for his influential speeches, were received through his exploitation. Yet he was able to make use of them. In Woman and Temperance, Willard's stories make her message believable. Whatever the cause and whatever the nature of the stories told, personal narration can be a highly powerful rhetorical tool.
Erin, I think your last line are the most powerful statement of your post. "Personal narration can be a highly powerful rhetorical tool." In studying Douglass, look what it did for him, and in turn, how he mobilized his life to help others and "awaken" others to the issues that slaves were facing.
ReplyDeleteI think that personal narration also helps give us a grounding point insomuch that we are able to really give ourselves a guiding post as to how we are going to use our writing, and even, what we are going to write about in the first place.
While both Willard and Douglass take different points of view, it's important to note that their different personal narrations did indeed shape their world views, and subsequently their writing and usage of rhetoric.
Very great point you made!