Frederick Douglass: A Slave's History of the Slaves After the American Revolution, slavery became a more significant component in the American economy. Because many slave owners were materialistic, slaves were overworked and treated callously. One of these slaves was Frederick Douglass. For much of his life, Douglass was trapped in a typical slave environment. However, Douglass taught himself to read and eventually escaped the desolate life of a slave. After his freedom, Douglass wrote his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, which told the story of his life. In his book, Douglass details his upbringing as a slave and how it affected him. His autobiography was incredibly complete, which is why it was accepted as accurate. Additionally, Douglass's life story furthered the abolitionist cause. His rationale for what slavery does to whites is an example that advanced abolitionist causes. Most slaves were treated inhumanely and grew up without education. In fact, it was inappropriate to teach a slave to read. As a result, when the biography of Frederick Douglass was published, many questioned whether it was valid due to Douglass's unexpected literacy. Not only were slaves considered unintelligent, but the stories Douglass described seemed unbelievable and exaggerated. John Blassingame observed, “Journalists invented many nineteenth-century accounts, and true stories must compete with fiction that flaunts the truth” (x). Douglas was very aware of this fact and implemented several ways to establish his credibility. One way was to have his face on the cover and his signature underneath. This proved that he was literate. Probably the most corroborating evidence was that Douglass used r... half of the paper... eye, under the influence of bondage, eventually turned red with anger; that voice, made entirely of sweet agreement, changed into one of harsh and horrendous discord; and that angelic face gave way to that of a demon" (31). The stories in the narrative were very sad and therefore may have helped the abolitionist cause. Many people initially believed the stories to be false, but that myth quickly faded. Douglass he risked his life telling the story of slavery His accounts went a long way in sparking the abolitionist movement John Blassingame makes a good point about Douglass saying, “jeopardizing his own safety as a fugitive to rebuild credibility. of the fugitive. The American slave narrative, none as dramatically as Douglass's, integrated both the horror and the great quest of the African-American experience into this profound stream of American autobiography" (xli).