Reading Guide for Frederick Douglas, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself

Chapter I
What is that slaves rarely know?
Why does Douglas suppose it is the practice of master's to separate children from their mothers?  Several possible reasons here.
How did he feel on the death of his mother?  How does this support the reason he supposes [in the previous question] that children are separated from their mothers?
How is a "double relation" between master and slave established?
Who doesn't like this arrangement and what are the consequences of this dislike?
What's the point Douglas makes with the story of Ham?  Who is that slavery will become "unscriptural"?
Retell the story of Aunt Hester, Plummer and Lloyd's Ned? Why was Aunt Hester punished?

Chapter VI:
How was the new mistress different than his previous?
When Douglas moved to Master Auld's, he experience what for the first time?
What did Mrs. Auld try to do that Mr. Auld lectured her about?  Follow the reasoning of his argument?  Is he correct in his argument?
What did Douglas learn from his lecture?

How had mistress Auld given Douglas an inch? 
How were city slaves treated differently from country slaves?
What is it that he supposes is one of the main reasons for the difference?
According to Douglas, what is that slaves rarely know? 
Henrietta and Mary as exceptions to the city difference.

Chapter VII: 
Learning to read and write; the results of the effort; hearing the silver trumpet of freedom
What did little Douglas trade reading lessons for?
When left alone, ofttimes on Monday afternoon while the Auld's went to the meetinghouse, what would Douglas spend his time doing?
What was the general tone of "The Columbian Reader" that Douglas found?
What general effect did his learning to read and what he subsequently did read have on him? 
What happened to Douglas's grandmother when she became very old and her mistress died?

Chapter IX
Mrs. Auld has changed; how so?
What's the generally accepted rule for feeding slaves among slaveholders?
How did Frederick and Henny get enough to eat?
While Master Auld whipped a lame, young woman with cowhide, what did he say as he did so? 
How did Master Auld acquire his slaves?
What was his slave-management style?
What effect did conversion to Christianity have on Master Auld?
One effect on him was to give him moral foundation for his treatment of the slave?  What was that moral foundation?  Luke 12:47
What else made his treatment of Henny psychologically easier?
What eventually happened to Henny?
What was the ranking system for livestock based on at Colonel Lloyd's plantation?

Chapter X:  The Snake, the Root, the Resurrection
What was "pious" Mr. Covey's occupation?
How did Covey get Caroline pregnant?
Why did Covey wear out three gum-tree switches on Douglas's naked body?
After the incident with the ox, what did Frederick refuse to do?
What were their working hours generally?
How did Mr. Covey earn his nickname?
What would Covey and his family and slaves do every morning and night?
Sometimes during these morning and evening sessions Frederick would do something and sometimes not:  What was that?
What was Caroline's job?  How would that job sometimes be accomplished?
How did Frederick change under Mr. Covey's ministrations?
"You have seen how a man was made a slave;  you shall see how a slave was made a man." - turning point in the narrative.
What happened while he was winnowing wheat that started his transformation? 
Where did he go to seek help?
What did Sandy Jenkins give him in order to protect him though this?
What was his reception when he went back to Covey's after spending time with Jenkins?
What happened when Douglas touched Covey with his fingers?
How did Bill and Hughes help Mr. Covey?
How did Covey and Douglas's relationship change after this?
Why did Covey not beat Douglas when he finally returned from running away to Sandy's?
When Douglas went to his master to complain about Mr. Covey's treatment of him, what was his master's response.
The metaphor of the resurrection.
Why does Douglas suppose Covey did NOT take him to the constable?
The largest part of the slave population did what on Christmas Day while the smaller number did something else.  Contrast the two groups.  How did the masters think about this? 
What function did Douglas think that this behavior served?  Two or three ideas he has about this. 
There are examples of the punishment strategy called "logical consequences" here.
What was it about the new master after Covey that Douglas found to his advantage?  Who are the worst slaveholders?
What was Rev. Weeden'e slogan?
How did Mr. Freeland treat his slaves?
Douglas starts up a program in his community.  What is it?
Douglas makes a pun with Freeland's name.  He hatches a plan based on this pun.  What's his plan?
Captain Auld's fears, what he lectures his wife on, come to fruition.  What does Douglas do that confirms Auld's fears?
How do you make a contented slave?