Final answer:
Frederick Douglass combined factual details and his personal reactions in his writings to effectively persuade readers and support the abolitionist movement. His narrative engaged readers on intellectual and emotional levels, illustrating the horrors of slavery and rallying support for its abolition.
Step-by-step explanation:
Why Douglass Used Factual Details and Personal Responses
Frederick Douglass used both factual details and his personal reactions in his writings to persuade as many people as possible that slavery should be abolished. His autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave Written by Himself, is a powerful testament that combines his harrowing experiences with the fact-based critique of the slavery system.
By doing so, Douglass aimed to elicit a powerful emotional response from his readers and to bolster the abolitionist movement with his compelling narrative. His use of rhetorical devices and targeting of an educated audience helped to demonstrate the sophisticated thought and awareness of his readers regarding the complexity and detriment of the historical period of slavery.
Douglass's narrative was instrumental in giving readers a detailed look into the life of a slave and served as a critical piece of literature in the fight against slavery. His own literacy, something he obtained in spite of the barriers put in place by his enslavers, was leveraged as a means to educate and advocate for an end to slavery. By being both a factual recount and a personal appeal, Douglass's work engaged readers on both intellectual and emotional levels. Through the vivid recounting of his own suffering and his developed intellectual argument, Douglass's writing rallied individuals to the abolitionist cause and put a human face to the unimaginable experiences of countless enslaved individuals.