Final answer:
Douglass uses the rhetorical form of antithesis, contrasting enslavement with reclaimed humanity, to emphasize the power of literacy and articulate the brutality of slavery.
His choices in the narrative content were influenced by the historical context of a nation still practicing slavery.
Step-by-step explanation:
The rhetorical form that Douglass uses when he writes, 'You have seen how a man was made a slave; you shall see how a slave was made a man', is called antithesis. This device contrasts two opposing ideas within a parallel grammatical structure to emphasize their difference. Frederick Douglass’s use of antithesis in this phrase highlights the transformation from the dehumanization of enslavement to the reclamation of his humanity through knowledge and resistance.
Douglass’s narrative demonstrates how literacy served as a critical tool in his journey from slavery to freedom. His ability to articulate both the brutality of slavery and his own human dignity had a powerful impact on his audience, utilizing the compelling narrative to rally abolitionist sentiment.
The historical context of a nation still engaging in slavery undoubtedly informed Douglass's deliberate decisions regarding the content of his narrative. He recognized the power of the written word in the struggle for emancipation and crafted a narrative designed to expose the injustices of slavery while also showing the potential for enslaved individuals to rise above their circumstances through resilience and education.