Final answer:
Frederick Douglass's phrase 'how a slave was made a man' alludes to the journey from oppression to self-realization and empowerment amidst the cruelty of slavery. It profoundly affected Douglass, developing his understanding of slavery's destructive impact on both the enslaved and the enslavers.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Frederick Douglass describes "how a slave was made a man," he is referring to the transformative process of gaining self-awareness, enlightenment, and empowerment even amidst the cruel conditions of slavery. This reflects the intellectual and emotional journey that Douglass himself underwent as he evolved from being oppressed property to becoming a self-educated, articulate, and influential individual who could advocate for abolition and equal rights.
Douglass's growth affected him deeply, instilling a profound understanding of the evils of slavery, not just for the enslaved but also for the white slaveholders. He recognized that slavery inflicted moral degradation on the owners themselves, compelling them to ignore the bonds of family and humanity in favor of maintaining a corrupt system. Douglass uses vivid imagery to detail the reprehensible practice of masters having to sell their own children, revealing the complex and destructive relationships that slavery imposed on both the enslaved and the enslavers.
Throughout his narrative, Douglass emphasizes that the path from being dehumanized to reclaiming one's humanity was fraught with suffering and struggle, but ultimately led to a profound reclamation of identity and purpose for those like him who managed to escape slavery's chains.