Question

Read the excerpt from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.

She was nevertheless left a slave--a slave for life--a slave in the hands of strangers; and in their hands she saw her children, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren divided, like so many sheep, without being gratified with the small privilege of a single word as to their or her own destiny.
Douglass uses the imagery of sheep in this excerpt for what purpose?
to describe how enslaved persons were treated like animals
to explain how helpless he felt when he was sold to another master
to illustrate how kind and gentle Douglass’s grandmother was
to describe how many children Douglass’s grandmother had

Answer 1

To describe how the enslaved were treated as animals.

Step-by-step explanation:

Just took the quiz on edge

Answer 2

Answer: to describe how the enslaved were treated as animals.

Step-by-step explanation:

Obviously, sheep are animals. The reasoning behind this answer, however, is not so shallow. From this passage, I do not see that Douglas’s own experience is included or that the number of his grandmother’s children is emphasized. This passage is rather short, however, so these details may be discussed elsewhere.

The slaves were first equated to sheep. Sheep are often considered unintelligent. They are herded and forced to change fields by a Shepard. They are a type of livestock and may be sold at auction. The slaves were similarly treated as having low intelligence and no valid emotions, forced where their masters willed. They are treated as livestock to be bought, sold, or slaughtered. Thus, this places emphasis on their treatment as animals and the ignorance of their humanity.