The search of self identity on Frederick Douglass' Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave

African American slave narratives were crucial in historicizing the slave experience and challenging the moral as well as political legitimacy of slavery in the United States. The autobiographies of former slaves, such as Frederick Douglass, center on scenes of his traumatic experiences in order to garner the sympathy of their audiences. In this thesis, the researcher tries to identify the suffering of Frederick Douglass as the victim of slavery and his struggle to search his identity.

This research is conducted based on statements of the problems. Identifying white treatment toward the black and Douglass struggle in searching his self identity. This research is also designed as literary criticism. In literary criticism, the study related to the definition, analogy and analysis of literary work. To analyze the object of this study, the researcher uses autobiographical approach. The researcher applies this approach by observing the life of Frederick Douglass life and connect it with his struggle to search his identity.

Based on the analysis, the writer finds the following results. First, The White treat The Black as an animal. For twenty years, Douglass experienced the pain of separation from family, the bitterness of without being paid, the brutality of whippings and beatings, the pangs of hunger, and the injustice of being denied the rights of an American citizen. Second, in searching his self identity, he tried to escape from slavery into the freedom of self-agency. He had hard struggle to know his identity by educating himself and realizing that he was free under his body.

In this thesis, the writer gives some suggestions. First, it is suggested that other researchers try to analyze the other aspects from Frederick Douglass narrative related to the black studies. Second, it is advisable to conduct a study on the autobiography aspects and perhaps to relate the to the author s life. Finally, it is expected that this study can be used for reference in conducting and broadening the same field or the other fields concerning with black studies.