What does it mean to be a woman? 

In the preface to the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Written by Himself, William Lloyd Garrison says that Douglass “has borne himself with gentleness and meekness, yet with true manliness of character.”  Throughout the Narrative, Douglass himself gives constant attention to his desire to not only prove that he is human but also to prove that he is a man. What assumptions about manhood or masculinity are revealed in the Narrative? In other words, what does it mean to be a man?  Also consider Douglass’s  descriptions and discussions about the female figures in his life such as his mother, Aunt Hester, and Sophia Auld. What does it mean to be a woman?  How does the system of slavery impact a person’s ability to be a man, to be a woman, to be human?

This essay must be 1200 words minimum (not including the Works Cited).  Follow MLA format. Use Times New Roman font, double-space, number your pages, and provide a Works Cited page. Listed in the Works Cited should be the primary source (Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Written by Himself ) and a minimum of four secondary sources (an article, book, or other materials that you have found in your research; at least two must be peer-reviewed).  Whatever is listed in the Works Cited should also be cited parenthetically in the body of your essay.