Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Narrative of the Life of Frederick: An American Slave, Written by Himself  by Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass was born a slave in approximately 1818. After unbelievable hardships, he escaped to freedom in the North, and became a speaker and an example of blacks being just as intelligent and worthy as any white.

Douglass' life reminded my that slavery was not a joke, and still nothing to joke about.  The extreme cruelty by the overseers reminded me of the scientific studies about guards and prisoners, though I believe most slave holders were wicked before they were given any power.  The part when he was sent to live with people that had never had slaves proved this point: even good people can lose their humanity when faced with slavery.  The wife was a kind person, and even taught Frederick to read, until she was told that slaves should be treated as slaves.  Slowly, she lost her tenderness, until even she became hard-hearted.

The Bell Jar

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Esther Greenwood is a young woman in New York on a summer internship.  Although she is intelligent and attractive, she is having difficulties coping, and ultimately succumbs to a deep depression. 

Blech.  I think I would have rather read Plath's autobiography than this novel.  I didn't care about Esther.  It made me feel guilty, since I realize it was based on the author's sad, short life.  That's probably why this book is considered a must-read classic. The storyline was boring, which is sad considering it's about someone trying to overcome a mental breakdown.  I wanted to know what happened in Esther's childhood, or anything that helped me understand her, not just read about asylums and shock therapy.