Captivity, bondage, restraint, subjugation, and slavery. These words all mean one thing, enslaving someone against their will. Slavery was an episode in history, which scarred many African men, women, and children. Slavery has appeared almost universally throughout history among peoples of every level of material culture. However, in no other culture had slavery been exclusively associated with one race as was the case with African Americans in America. Slavery tore families apart, shattered dreams, and left African Americans feeling shameful and hopeless. Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Frederick Douglass" A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass give a realistic view of slavery in the U.S.
In Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn there are a few significant instances that show the white man's derogatory treatment of, or attitude towards, slaves. First of all when Pap is discussing government issues with Huck, he states " but when they told me there was a state in this country where they"d let that a nigger vote, I drawed out. I says I"ll never vote again" (Twain 27). This statement clearly shows Pap's and the majority of Southerners" racist attitude towards blacks and how harshly blacks were looked upon in society. The blacks at this time had no rights at all and had no choice or freedom to do whatever they wanted, as opposed to the whites. Huck explains well when discussing blacks" freedom issues when he states, " some of them wanted to hang Jim for an example to all the other niggers around there, so they wouldn't be trying to runaway like Jim done, and making such a raft of trouble- (Twain 285). When analyzing this statement, it is easy to determine the southerners" bitter feelings towards all blacks and their lack of freedom. The whites felt they had a level of superiority over the blacks and were proud of it. This was shown when Huck stated "It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger" (Twain 86).