American life is all about the fight towards becoming upwardly mobile and making life better. Ellen Foster by Kaye Gibbons and the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave written by himself tell the story of struggle and hardship that leads to change and reflection. These two stories although differing in setting and protagonists, share the same level of pain that are universal regardless of race, gender, and age. Both protagonists are bound by the chains of their existence. The differences are based on age and racial inequality. In terms of style and content, because the two novels were written during different time periods, they will have differences, especially in perspective since Douglass wrote it about himself where as Kaye Gibbons wrote about a made up character. In this essay these differences will be explained along with the universal themes that bring the two together.

Ellen Foster is a young white girl who lives with an abusive father. The father does horrible things to her causing her great suffering. In the beginning of the book the quote: "When I was little I would think of ways to kill my daddy. I would figure it out this or that way and run it down through my head until it got easy." demonstrates just how much pain her father inflicts on her by making her feel as though the only way she could escape would be through his death. Escape is a prevalent theme in Ellen Foster and it is through the use of this theme that Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave can be compared.

Frederick Douglass was a slave during the time of African slavery in America. Through this book the reader sees his struggle and his wish for not just freedom, but knowledge to overcome his adversities. Like Ellen who seeks to better herself regardless of her problems, Douglass uses determination to set rise to a desire to improve and seek a better existence. In chapter 1 of the narrative, he describes the breakdown...

He uses words like "soothingly" to show a longing for his childhood. "Never having enjoyed, to any considerable extent, her soothing presence, her tender and watchful care, I received the tidings of [my mother's] death with much the same emotions I should have probably felt at the death of a stranger." further explains to the reader that slaves were made rather than born. They, like Ellen were made to suffer to become something else than they were naturally meant to be.
In chapter 14 of Ellen Foster, Ellen describes her disgust with Dora and Nadine: "I would really like to paint them one of my brooding oceans but they would miss the point I am sure of how the ocean looks strong and beautiful and sad at the same time and that is really something if you think about it." Ellen shares that she pities these two girls for their ignorance and knows they'll never see or appreciate things the way she does. Gibbons use of language in this chapter akins to her desire to create layered images within the story. Unlike Douglass' narrative which is more forthcoming and persuasive, Gibbons novel leans towards the mysterious. In regards to comparison, like Ellen, Douglass feels pity towards slave owners and their lack of awareness of the horrors of slavery.

Towards the end of chapter 2, Douglass describes the singing of the slaves and the meaning interpreted by the whites. "I did not, when a slave, understand the deep meaning of those rude and apparently incoherent songs. I was myself within the circle; so that I neither saw nor heard as those without might see and hear." Whites assumed the songs the slaves sung were of joy and happiness when in reality they were of pain and misery. Whites were oblivious either by choice or innocence, of the plight of slaves and assumed any form of singing was a sign of joy. In reality as Douglass explains, the singing was a means for slaves to communicate their…