Douglass's Narrative was written when he was fairly young, and he added two more autobiographies to his personal pantheon. The first does not tell of his abolitionist activities, travels, eventual emancipation, and other reform work. Only this last sentence alludes to his life beyond his time in New Bedford. It makes clear to the reader that Douglass's life did not end when he got married and moved to New Bedford after his escape attempt; rather, he began to tell his story and enter the public sphere in an unprecedented way for a black man (especially a slave). Douglass's story was not fossilized in text but was orally given hundreds of times. His life story lived through Douglass's promotion of his work, and was expanded in the two succeeding texts. This passage also suggests two of Douglass's abiding characteristics: his humility and his large degree of self-confidence. He was not sure about speaking before an audience, but once he began he spoke with ease, charisma, and rhetorical elegance and skill. Douglass is oft-cited as one of the most accomplished orators in American history, and this passage reveals how it all began.
