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  • Essay / Interrogation of Liberty - 1789

    What is liberty? Is freedom when a child does not have to hold his mother or father's hand while crossing the street? Or is freedom the event that families can go to church every Sunday morning? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, freedom is defined as “the quality or state of freedom as freedom from necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action.” Both are opportunities for freedom, but when looking at freedom, it can take many forms depending on the source. A child's independence may mean that they no longer have to hold their mother's hand or be under the guardianship of their parents. In the mid-1700s in particular, the freedom of a white landowner and an African-American slave were two entirely different ideas. Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, was a major political figure in the late 1700s and early 1800s, but he was also a slave owner. Frederick Douglass, a slave, fought to become an independent man in the 19th century. Finally, Franz Kafka was a lawyer and author of “The Trial”. Kafka's culture marks him as Jewish, but he was not a practicing Jew. First considering the contradictory notions of Thomas Jefferson as the author of a famous document on liberty, but also the owner of white slaves, will display his inconsistent assessment of human freedom. Subsequently, learning about the life of Frederick Douglass and his struggle to become a free man will show how strongly he supported the freedom of all humans. And finally, noting Franz Kafka's position in society as a lawyer and a non-practicing Jew will reveal his belief that no human being is free. Examining the claims of Thomas Jefferson, Frederick Douglass, and Franz Kafka shows how different it is... middle of paper ......r to simply settle as an individual deprived of the rights and freedoms that he deserves. Works CitedDouglass, Frederick. “Chapter X.” Account of the life of Frederick Douglass. New York: Dover Publications, 1995. Print. “Liberty – Definition and more from the free Merriam-Webster Dictionary.” » Dictionary and Thesaurus - Merriam-Webster Online. Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Internet. November 12, 2011. "The Life Narrative of Frederick Douglass Characters and Book Notes | BookRags.com." BookRags.com | Study guides, lesson plans, book summaries and more. Internet. November 13, 2011. .Kafka, Franz and George Steiner. The trial. Trans. Willa Muir and Edwin Muir. New York: Schocken, 1992. Print. Krusiewicz, Henry. Conference. MLC 120 Blue Humanities Core. Midland University. October 11 2011