Douglass - Quote-to-Actor Info
What line from Chapter 6 (paragraph 1) would help an actor understand how Douglass feels emotionally when he first arrives at the Aulds’ home?
“I was utterly astonished at her goodness” (or any quote showing Douglass’s initial feelings of shock, comfort, or gratitude).
Douglass describes Mrs. Auld’s smile as “heavenly.” What feeling is he trying to convey with this figurative language?
He wants to show she seemed peaceful, gentle, kind, and comforting.
What detail from early in Chapter 6 shows that Mrs. Auld originally treated Douglass with unusual kindness compared to other enslavers? (paragraphs 1-2)
She had never owned a slave before and treated Douglass with unusual kindness, showing genuine warmth and compassion.
(Any answer showing she was kind because she had not yet been influenced by slavery.)
Based on paragraph 1, what does Lincoln mean by calling the men who formed the nation “our fathers”?
He means the founders of the nation — the creators of the United States.
In the opening line, what does Lincoln remind the audience about the origins of the United States?
He reminds listeners that the country was founded on freedom and equality.
Which detail from the text (paragraphs 1-2) would guide the actor playing Mrs. Auld in portraying her shift in voice and attitude?
Lines describing her voice changing from “tranquil music” to “harsh and horrid discord.”
When Douglass says that power began its “work” on Mrs. Auld, what does the figurative language suggest about the nature of slavery? (paragraph 2)
Slavery acts like a corrupting force that transforms good people into cruel ones; the “poison” symbolizes the moral damage caused by power.
Which sentence from the text best shows the contrast between Mrs. Auld’s early behavior and the way power later transforms her? (paragraphs 1-2)
Any line describing her transformation, such as the beginning of paragraph 2 (“cheerful eye… red with rage,” “voice… changed,” etc.).
Which phrase from paragraph 3 best supports the idea that the future of the nation depends on the people listening to the speech?
“It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated…”
“It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us…”
“that this nation… shall have a new birth of freedom…” (acceptable if the student ties it to responsibility)
What is the central purpose of Lincoln speaking at the battlefield, according to paragraph 2?
To honor the soldiers who died on the battlefield.
Which part of the text best shows how an actor should express Douglass’s determination after overhearing Mr. Auld’s warning about reading? (paragraph 3)
Sentences describing how he became determined to learn to read after hearing Mr. Auld’s argument.
What tone does Douglass create when he describes Mary’s injuries in paragraph 4, and how does this tone support his message about cruelty?
A tone of horror, sadness, or outrage that emphasizes the brutality of slavery.
Why does Douglass describe his master’s attempt to stop his education as a “turning point,” and how does this moment develop the paragraph’s main idea? (paragraph 3)
It shows that Mr. Auld accidentally revealed the truth about literacy and slavery, motivating Douglass to pursue reading with determination and the goal of achieving his freedom.
Why does Lincoln repeat the word “dedicate”? What connection does he want listeners to make?
To connect the nation’s original dedication to equality, the soldiers’ sacrifice, and the living citizens’ responsibility to continue the work.
Correct connections include:
Dedication of the founding ideals
Dedication of the battlefield
Dedication of the people to the future of the country
(Any combination matching these three ideas is correct)
Which idea does Lincoln develop when he says that “we cannot consecrate” the ground?
He means that their actions have already made the land sacred, not his words.
How does Douglass’s use of imagery in describing life in the city help distinguish city slavery from plantation slavery? (Paragraph 4)
He uses imagery (food, clothing, public shame) to show city slaves were treated somewhat better and slaveholders had different motivations.
Which line from the speech best demonstrates that action, not speech, is what truly honors the soldiers who died?
“The world will little note… what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.”
OR references to the soldiers consecrating the ground with their actions.
What “unfinished work” does Lincoln ask the living to continue, and how does this contribute to the speech’s theme about responsibility?
The “unfinished work” is continuing the fight for freedom, unity, equality, and preserving the nation.