"This battle with Mr. Covey was the turning-point in my career as a slave. It rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom, and revived within me a sense of my own manhood. It recalled the departed self-confidence, and inspired me again with a determination to be free. The gratification afforded by the triumph was a full compensation for whatever else might follow, even death itself. He only can understand the deep satisfaction which I experienced, who has himself repelled by force the bloody arm of slavery. I felt as I never felt before. It was a glorious resurrection, from the tomb of slavery, to the heaven of freedom. My long-crushed spirit rose, cowardice departed, bold defiance took its place; and I now resolved that, however long I might remain a slave in form, the day had passed forever when I could be a slave in fact. I did not hesitate to let it be known of me, that the white man who expected to succeed in whipping, must also succeed in killing me." a. Douglass describes how he has been broken by Mr. Covey and can no longer fight back. His spirit is crushed, and he simply doesn't have the spirit to keep fighting.

b. Douglass hits a breaking point here and decides he will never be hit again unless he dies. He feels alive and compares death to slavery and life to freedom. He now will get freedom at any cost.

c. Douglass decribes his route to freedom and how he will kill any white man who hits him again. He describes how he will be chained down no more and will make his way towards heaven by standing up for what he believes in.

d. Douglass uses a factual tone to describe his new experience at his employment, explaining horrible moments to demonstrate how bad things were.