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Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Characters

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Sandy Jenkins Character Analysis

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Characters Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Sandy Jenkins Character Analysis

Sandy Jenkins is an enslaved Black man whom Douglass first meets when he’s sent to work at Covey’s farm and later encounters again at Mr. Freeland’s. Sandy contrasts markedly with Douglass in that he relies on superstition to cope with the hardships of slavery instead of education and willpower, like Douglass does. When Douglass returns to Covey’s, Sandy gives Douglass a root that he claims will prevent Douglass from being whipped again. Douglass does manage to escape further harsh punishments, but he escapes by fighting back against Covey, not due to magic. Sandy still attributes Douglass’s relative safety to the root. In refusing to see how Douglass has changed his own circumstances, Sandy refuses to see how he, too, could fight back against his enslavers and assert his own dignity. His belief in the root means he doesn’t have to consider risking anything in the way Douglass does. If a magic root will bring him protection, there is no need to actively fight for his safety. Thus, Sandy’s superstitious nature means that he is willing to maintain the status quo instead of risking the anger of his captors. We see this attitude arise again when he notifies authorities of Douglass and his compatriots’ escape. By betraying his companions, he ingratiates himself to his captors, choosing passive safety over active change.

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