Which type of writing is The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass an example of?

• A. Autobiography
• B. Historical fiction
• C. Pamphlet
• D. Diary

Answer: (A)

Autobiography is a self-written account of a person’s life. The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass fits this because Douglass tells his own story—from childhood as a slave, through his escape, to his life as a free man and abolitionist—using his own voice and experiences. It’s a real-life account, not fiction, and is read as a primary source about slavery in the United States. It isn’t a diary, which would present day-by-day entries, nor a pamphlet, which tends to be a shorter, persuasive tract, or historical fiction, which would be a fictional story inspired by history. So the writing is best described as an autobiography.