The excerpt begins with Frederick's description of how broken he was by brutality of Mr. Covey while he worked. He wanted to be free as white ship sails. Dramatic, tumultuous sentences describe his position in bondage, all the horror in which he is, and wanting to create a vision of freedom he compares himself with the white sails. The ships should be free of the water it carries on the bottom so that the sails starts to move under the wind. Water represents the burden of slavery. Through this description he acquires the energy of the sails by which he expresses his desire and the determination to be free. He uses words like "gentle gale" "marrily" to describe the light and free movement he would like, but the sad words "sadly" and "bloody whip" to describe himself and his real life.
