Item 4 Read the excerpt from Chapter 10 of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. In coming to a fixed determination to run away, we did more than Patrick Henry, when he resolved upon liberty or death. With us it was a doubtful liberty at most, and almost certain death if we failed. For my part, I should prefer death to hopeless bondage. How does the allusion to Patrick Henry affect the meaning of the text? It emphasizes the intensity of Douglass's determination to be free. It suggests that Douglass is a descendant of Patrick Henry. It highlights the similarities between enslaved people and the Founding Fathers. It illustrates the quality and drama of Douglass's public speaking.