Douglass 's View Of Freedom And Literacy

Even though the words of his master degrade Douglass, they also inspire him to pursue reading and freedom more passionately. When Douglass sees how intimidated his master, Hugh Auld, is at the idea of his wife, Sophia Auld, teaching young Frederick to read, he realizes that knowledge is truly power. He feels the constraint his master imposed on him his entire life, and he begins to understand how to free himself. Douglass writes that, “From that moment I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom…I was gladdened by the invaluable

Mrs. Auld now realized that education and slavery were incompatible. The once, kind Mrs. Auld, now turned her back on Frederick Douglass. She stopped teaching Frederick Douglass to read, nor, would not let him look at the newspaper. However, all of her evil intentions to abandon him in mental darkness just motivated him to further his reading abilities to the next level

Devices such as detail, imagery, and metaphors help Douglass in producing an exceptional piece of literature and proving to his audience that the only way to obtain privilege and reach salvation is to invest in education. His passionate telling of literacy being the only response to his desire for freedom undoubtedly imprints in the minds of readers the importance of reading and writing and reminds them of how imperative it is. To sum, Douglass utilizes various stratagems to prove to readers the significance of education and

Initially, Sophia Auld ordained to teach Douglass the very basics of literacy – his ABCs and how to spell a few short words (Douglass 45) – but not long after, Hugh Auld, enraged, puts a stop to his progress. Auld claims that were Douglass to learn to how to read “there would be no keeping him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave” (Douglass 45), and his lessons cease promptly; however, the seed of doubt for his master’s power is already planted. Though hardly more than a child, Douglass reaches the conclusion that with literacy comes agency, and subsequently, the ability to gain freedom – something his master feared most vehemently (Douglass 45). The white man’s ability to keep his slaves in the dark about the truths of scripture and rhetoric were the crux of his power, and equipped with new found knowledge of this apparent flaw in the system of slavery, Douglass grows determined to learn how to read by any means available. He resolves to befriend any and all young white boys he encounters on the streets and, in exchange for a bit of bread, asks them to help him on his way to literacy, and through this act of defiance, by the end of his seven years with the Aulds, he is entirely literate (Douglass 50). This emphasis on gaining the ability to read and write is a common theme in male

As soon as Douglass pieces together what Mr. Auld was saying he recognizes that “What he most dreaded, that I most desired. What he most loved, that I most hated. That which to him was a great evil, to be carefully shunned, was to me a great good, to be diligently sought; and the argument which he so warmly urged, against my learning to read, only served to inspire me with a desire and determination to learn.” (Douglass 38). This instant illustrates one of the first climaxes of the narrative. One statement made by Mr. Auld so greatly impacted Douglass by giving him a new sense of hope and will to succeed in obtaining his freedom. Douglass pulls out the positive in this experience, that Mr. Auld accidentally shared with him the power that comes with education. “In learning to read, I owe almost as much to the bitter opposition of my master, as to the kindly aid of my mistress. I acknowledge the benefit of both” (Douglass 39). Douglass learned to read not only in thanks to his kind mistress, who willingly taught him to read, but also to his cruel master whose rage towards Douglass learning to read and write generated him to give Douglass the knowledge he wanted to keep from him to begin with. The lesson given to him by his master about education was far more important than even the lesson’s on learning to read. Douglass’s use of chiasmi takes this climax to the

Douglass’s first encounter with education is at the home of the Auld family, spending seven years as a slave under rule of a mistress and her husband. His visits with this mistress underlie the beginning path towards his freedom. On first encounter, Douglass explains that she was “a woman of

Mrs. Auld being so inclined to do so shows how pivotal reading is to white’s independence. Before her marriage Mrs. Auld had been “dependent upon her own industry for a living,” self-reliance had even begun to infiltrate the sweet, virtuous young women that were not included in the American Adam of the time either (255). The attempt at educating Douglass for the brief period gave a slave more than white men of the time would have dreamed of. Douglass “had [been] given the inch, and no precaution could prevent [him] from taking the ell” (260). He continued his education by himself, stealing spelling books and reading newspapers. The goal of reading and writing that he gives himself and strives to achieve for the rest of his childhood and teen years is accomplished because of his self-reliance, showing that like many Americans of the day that nothing, not even a whipping, could stand in his

Douglass’ narrative demonstrates how his literary education is both a blessing and a curse. He believed that permitting slaves to read was a contradiction, a paradox if you will, unable to render freedom, or provide them a legitimate education. Douglass reasoned that the education was a ploy to let African Americans believe they were treated fairly. Douglass expresses, “As I read and contemplated the subject, behold! that very discontentment which Master Hugh had predicted would follow my learning to read had already come, to torment and sting my soul to unutterable anguish” (Douglass 1200). Douglass displays the injustice and frustration of this situation; he is fully aware that he is being treated unfairly.

Fredrick Douglass lived a hazardous and adventures life, yet he accomplished a great reputation and was famous for his persuasive and an inspiring work. Living most of his life as a slave; Douglass eventually wrote Learning to Read and Write as well as many other literary works, and autobiographies like My Bondage and my Freedom and Life and Times of Frederick Douglass. As a matter of fact, Scott’s reaction to Fredrick Douglass’s essay Learning to Read and Write about slavery is correct. Gaining knowledge was more of a curse than a blessing, leaving him with absolutely no cure. In addition to that, Douglass developed hatred toward his enslavers; likewise he developed suicidal thoughts, and became envious for his fellow slaves.

Originally illiterate and unaware of the evils of slavery and segregation, Douglass was taught the basics of the English language by his slave master’s wife. Soon after the beginning of his instruction, Douglass had developed a raging fire that could only be quenched with more knowledge. As his pursuit of reading and writing lead him to become literate, it also gave him a real-world understanding of the evil concept of slavery. As time went on, he began to resent his master and mistress for subjecting any human being to such a fate. It was his belief that the color of your skin or your country of origin should have no standing to what rights and abilities any person has. Becoming literate further exemplifies Douglass’ refusal to adhere to societal expectations, as people of black heritage were not allowed to be taught how to read in the United States. This was the way of the land, but it didn’t inhibit his resolve to become a learned man who was capable of understanding language, reading and writing. This passion is what set him apart from other people, not his

Freedom is a word that is thrown around lightly. What was considered freedom now, holds a way different meaning to it than it did when slavery existed. Many people encountered it, endured it, and even participated in the cruel acts. In his essay “How I Learned to Read and Write,” Frederick Douglass expresses the hardships that took place while learning to be literate. In his memoir, he recollects about his encounters with setbacks and risks he exerted while learning. Douglass sacrificed his chance of freedom to understand the thing he desired most: knowledge. A determined student defies the boundaries of formal education.

Frederick Douglass was born a slave but was determined not to die as one. Eventually, he realized that being literate was the key to being free. His quest to become literate was definitely not easy but with discipline, he was able to succeed in his goals. He wrote “Learning to Read and Write” as a way to chronicle his journey. The article details his obstacles and overcoming them, despite the odds. Frederick Douglass faced many barriers as he learned to read and write. He used a variety of strategies to overcome these hurdles in his pursuit of comprehension and script.

In “Learning to Read and Write” Frederick Douglass reminisces on his experiences acquiring literacy as he attempts to gain autonomy. He speculates that literacy could also foreshadow danger for him but also that knowledge might hold danger for everyone. Concerning literacy, Douglass writes “Nothing seemed to make her more angry than to see me with a newspaper. She seemed to think that here lay danger”. He uses “seemed” which implies a subjective interpretation of the mistress’s behavior. Later in the essay, Douglass switches to an objective view of her behavior as he proclaims that she “is an apt woman”. The transition between these perspectives of the mistress mirrors his transformation from illiterate to literate. He stops relying on

Douglass' cousin told him the city was beautiful and Douglass knew it couldn't be any worse than the plantation. When Douglass meets his new owners, he described Hugh Auld's wife, Sophia Auld, as having a kindly face. Douglass learned what might have been one of his biggest lessons as a slave from these overseers. Sophia, the wife of Hugh Auld, had never owned a slave before, therefore she treated him almost as if he were a child of hers. She taught him the alphabet and some other minor words before Hugh took notice of what she was doing. Mr. Auld told his wife "…it is unlawful, as well as unsafe, to teach a slave to read." (Douglass, p.78) Hugh goes on to say "A nigger should know nothing but to obey his master… 'if you teach that nigger how to read, there would be no keeping him. It would forever make him unfit to be a slave.'" (Douglass, p.78) Douglass overheard every word that hissed out of Hugh Auld's mouth. Sophia Auld had been lessoned in the ways of slave managing now. She discontinued her teaching to Frederick and began to treat him as the property they considered him to be. Douglass' mind frame changed completely after hearing Auld's words. He realized that education was the key in order to obtain his freedom, "…to wit, the white man's power to enslave the black man." (Douglass, p.78) Douglass continued to pursue his education on his own. He would trade

Auld decided to teach him the alphabet. Mr. Auld quickly disapproved of this, saying that “Learning would spoil the best nigger in the world…it would forever unfit him to be a slave” (Douglass 57). Hearing this, Douglass realizes that white slaveholders did not want slaves to become educated because literacy would give slaves the power to fight back. As Douglass said, “...in teaching me the alphabet, [she] had given me the inch, and no precaution could prevent me from taking the ell” (60), meaning that his mistress had already sparked his interest in learning to read, and nothing would stop him from becoming completely literate. Until his interaction with the Aulds, Douglass never realized how important literacy was to his freedom and becoming a man. Since then, Douglass has made a valiant effort to learn how to read by befriending little white boys to teach him. Learning to read was only the first part of Douglass’ self-actualization. Since he started reading, Douglass became more ambitious than ever in wanting freedom. He realized that his unfortunate situation was because of the enslavers, and that in order for him to become a real man instead of property, he must break through, with the power of education, the chains that were holding him back. “The Columbian Orator”, was able to give Douglass “tongue to interesting thoughts of [his] own soul” (Douglass 61) which freed his inner spirits and allowed him