Frederick Douglass: Wisdom Vs. Knowledge

Frederick Douglass' essay "Learning to Read and Write" shows that an increase in knowledge can increase sorrow when he realizes the situation that he is in. Douglass writes about his discovering the oppression of slavery when he reads The Columbian Orator at twelve years old. This new information gave Douglass a fresh view of his life and left him unhappy because he became aware that there was a far

The process of apprehending true knowledge is a task unfit for those who cannot overcome the concepts that the truth is associated with. This task of discovering knowledge tests an individual and their dedication to the process. However, this process is grueling and does not always yield the expected or desired result. According to philosophers, such as Socrates and Plato, humans are born with innate knowledge that becomes accessible through reasoning and life experiences. Plato’s The Allegory of the Cave describes of a group of people, in a cave, that have been shielded from society for their entire lives and were given an alternate and limited education. One man is forced out of the cave and into the light of the real world, where he

Frederick Douglass, former slave and prominent abolitionist gives an account of his coming to literacy in the excerpt, Learning to Read and Write, from his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. He offers an immersive and rich telling of his journey to academic enlightenment by using enthralling detail, riveting imagery, and noteworthy metaphors. Douglass’s objective is to prove to the audience that in order to achieve recognition and dignity you must possess the power of articulation and eloquence.

Plato’s “The Allegory of the Cave” examines the quest, responsibility, and cost of intellectual enlightenment. The story is of a man, being held prisoner since birth, being freed and learning that his perception of reality was inaccurate. He shared his discovery, which was met with contention and anger from the people in his society when he tried to relieve them of their ignorance. The group were all born prisoners in a cave where they could not see behind them, and only could hear the echoes, and see the shadows cast of people and items moving behind them. One day, the man was released and was forced to embark out of the dwelling to see that it was actual people and inanimate objects being reflected in front of them. After having difficulty

In today’s day and age education is one of the most overlooked concept of our generation. Education is underestimated because it’s easily accessed through public or at home schooling, so the majority of our generation can at least read or write. In the narrative The Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass the concept of education can differentiate whether a black man free or enslaved. During this time period, education is crucial for the road of freedom but extremely difficult to achieve. In this narrative Douglas uses paradox to show how education can be an african american’s ‘saving grace’ but on the other hand, it could also be his worst nightmare. This is shown through the process Frederick Douglas needed to go through to become education and free. Douglas utilizes irony and character development to display this duality of education.

When a man grows up as an untaught slave in the southern eighteenth-century, he has no other ambitions than to be free. But for Frederick Douglass, freedom was merely step one. Douglass began his life on a plantation owed from the moment he arrived. He was not destined to stay put there. Born in (what he can come close to) 1818, he began life out as a man in chains but ended up a respected wordsmith, but still apologetic for his short comings. Douglass learned how to read, write, and give speeches; he influenced a nation for changes among writers today; and he had different approaches to the era he lived in, but knew he wanted change to exist among all. These things were needed to occur in order for the slavery and African-American society to be recognized as equals among all. His wit was not small nor was his leadership not seen as defiance. Each step of his journey, brought him to a different place where he faced a challenge that could not have been met any other way, but with strength and education where he was successful in obtaining. Douglass was not only a speaker, but was an author of his time. Many colleagues wrote of him and his life even after he passed away. In Douglass’ works he spoke of his ignorance and blunders, but continued to sow his good seed. In the book “The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas an

Frederick Douglass’s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, provides insight into those who suppressed him due to ignorance which includes his owners and overseers. Although they each played an important part in shaping Douglass and his mindset, Edward Covey was the harshest because he broke Douglass down not only physically but mentally as well. Covey was a slave breaker that was used to correct the behavior of defiant slaves. “My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark that lingered about my eye died; the dark night of slavery closed in upon me; and behold a man transformed into a brute!” (pg. 38)

The enthusiastic and anguished tones in Douglass’ passage reflect his feeling of elation at being liberated from the bonds of slavery, while he also recognizes his current wretched and apprehensive condition. Frederick Douglass revels in the idea of finally escaping from the unrelenting oppression of slavery. However, his initial enthusiasm declines once he realizes that the life of a fugitive slave, which has presently become his own, is one in which hardships abound, consequently aggravating his anguish.

Fredrick Douglass wrote the very empowering story called, “Learning to Read and Write”. The entire work had emotion and painted a great picture of the life he lived struggling with his intelligence and trying to gain as much information as he could without getting caught. Douglass took any opportunity many others would not even notice.

Frederick Douglass was a young slave with an aspiring dream to learn and further his life of knowledge and education. There was only one thing stopping him: his lack of freedom. The ability to read and access to an education is a liberating experience that results in the formation of opinions, critical-thinking, confidence, and self-worth. Slave owners feared slaves gaining knowledge because knowledge is power and they might have a loss of power, which would result to the end of cheap labor. Slave owners made the slaves feel as if they had no self-worth or confidence. If the slaves got smarter they could potentially begin to learn how unjust and wrong slavery was and they would have enough reason to rebel against it. Douglass was learning how to read and write from his slave owner’s wife. Unfortunately, both of them were told how wrong it was for him to be learning because a slave was not to be educated and was deemed unteachable. There was also another fear that the slave owners had. They feared that slaves would have better communication skills which would lead to escape and ways to avoid slavery. Reading opens your mind to new ideas and new knowledge one has never had the opportunity of knowing.

Throughout this excerpt from his autobiography, Frederick Douglass constantly refers to the importance of Education and Literacy. He continuously details not only that education represented power, but also that an educated and literate slave would be dangerous in the eyes of the slave-loving southerners. Education all throughout time has represented knowledge, and knowledge is seen as power, both of which could easily corrupt someone, hence why slave owners chose to keep slaves in the dark in regards to education. Douglass argued that education was seen as the key to success and free thoughts, however, both were luxuries unknown to a slave unless they took matters into their own hands.

Plato once said that, “Ignorance [is] the root and stem of all evil”. Ignorance is the cause of everything that is wrong and bad in the world since people are unable to see the truth. If people start breaking free from ignorance, mankind will become happier and more transparent. In the short story, “Allegory of The Cave” by Plato and The Matrix by the Wachowskis, they portray the idea that in order to gain enlightenment, one must break free from ignorance; which opens himself to knowledge; this new truth must then be shared with others for the good of mankind.

Unexamined Life It has often been said that “Knowledge is power” and “Ignorance is bliss”. It is also understood that awareness is important while ignorance can sometimes appear to be blissful at times. However, which statement is actually true? Is ignorance truly bliss or is knowledge really power?

Socrates, in skepticism, began a search for those with a reputation of wisdom. After studying men and their knowledge, he reasoned that the only true wisdom consists in knowing that you know nothing. Although one may have extensive understanding in one area, there is way too much knowledge in the world to be contained by one man. Socrates stated, “I found that the men most in repute were all but the most foolish, and that some inferior men were really wiser and better” (Plato, 23). Those who believed that they knew it all could not be more ignorant, and those who admitted ignorance achieved the highest wisdom attainable on earth. Socrates accepted the idea that he, just like all men, contained very little or no wisdom at all. He was content with knowing this, and upon meeting others that lacked this philosophy, felt he was superior to them. He was unsure of the limitations the afterlife had on wisdom, but he was aware of it’s constraints on earth. This self awareness is what gifted him with the highest sense of enlightenment.

According to Mark Lilla’s “Ignorance and Bliss”, “The source of the proverb Ignorance is Bliss is a poem by the 18th century English poet Thomas Gray, who wrote in passing: “Where ignorance is bliss/ Tis folly to be wise” (Lilla). At the time the proverb was referring to the Enlightenment and Christianity’s glorification of blind faith, and its renunciation of both scientific reason and philosophical inquiry; however, today, it can be interpreted as whether or not man has the ability to maintain happiness in the midst of unhappiness. Is ignorance really bliss? Can it serve as a way to avoid anxieties, or would repression of issues only lead to more dissatisfaction?