Frederick Douglass Pursuit Of Education Essay

491 Words1 Page

Slavery coincides with ignorance, just as freedom coincides with education. Obtaining an education as a slave often results in feelings of bondage and hatred. Frederick Douglass realized the harsh reality of this in his story, “How I Learned to Read and Write.” However, despite his master’s opposition, Douglass’s pursuit of education inspires his desire for freedom. Douglass’s pursuit of education first starts when his master forbids his mistress from educating him further; thus, igniting Douglass's determination to defy his master's command. Douglass recalls the harsh words of his master, “A nigger should know nothing, but to obey his master. . . Learning would spoil the best nigger in the world.” (Douglass, 1987, p. 130) Douglass, at this point in the story, remains unaware of the power of education. After his master’s powerful stance of opposition to Douglass’s education, his curiosity peaks. “I set out with high hope, and a fixed purpose, at whatever cost of trouble, to learn how to read.” (Douglass, 1987, p.130) While Douglass had yet to understand the power of an education, he started to understand the importance of it. …show more content…

Douglass started trading bread with the young white boys in return for knowledge when he went on errands for his master. At this point in the story, Douglass envies the boys. He says, “You will be free as soon as you are twenty-one, but I am a slave for life. Have I not as good a right to be free as you have?” (Douglass, 1987, p.132) “These words used to trouble them; they would express for me the liveliest sympathy, and console me with the hope that something would occur by which I might be free.” (Douglass, 1987, p.132) The young boys did not fully understand the concept of slavery and what slavery meant for the black people. They had not been corrupted by their father’s

Show More
Related

  • Essay On Learning To Read And Write By Frederick Douglass

    1147 Words  | 3 Pages

    Douglass was not aware of what slaves were and why they were treated in a bad condition before he learns how to read. He was deeply saddened upon discovering the fact that slaves were not given the rights every human being should have. In an effort to clarify Douglass’s feelings of anguish, he states: “In moments of agony, I envied my fellow slaves for their stupidity” (Douglass 146). The fact that other slaves are content with their lives is what brings awareness to him because he knows that he is stripped of basic human rights. He envies his fellow slaves due to the reason that they are pleased with the life he cannot live to like anymore. Also, he is often wishing he never learned how to read because he doesn’t want to burden about his life. Douglass knows more about the disturbing conditions than most of the slaves around him, but he greatly regrets it. Before he started reading, he lived very much in contentment and now he cannot stand the fact of being

    Read More

  • Frederick Douglass: Escaping Slavery through Literacy

    711 Words  | 2 Pages

    Douglass was motivated to learn how to read by hearing his master condemn the education of slaves. Mr. Auld declared that an education would “spoil” him and “forever unfit him to be a slave” (2054). He believed that the ability to read makes a slave “unmanageable” and “discontented” (2054). Douglass discovered that the “white man’s power to enslave the black man” (2054) was in his literacy and education. As long as the slaves are ignorant, they would be resigned to their fate. However, if the slaves are educated, they would understand that they are as fully human as the white men and realize the unfairness of their treatment. Education is like a forbidden fruit to the slave; therefore, the slave owners guard against this knowledge of good and evil. Nevertheless, D...

    Read More

  • The Use of Rhetorical Devices in The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass written by Frederick Douglass

    696 Words  | 2 Pages

    One day, Douglass eavesdrops on him and Mrs. Auld’s conversation. Mr. Auld persuades her that reading “could do him (Douglass) no good, but a great deal of harm.” (page 39) This antithesis along with the rest of his statement makes Douglass come to the realization that literacy is equated with not only individual consciousness but also freedom. From that day on, Douglass makes it his goal to learn as much as he can, eventually learning how to write,

    Read More

  • Comparing Frederick Douglass And Reading Books

    766 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many people take for grant of the freedom we have, but Douglass shows that having freedom means having the ability to control one’s own destiny. Douglass was a slave who like any other slaves cannot be educated. Douglass finds this out by accident when he overhears the reasons why it was illegal for them to get education- it because the white slave owners did not want slaves to gain knowledge as it will bring disorder and rebel against slavery. As a result of this finding, Douglass seeks out his own education. One of his methods of learning how to read is by exchanging foods for learning to read. During the slavery, poverty also affected all different people, so Douglass would give breads to poor children and for exchange teach Douglass some words. For Douglass learning meant punishments or even death, but he takes the risk and did all he can to gain knowledge because this is the only way he can be free. He demonstrates to people that education is powerful and the way one can truly be self-governed. Douglass story is a reminder to always appreciate education and to take the most out of learning because in the end no one can take away what’s in our

    Read More

  • Compare Frederick Douglass And Mark Twain

    1205 Words  | 3 Pages

    Their education had given them a new perspective of everything around them—a glimpse to a whole new world. Upon learning to read, Douglass began to realize how an education could ruin slaves. With education, comes enlightenment, and for him his enlightenment was the realization to the injustices going on around him. With him finally being able to read, he understood more fully the implications of slavery sometimes served to make him more miserable as he came to comprehend the hopelessness of the situation for himself and the other slaves. He states in his narrative, “In moments of agony, I envied my fellow-slaves for their stupidity. I have often wished myself a beast. I preferred the condition of the meanest reptile to my own. Any thing, no matter what, to get rid of thinking! It was this everlasting thinking of my condition that tormented me” (268) because he realized that his knowledge came at a cost—he knew that there was nothing normal and right about slavery, yet he had to live as one—whatever knowledge he had attained, festered in his mind and made him even unhappier with the conditions and treatment than

    Read More

  • Life and Times of Fredereick Douglass Essay

    612 Words  | 2 Pages

    The title of the book for my report is Life and Times of Frederick Douglass, by himself. Its genre is autobiography, and it was first published in 1881 and later revised in 1893. The tone of the novel is contemplative and reflective. He talks about his thoughts on his circumstances and the actions of others constantly and often explains why things were as they were, such as the white children he was friends with as a child not agreeing with slavery. The book tells about his life, including his first realizations of slavery, his experiences and hardships growing up as a slave, his religious enlightenment, his escape from slavery, and his rise to the top as an influential voice for blacks in America. His style includes formal language and going into detail on his reflections.

    Read More

  • Frederick Douglass Author's Purpose Essay

    1359 Words  | 3 Pages

    The author Frederick Douglas had two main purposes when writing his memoir, the first one was to demonstrate the harsh and cruel world that slaves lived through during that period. This is exemplified by Douglas when he describes how his masters separated him from his mother and he describes a brutal whipping of Aunt Hester as “ causing blood to blood to run an hour at the time; and this, too, in the presence of her crying children” (Douglas 7). The second purpose that Douglas had to write this memoir was to show how he overcame great pain and challenge. For example during the few chapters where he is loaned to Mr. Covey, Douglas must resist the near constant pain that is inflicted on him,

    Read More

  • Education in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

    758 Words  | 2 Pages

    Education was considered precious during the 1860s. Concerning this, Frederick Douglass was taught by his master, Mrs. Auld. This practice was unfortunately stopped due to Thomas Auld's belief that, “Learning would spoil the best nigger in the world” (Douglass 20). What he means by saying that was that Afro-American slaves should be able to follow directions without question. If a slave gained knowledge, they would question the orders of the master, at their expense as well. In Mr. Auld's argument against slaves learning includes the statement that, “a nigger should know nothing but obey his master – to do as he is told” (Douglass 20). This demonstrates that even though they were denied an formal education, they still learned the essentials in order to be a functional slave. T. H. Huxley, referring to the status of education, wrote in his speech entitled, “A Liberal Education,” that, “in strictness, there is no such thing as an uneducated man.” (Huxley 1). Not only did Douglass find education important, but their masters also ...

    Read More

  • Frederick Douglass Heroism Essay

    1021 Words  | 3 Pages

    In order for Douglass to reach his goal of becoming a free man he thought the only way out was education. He needed to learn how to read, write, and think for himself about what slavery was. Since literacy and education were so powerful to Frederick he persevered to get himself the education he wanted. …. Douglass knew it wouldn’t be easy, but that didn’t stop him. Douglass realized the “ conscious of the difficulty of learning without a teacher, I set out with a high hope, and

    Read More

  • Frederick Douglass Injustice Essay

    1081 Words  | 3 Pages

    He had long fought to learn to read and was so excited and eager to do so, he never expected the circumstances of this to be as dehumanizing as they were. He regretted learning to read because it brought him nothing but desperation, he learned his awful truth and that of his fellow slaves. "It had given me a view of my wretched condition, without the remedy." (Douglass, 24) The truth was that the more he learned the more he became aggravated, he knew there was not much he could do. It brought his moral down along with many other feelings, even a slave like Frederick had learned the awful feeling of

    Read More

  • Learning To Read And Write By Frederick Douglass Analysis

    779 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the essay “Learning to Read and Write,” Frederick Douglass illustrates how he successfully overcome the tremendous difficulties to become literate. He also explains the injustice between slavers and slaveholders. Douglass believes that education is the key to freedom for slavers. Similarly, many of us regard education as the path to achieve a career from a job.

    Read More

  • Education is Key in the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

    537 Words  | 2 Pages

    The significant of education in “Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass” is the most important theme in the entire passage. Frederick Douglass understands that the only way to freedom, for him and also other slaves, is through learning to read, write, and also have an education. Education helps Frederick to understand things that slowly will destroy his mind, and heart at the same time. Understanding the full extent of the horrors of slavery can be devastating to a person who has just set mind on morals, and values. In the passage Frederick says, “It opened my eyes to the horrible pit, but offered no ladder upon which to get out” (Douglass 61). Using this quote as your guide, the reader can examine the meaning and importance of education with slavery time, and modern day.

    Read More

  • Essay on Literacy in African-American Literature

    2285 Words  | 5 Pages

    As a relatively young man, Frederick Douglass discovers, in his Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, that learning to read and write can be his path to freedom. Upon discovering that...

    Read More

  • Slavery’s Dehumanizing Effects on American Slaves and Slaveholders

    1652 Words  | 4 Pages

    Douglass's narrative is, on one surface, intended to show the barbarity and injustice of slavery. However, the underlying argument is that freedom is not simply attained through a physical escape from forced labor, but through a mental liberation from the attitude created by Southern slavery. The slaves of the South were psychologically oppressed by the slaveholders' disrespect for a slave’s family and for their education, as well as by the slaves' acceptance of their own subordination. Additionally, the slaveholders were trapped by a mentality that allowed them to justify behavior towards human beings that would normally not be acceptable. In this manner, both slaveholder and slave are corrupted by slavery.

    Read More

  • Frederick Douglass Education Essay

    761 Words  | 2 Pages

    Education is the key to freedom. In Frederick Douglass’ autobiography he takes you back to 19th century america where slavery is a part of everyday life and black men were treated not as people, but as commodities, toiling in the hot sun for hours on end with nothing in return. The life of a slave in 19th century america was indeed a troublesome one. The black men were kept ignorant by their white masters, without education, the slaves did not think of themselves as people. They lacked a free thinking mind which lead them to believe everything their white masters told them. For Frederick Douglas however, this was not the case. He was educated by Mrs. Auld and thus generated a mind that didn't conform with his white masters

    Read More

More about Frederick Douglass Pursuit Of Education Essay

Open Document