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Frederick Douglass' journey towards literacy
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Frederick Douglass’s Path to Literacy Learning to read was no easy task for a slave in early 19th century America. The education of slaves was not only frowned upon in the community of slave-owners—it was unlawful. Once the possibility of reading was introduced to Frederick Douglass as a child, he was determined to make his ability to read a reality. It was by no means easy for Douglass to learn the skill of reading, but in the end, he accomplished his goal, and he used his ability to read and write as a helpful instrument to gain freedom. Douglass’s intellectual journey towards literacy began with his literal journey to Baltimore. At the age of about eight, Douglass left the only place he had ever known: Colonel Lloyd’s plantation to live with Hugh and Sophia Auld. This move, Douglass describes in his autobiography Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, had “laid the foundation, and opened the gateway, to all [his] subsequent prosperity” (18). In other words, Douglass sees the move as a monumental event in his life: the first step from slave to free man. …show more content…
She taught him the alphabet and how to spell some simple words, before her husband, Hugh, scolded her and made her stop because he claimed that teaching a slave to read would make him or her “unmanageable” because it “would make him discontented and unhappy” (20). Hugh’s words resonated with Douglass, and he was sure that learning to read and write would be his key to freedom. Hugh did not realize it, but he had given Douglass a goal: “I set out with high hope, and a fixed purpose, at whatever cost of trouble, to learn how to read” (20). Douglass believed that reading was a means to the end of his independence, so he would not rest until he was
During the days of slavery many slaves did not know the alphabet, let alone reading and writing. Douglass feels distant from his close ones and is often stressed about his situation. Sometimes, he would be so tensed that he feels that there is no other option than to take his own life in order to be free and escape the misery of slavery. Frederick Douglass was stressed and he would find himself “regretting [his] own existence, and now wishing [himself] dead;” he had no doubt that “[he] should have killed [himself]” (146). Douglass is clearly suffering from the knowledge he gains because it leads him to be estranged and makes him often want to end his own life. This is not a good practice for anyone in life for the reason that life is precious and it should never be taken for granted. Before Douglass learns how to read, he was content with his condition as a slave, but this proved a cruel incident that occurred in his life by making him
Literacy plays an important part in helping Douglass achieve his freedom. Learning to read and write enlightened his mind to the injustice of slavery; it kindled in his heart longings for liberty. Douglass’s skills proved instrumental in his attempts to escape and afterwards in his mission as a spokesman against slavery. Douglass was motivated to learn how to read by hearing his master condemn the education of slaves. Mr. Auld declared that education would “spoil” him and “forever unfit him to be a slave” (2054).
Gaining mental emancipation also made him a man. He had the power of knowledge and yet he didn't know the impact of being literate. He wasn't ready to have his world open right in front of him. Being able to read opened Douglass' eyes to what slavery really was. "He got the bold denunciation of slavery, and a powerful vindication of human rights."*(278) He saw things that he would have never seen if he had remained ignorant. He saw all the horrors and sadness of his life as a slave. He wasn't quite ready for the harsh realities that he was then exposed to. He felt that his master, Master Hugh, was right. Douglass learning to read brought him the discontentment, torment and anguish that Master Hugh said would follow if a slave learned how to read.* (279) The visions that Douglass saw was really affecting him. He saw things he never saw before. Dou...
Fredrick Douglas is a well known figure in the abolishment movement through his narrative “Learning to Read and Write,” Douglas shares his own personal journey of how he learns to read and write. His organization helps the reader get a better grasp of the stages in his life; his innocence, his epiphany, his loathing and finally his determination. Through the use of syntax and diction, metaphors and the use of irony, he portrays the thoughts that went through his mind as a slave.
This is the time period where he learned to read and write. His mistress, who was a compassionate lady, was secretly teaching Douglass behind her husband’s back. She sparked Douglass’s desire to become a literate person. Mrs. Hugh taught him the alphabet and, soon after, her husband found out what she had done. He explained that teaching a slave put their family in a dangerous situation and she became harsher than her husband. Douglass’s desire still urged on and he found his own way to learn to read. Douglass used his resources to his advantage. He used bread form the Hugh’s kitchen, which was available to him, to bribe the poor white boys and, in turn, they would teach him how to read. These boys then became his unofficial teachers. Douglass says of the boys, “I wished I could be as free as they would be when they got to be men” (62). Douglass felt that learning to read would give him a sense of independence, but yet he would never be truly free because of
... and unhappy (Douglass 78).” Learning how to read was as big a step towards freedom for Douglass as it was back. It made him aware of the circumstances but it also made him realize how difficult it would be for him to ever find himself a free man. However, knowledge overpowers ignorance in the sense that his masters could never take his ability to read away from him and because Douglass now knew his condition, he knew that he deserved a better life.
According to the New York City writing project at Lehman College ,“... Reading, writing and thinking are interrelated activities that contribute to the student’s success in school, college, the community and the workplace.” Reading and writing and thinking are associated with each other and can actually help people reach success through the power of reflection. Reflection is being able to think of our past and present experience and really analyze how we can become better. Reflection also allows one to better understand what is going on around us. Frederick Douglass and Amy Tan’s literacy and language allowed them to achieve success through reflection. Frederick Douglass was a slave that learned how to read and write even besides the
Frederick Douglass’s “The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave” recounts the life of Frederick Douglass as a slave on his journey to finding freedom. As a slave, he was treated as a second-rate citizen and was not taught how to be literate. Literacy is the ability to read and write. Slaves were robbed of the privilege of reading and writing and thus robbed of any educational means. Without these educational means, slaves were not allowed to grow in society and have a sense of capability within society. Instead, slaves were suppressed by the white man as property and forced to labor as the lowest part of society. Literacy is the education that separates humans from other forms of life and whites from slaves. Literacy
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
In his self-titled chronicle, "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave", the author presents his audience with a memorable description of his resourcefulness in how he learned to write. His determination to shake off the bonds of illiteracy imposed by his slaveholders created in him the ability to conquer obstacles that held many slaves back. His mastery of the basic steps of the written language would one day play a central role in his success as a free man. The way these skills were acquired teaches us not only of his willpower, but also of his ingenuity as well. The outcome of his efforts culminated in an inimitable slave-narrative, as well as a career as one of the most famous abolitionists that this country would ever know.
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.
We cannot imagine our community without schools and colleges. No matter how waking up early and studying all night for exams and tests are difficult for us, we know that education is very important to our lives. Frederick Douglass was born as a slave in the United States, and he ran away to the North and wrote his autobiography, yet he was one of the most famous abolitionists. In his essay, “learning to read and write,” he explains the importance of education in his life and how education helps improve people’s lives and leads them to prosperity.
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.
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...
Back then, slaves were prohibited by law not to read or write. Frederick’s master found out his wife was teaching Fredrick to read, and order them to stop immediately. Of course, Frederick wanted to continue to learn, so he made friends with this little boy, “Little Master Thomas” who continued his learning process. Little Master Thomas had a “my copy-book”, also known as a trace book, this is where Fredrick learned to write by tracing the letters and sentences from the book. Sooner or later, Frederick learned to write in a similar handwriting as Little Master Thomas. This learning experience for Frederick falls into the category of choosing someone to relate with to learn and help with a problem. Frederick was the student of the mistress and Little Master Thomas. Frederick Douglass established a relationship with them both enough for them to keep the secret of slave learning to read and write and also comfortable enough to learn from their knowledge in the process of asking question as they went on to learning more. The text’s title is “Learning to Read.” Reading The World: Ideas That Matter. The title speaks for itself because Frederick Douglass is in the history books and this was the time of slavery. There was little assistance during Slavery with the helpings of slaves learning to read and write. Frederick is lucky to have an