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Frederick Douglass and education
Frederick douglass journey towards literacy
Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass
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Education is a universal term that is used around the world today. It is important to note that there are different types of education known as formal and informal education. Formal education by definition is classroom based with trained teachers. Informal education by definition is education that happens outside of the classroom such as learning values, skills, and knowledge from daily experiences. Frederick Douglass was born a slave in the early 1800's. Around the time Douglass was twelve, he began getting his formal education from Mrs. Auld. Mr. Auld, Douglass's master, forbid Mrs. Auld to teach Douglass how to read. Regardless of Douglass being rejected from being taught how to read, he did everything in his power to get his education informally. …show more content…
After Douglass escaped slavery, he began to advocate for slaves to be free and get their education.
Douglass advocated for the belief that we need education for success, political inclusion, and community awareness. Zitkala-Sa was forced into the education system and disagrees with Douglass's belief. Zitkala-Sa disagrees by saying the Western education system tried to strip her of her identity and culture. In conclusion of The School Days of an Indian Girl, by Zitkala-Sa she feels that she does not win and feels defeated because of the education system. In the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglass believes that education is important for success, political inclusion, and community awareness, while Zitkala-Sa in The School Days of an Indian Girl, believes that the formal education destroys a person of their identity.
Frederick Douglass believes that formal education is a pathway for self- actualization. Douglass stated that in order for slavery to cease, slaves
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must get their education. Even though Douglass closely valued education, he did not always realize that education is important for success or human growth. When Douglass realized that education was important for success, political inclusion, and community awareness became apparent or it became apparent that education is important for success, political inclusion, and community awareness after Douglass) after he moved to Baltimore with the Auld slave owners. Mrs. Auld was in the process of teaching Douglass how to read when Mr. Auld, Douglass’s master, forbid her to teach Douglass. “Learning would spoil the best nigger in the world…It would be forever unfit him to be a slave,” (78). From this moment on Douglass understood the pathway from slavery to freedom when he least expected it. In the same moment Douglass lost his formal teacher, Mrs. Auld, he received valuable information about education from his master. This experience deepened Douglass’s desire and determination to learn how to read and eventually how to write. Learning without a teacher was difficult for Douglass, but he still managed to get his education any way possible. Douglass asked young school boys to teach him when he ran errands, traded eating bread for the bread of knowledge. Douglass would also carry his book everywhere he went and tried to find time to read it. Douglass began with formal education and transitioned into informal education by transforming people he made friends with into his “teachers”. While Douglass strived to get any amount of education he could, Zitkala-Sa rejected formal education as a whole. Zitkala-Sa sees the Western education system as strange, strict, unfamiliar, and unwelcoming. Zitkala-Sa has a different experience from Douglass because she was forced into the education system. Without approval from Zitkala-Sa the Western people cut off her hair, replaced her shoes and clothes, and separated her from her family. If Zitkala-Sa performs a task or says something that the Western teacher does not agree with, she is punished for her actions. Zitkala-Sa must talk, act, read, and write like the white people. Zitkala-Sa feels as if she does not belong because she is Native American. As Zitkala-Sa continues to get her education she still never feels like she belongs. The feeling of un-belongingness extends to Zitkala-Sa’s Native American tribe. “Even nature seemed to have no place for me…I was neither a wild Indian nor a tame one,” (1). Zitkala-Sa is educated although her family is not, therefor she feels like she does not belong to her culture because the West stripped her of her Native tribe. Zitkala-Sa struggles to find her identity because when she was just eight years old, the Western people began to force her into a specific image so now she is uncomfortable in the East and in the West. Douglass and Zitkala-Sa view the nature of formal education oppositional.
Douglass views formal education as the pathway for success and fulfills an individual’s potential. Douglass says education is how you can be yourself because you have the knowledge to express your thoughts or ideas. Douglass also believes that education is necessary for community awareness. In Douglass’s narrative he states that he realized how harshly he and his people were being treated and how they had little opportunity. “I would at times feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing…It had given me a view of my wretched condition,” (84). Without education Douglass would have been clueless along with his fellow slaves of exactly how horrible his conditions were. Finally, Douglass satisfied his political inclusion position by becoming an activist and abolitionist for abolishing slavery in all its forms. While Douglass accomplished his goals with education being a key factor to his victory, Zitkala-Sa believes the problem with formal education is that it is not culturally sensitive. Other cultures values are not represented only American ideologies are represented. Zitkala-Sa believes that since other cultures’ values are not represented this ultimately flaws the education system making her and other ethnicities feel like they do not belong. Therefor Zitkala-Sa feels like she never wins despite her accomplishments through the Western education
system. Although American ideologies are represented in the Western education system, Zitkala-Sa should not feel defeated in the end of her writing because she becomes a successful, educated woman. Zitkala-Sa works hard through college and has many titles for her accomplishments. If Zitkala-Sa did not go through the education system there is no guarantee that she would have become an outstanding writer, published her book, or even a political activist for Native Americans. Douglass and Zitkala-Sa have similar success stories because they both are activist for their culture and people and they are great writers with published books. If it was not for education both authors would not have been aware of the problems they saw their people going through. Ultimately the education system made Zitkala-Sa who she was because she was able to be an activist for her people because she was aware of what was occurring. Successful, because she was able to logically develop her ideas and speak on issues. Education became the development and basis for Douglass and Zitkala-Sa’s life. Education made both these authors successful. Douglass and Zitkala-Sa both realized what was happening to their people, and that they needed to advocate for their culture and people. Education made Douglass and Zitkala-Sa fulfill their duty as influential people of the world
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.
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,
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
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
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
What do the following words or phrases have in common: “the last departure,”, “final curtain,” “the end,” “darkness,” “eternal sleep”, “sweet release,” “afterlife,” and “passing over”? All, whether grim or optimistic, are synonymous with death. Death is a shared human experience. Regardless of age, gender, race, religion, health, wealth, or nationality, it is both an idea and an experience that every individual eventually must confront in the loss of others and finally face the reality of our own. Whether you first encounter it in the loss of a pet, a friend, a family member, a neighbor, a pop culture icon, or a valued community member, it can leave you feeling numb, empty, and shattered inside. But, the world keeps turning and life continues. The late Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computers and of Pixar Animation Studios, in his 2005 speech to the graduating class at Stanford, acknowledged death’s great power by calling it “the single best invention of Life” and “Life’s great change agent.” How, in all its finality and accompanying sadness, can death be good? As a destination, what does it have to teach us about the journey?
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
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).
“Sincerely and earnestly hoping that this little book may do something toward throwing light on the American slave system, and hastening the glad day of deliverance to the millions of my brethren in bonds … relying upon the power of truth, love, and justice, for success in my … efforts and solemnly pledging myself anew to the sacred cause, I subscribe myself” (Douglass 76). With these words, Frederick Douglass (c. 1817-1895), an emancipated slave with no formal education, ends one of the greatest pieces of propaganda of the 19th century America: that slavery is good for the slave. He writes his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave, as an abolitionist tool to shape his northern audience’s view of southern slaveholders. Through personal anecdotes, Douglass draws an accurate picture of slave life. Simultaneously, he chooses these events for how they will affect the northern audience’s opinion of southern slaveholders (Quarles ii). By using the written word, Douglass targets educated northern whites because they were the only group capable of changing the status quo. Illiterate northern whites and free northern blacks could not vote, while white Southerners would not vote because they did not want change. For that reason, Douglass used his life story as an instrument to promote abolition among literate northern whites (vi).
Frederick Douglass defined his manhood through his education and his freedom. As a slave he realized "the white man's power to enslave the black man".*(Narrative 273) That power was through mental and physical enslavement. Douglass knew that becoming literate would be "the pathway from slavery to freedom".*(275) His education would give him the mental freedom to then gain physical freedom. He became literate by bribing and befriending the neighborhood boys that lived around him. Every chance Douglass had, he would find another way to gain more knowledge to learn to read.
Mr. Auld believed that teaching a slave was not only a bad idea, but also against the law. Douglass said, “Learning would spoil the best nigger in the world.” At this point, Douglass mentioned that he had a completely new realization, a new thought that black men are slaves because of their lack of knowledge. Douglass understands the main function that literacy plays in a white-dominated society during that time. Teaching a few things to a young slave will make him "unmanageable" and "unfit" to perform his job as a slave. Education will raise a slave’s self-conscious mind and help him to understand the value of a free life. Douglass thought without education the slave would never learn what he should have, and what he is missing. He was in a dark place where the rest of the slaves knew nothing about a free life. He believed only education could give them their desired life. If he learned to read, then he wouldn't have to be a slave anymore. T...
Frederick Douglass’ source, “The Desire for Freedom” was written in 1845. He was born into slavery in 1818 and became an important figure in the fight for abolition. Douglass was also involved in other reform movements such as the women’s rights movement. He “experienced slavery in all its variety, from work as a house servant and as a skilled craftsman in Baltimore shipyard to labor as a plantation field hand” (Pg.207¬). “The Desire for Freedom” was meant to document how his life was within slavery and how his education could someday help him escape it. Douglass meant to speak to American slaves and those who did not really understand slavery in order to help persuade everyone that life was meant to be lived freely. In order to obtain this future, Douglass wrote about his own personal experience and how he believed that enslavers were “in no other light than a band of successful robbers, who had left their homes, and gone to Africa, and stolen us from our homes, and in a strange land reduced us to slavery” (Pg. 208). This source brings on the idea that slaves were willing to fight back, wanted to be educated, and, most importantly, wanted the chance to live life freely.
While writing about the dehumanizing nature of slavery, Douglass eloquently and efficiently re-humanize African Americans. This is most evident throughout the work as a whole, yet specific parts can be used as examples of his artistic control of the English language. From the beginning of the novel, Douglass’ vocabulary is noteworthy with his use of words such as “intimation […] odiousness […] ordained.” This more advanced vocabulary is scattered throughout the narrative, and is a testament to Douglass’ education level. In conjunction with his vocabulary, Douglass often employed a complex syntax which shows his ability to manipulate the English language. This can be seen in Douglass’ self-description of preferring to be “true to [himself], even at the hazard of incurring ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and incur [his] own abhorrence.” This is significant because it proves that Douglass can not only simply read and write, but he has actually obtained a mastery of reading and writing. This is a highly humanizing trait because it equates him in education level to that of the stereotypical white man, and how could one deny that the white man is human because of his greater education? It is primarily the difference in education that separates the free from the slaves, and Douglass is able to bridge this gap as a pioneer of the
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.
In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, written by Frederick Douglass himself, is a story of Douglass’ courageous journey through the dark and wretched period of slavery, acting as almost as the slavery’s version of The Diary of Anne Frank. Douglass, a former slave, had an utmost strong desire to acquire the knowledge of literacy—the ability to read and write. In Chapter 6, Douglass overheard a discussion between different white men speaking about how that literacy would allow the slaves to understand their condition and make controlling them a seemingly impossible job for the slave-masters to deal with. With this knowledge in mind, Douglass decided to “set out with high hope, and a fixed purpose, at whatever cost