Analysis Of Frederick Douglass Learning To Read

If slaves were to learn how to read, they could in turn be educated. The oppressing class during this time period realized that if slaves were able to become educated they could no longer be useful, for it would be increasingly difficult to exploit their services.

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Disclaimer: This work has been submitted by a student. This is not an example of the work written by professional academic writers. Here you can order a professional work. As he become more proficient in English, Douglass began to gain a following of slaves who were willing to learn.

He used his knowledge to covertly conduct a school where he would teach other slaves the alphabet and numbers. The experience of teaching others brought tremendous joy to Douglass who felt he was providing a better opportunity to his fellow slaves.

When Douglass went to live with the Auld family, the mistress Mrs. Auld had never before owned a slave. Her behavior towards Douglass was different-kinder, and she even began to teach him the alphabet. When her husband, Mr. Auld, found out of her actions she was scolded and told that a slave should never be taught how to read. From that day on, Mrs. Auld never again taught Douglass any letters.

Although it is undoubtedly a piece of abolitionist propaganda it also seems to be historically accurate. His arguments appealed to the Northern whites by Her attitude completely changed. Not only was the issue of slaves being illiterate keeping slaves ignorant, but the masters also.

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By Mrs. When Douglass saw how protective Mr. Auld was over keeping him illiterate, he became more curious and concluded that education would be vital to the emancipation of his race. He used his knowledge of the alphabet to eventually learn how to read and write.

The words of Mr. Auld seemed to foretell Douglass too perfectly. Still, Douglass progressed to learn how to read and write without a formal teacher. The reason that this is such a divine moment in his life is because it portrays equality between Frederick, the literate slave, and his literate masters. While Douglass lived with Mr. Freeland he gained a very close knit of friends with the slaves on the farm.

Analysis Of Learning To Read By Frederick Douglass

They were a community which acted as one, each member responsible for the other. Before his escape, Douglass was able to ignite the will to learn into those on the farm and the farms surrounding. He gave those who were trapped the same utensils that were given to him when he was younger. As his ideology of education became more accepted throughout the farm, Douglass was able to gather an escape team. Amidst all the planning, Douglass wrote a protection for each of the men stating they were allowed to travel to Baltimore for the holiday.

This is the advantage Douglass, a literate slave, has over other slaves and also other whites. No other slave would be able to legibly write a letter of protection and no other white person would expect a slave to know how to write. By Douglass knowing how to write, it makes the authenticity of the protections seem more probable. Douglass, however, never got to execute his escape.]

Analysis Of Frederick Douglass Learning To Read - are

Douglass was a former slave who became emancipated and fought for the freedom and rights of enslaved Africans that experienced harsh and brutal treatment. The account of his journey entailed many concepts, such as freedom, uncertainty, but overall the narrative explores the theme of ignorance. Ignorance can be defined as being unfamiliar or unaware of surroundings as well as the absence of information. Before continuing it is important to clarify that stupidity and ignorance are not related and cannot be used interchangeably. During his early years, Douglass was not able to learn through formal schooling. He encountered many teachers throughout painful and distressing moments of his life, which played a vast role in shaping the perceptions of his literacy. Douglass have spent the rest of his life educating himself, either by self-taught or someone else helping him to learn. At the time period, it was forbidden for the slaves to educate or to be educated. Douglass was lucky enough to even receive this chance to educate himself. Despite his determination to educate himself, he is still human.