The Life of Frederick Douglass the Power of Reading Essay

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: The Power of Reading In the pre-Civil War plantations of the South, slaves were forbidden to read or write. In other words, they were forced to be ignorant and locked in mental darkness. In the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, he writes in dept about his life as a slave in these plantations. After leaning the ABCs and learning to spell words consisting of three or four letters from Ms. Auld, Frederick Douglass illustrates how he secretly taught himself how to read and write using various strategies such as: Learning the letters on the timber at Durgin and Baileys ship yard, getting lessons from the white boys he met on the street, Websters Spelling Book, and master†¦show more content†¦He now knew what empowered them and what he needed to become empowered, and he states that The argument which he so warmly urged, against my learning to read, only served to inspire me with a desire and determination to learn (48). He prized this lesson and took advantage of it. Frederick Douglas s now set a goal for himself to learn how to read at any cost. Mrs. Auld now realized that education and slavery were incompatible. The once, kind Mrs. Auld, now turned her back on Frederick Douglass. She stopped teaching Frederick Douglass to read, nor, would not let him look at the newspaper. However, all of her evil intentions to abandon him in mental darkness just motivated him to further his reading abilities to the next level Knowing how powerful reading was, Frederick Douglass decided to take reading into his own hands. He had to acquire new ways to educate himself to read and write. Frederick Douglass immediately realized that all of the white boys on the street knew how to read and write and he soon converted them into his new teachers. He began taking bread from the house and, in trade, received valuable reading lessons from the poor white boys on the street. Through these lessons, Frederick Douglass could now read. Learning to read gave Frederick Douglass the self confidence he needed to write. He believed that if he could write, he may be able to, one day, write his own pass. Frederick Douglass began learning the letters markedShow MoreRelatedRhetorical Devices In The Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass729 Words   |  3 Pagesbecause education is power, and with power, slaves could escape. Frederick Douglass said that â€Å"Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.† F rederick Douglass escaped from slavery with the power of education, and he wrote an autobiography, which shows the idea of freedom through the eyes of Frederick Douglass, and the connection between freedom and education. Douglass shows this through rhetorical devices and the elements of rhetoric. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American SlaveRead MoreNarrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave1251 Words   |  6 PagesJustine Boonstra Frey- Period 1 MAJOR WORKS REVIEW AP Lang Version GENERAL 1. Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. 1845. New York: Fine, 2003. Print. 2. Autobiography STRUCTURE 1. Point of View: First Person, the narrator Frederick Douglass 2. Relationship of POV to meaning: 3. Plot Structure a. Exposition: Douglass describes that his mother was a black slave, and his father was a white man. Thus, he was born into slavery and was sent off toRead More Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Essay907 Words   |  4 PagesNarrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The tone established in the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is unusual in that from the beginning to the end the focus has been shifted. In the beginning of the narrative Douglass seems to fulfill every stereotypical slavery theme. He is a young black slave who at first cannot read and is very naà ¯ve in understanding his situation. As a child put into slavery Douglass does not have the knowledge to know about his surroundings and theRead More Martin Luther King Jr. and Frederick Douglass Essay1390 Words   |  6 PagesKing Jr. and Frederick Douglass When comparing two essays, there are many different aspects that the reader can look at to make judgments and opinions. In the two essays that I choose, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. Letter from Birmingham Jail, and FREDERICK DOUGLASS From Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, there were many similarities, but also many differences. Some of them being, the context, style, structure and tone. 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First, Douglass explains his relationship with his mistress and how he feels sympathy for her in a situation where one would typically feel spiteful. Because Douglass does notRead MoreFrederick Douglass : A Man949 Words   |  4 PagesDaniel Lee 12/6/15 Frederick Douglass Essay How did Frederick Douglass move from being a slave to a man? In Frederick Douglass’s autobiography, â€Å"Frederick Douglass,† Frederick Douglass, a black man born into slavery, went from being a slave to a man. His actions proved he was a man. Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in Tuckahoe, Maryland. Like many slaves, Frederick Douglass didn’t know his exact age or birthday, but he knew an estimate of his age. â€Å"I come to this, fromRead MoreThe Education Of Malcolm X Essay984 Words   |  4 PagesLiteracy is power. Being taught to read and write is important to function in society. You learn to read and write to express your feelings and communicate with others. Frederick Douglass and Malcom X both succeeded in learning how to read and write, but in different ways. The education of Malcolm X was learned more formally. Frederick Douglass learned from his surroundings and the people around him. Malcom and Frederick battled in reading and writing, but learned in similar and different ways. Read MoreEffects of Lack of Education 627 Words   |  3 Pagesthe Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave, Frederick Douglass portrays to the readers how lack of education can keep a people oppressed. Frederick Douglass believed that all men are created equal, and he also knew that people must make themselves what they want to be. Because of this fact, Frederick Douglass discovered that education and self-improvement were extremely important aspects in a slave’s journey to freedom. According to Frederick Douglass, the worst thing aboutRead MoreNarrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass1405 Words   |  6 PagesLife is always compared to be like a roller coaster ride, having its ups and downs. The book Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is an autobiography written by Fredrick Douglass. The book is written from his perspective of being a slave who hoped to be free someday. This autobiography occurs in the years 1835 to 1845 in Boston, Massachu setts. This book shows the roller coaster ride of going from slavery to freedom. In the beginning of this book, there is a preface which is told by a white