Along with family and religion, education is one of the most important aspects in society. Fredrick Douglass realized the importance of a good education by learning to read and later becoming a writer, author and advocate of African Americans, women, and many others. In the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, we learn the significance and importance of Douglass learning to read, the affect the institution of slavery had on both whites and blacks, and why learning to read threatened the institution of slavery in general.
It was important for Frederick Douglass to learn to read because he could teach other slaves to read. In the excerpt, Douglass states, “Mistress, in teaching me the alphabet, had given me the inch, and no precaution could prevent me from taking the ell”(80). Knowledge was dangerous at this point in time. When Douglass taught slaves to read, he helped them gain some knowledge of themselves. He could also gain knowledge that his slave master did not want him to know such as roads or things that could aid in his escape. Douglass being able to read was significant because it made him an empowered black man. If Frederick Douglass never learned to read, he would not have been the political activist he was. He would have probably never escaped nor would he have shared the knowledge he gained.
The institution of slavery affected both blacks as well as whites. The white and black children could not understand why they could not be friends with each other. Douglass spoke well of the white boys that he became acquainted with because they were not as knowledgeable as the adults so he was able to create a relationship with them. No one is born prejudiced. A person must be taught those ways, so Do...
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... still highly important. A lot of people take education for granted because they do not fully grasp the fact that people before us died to give us what we have. Having an education not only benefits one but also greatly influences the future of our society. An educated population represents a strong nation. Ignorance is one of the greatest tools used against us. Slave owners wanted to keep slaves ignorant to the facts, but Douglass had a vision for himself and future generations. Frederick Douglass understood this, and he also understood the value of an education. Education determines a person’s future outcomes. How can one expect to compete and be successful in todays world without an education? Not having an education amounts to still be under the control of others. Even though Douglass was from a different era of time, his values and virtues still stand true.
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
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
In Fredrick Douglass’ narrative of his own life he makes known his difficulty in receiving an education, something we take for granted today. He goes on to restate a conversation between his master and mistress: “Learning would spoil the best negro in the world. Now, if you teach that negro…how to read, there would be no keeping him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave. He would become unmanageable, and of no value to his master. As to himself, it could do him no good, but a great deal of harm.” (Douglass 41) One educated slave poses an immense threat upon the act of enslavement and those who enslave. Knowledge is dangerous in any form; it was feared to cause a slave to question authority and the entire slave institution. Intelligence enlightens slaves of the evils of slavery and that has a spiraling effect as such information would not be kept to one's self. Knowledge edifies enslaved men and women of their quality of life and to distinguish themselves as human beings rather than property. Slave owners would deprive their slaves of basic education in hopes of a decreased chance of rebellion and in contrast, a slave would need education to be liberated. Acquiring knowledge was far more powerful than any weapon. We see this idea throughout Douglass' narrative as Douglass was able to liberate himself through education.
As a slave Douglass was prohibited from learning to read and write. He started to learn from his mistress who taught him the alphabet. Later, she became aware that teaching Douglass to read could give him power. Therefore, Douglass was forbidden to read. In fact it was illegal to teach a slave to learn. As a result she and her husband tried to stop Douglass from learning to read. Every time she saw him with a newspaper she beat him. They didn’t allow him to have any books in the house and they monitored him at all time. Douglass didn’t give up. He kept learning secretly and faced his obstacles.
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...
Douglass was able to overcome his destiny of being a slave for life; believing that if a white man can achieve something great, why cant a slave. He showed the world how even a slave can talk intellectually and can comprehend everything they know. Even when Douglass felt his soul desolating his body he was able to keep just a little faith that there is still a light at the end of the tunnel for him to reach and that if he strive for what he though was right he to can become extraordinary and sensational; which is what he did. Believing you are just as equal as the person beside you, you will be able to live more freely.
Living in the Southern United States during eighteenth century was a difficult time for African-Americans. Majority of them were slaves who received manipulation, sexual abuse and brutally whips to the spin. They were treated this way in order to stop them from gaining hope, knowledge and understanding of the world. Some African Americans managed to obtain these qualities from books and use them to escape from slavery. Frederick Douglass, an abolitionist who wrote an autobiography, from which the excerpt "Learning to Read and Write" explains how he developed literacy. In the excerpt, an African American slave banned from learning to read and write, breaks the law in an attempt to free his mind from the restricted beliefs of his master. One significant idea portrayed from Douglass's ordeal is that reading and writing is a vital skill that benefits humanity.
Slave owners in the South were some of the most cruel and inhumane human beings out there. They used many tactics to maintain a prosperous system of slavery amongst them. Like many, Frederick Douglass was born a slave. Deprived of as much as possible, Douglass knew not much more than his place of birth. Masters were encouraged to dispossess slaves of any knowledge and several of them did not know their birthdays or other personal details of themselves. The purpose of this was to keep slaves as misinformed of anything other than labor as possible. Slave owners knew the dangers that would upraise if slaves became literate and brave enough to fight for freedom.
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.
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,
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 of escape and afterwards in his mission as a spokesman against slavery.
When first introduced to Douglass and his story, we find him to be a young slave boy filled with information about those around him. Not only does he speak from the view point of an observer, but he speaks of many typical stereotypes in the slave life. At this point in his life, Frederick is inexperienced and knows nothing of the pleasures of things such as reading, writing, or even the rights everyone should be entitled to. Douglass knowing hardly anything of his family, their whereabouts, or his background, seems to be equivalent to the many other slaves at the time. As a child Frederick Douglass sees the injustices around him and observes them, yet as the story continues we begin to see a change.
So he sought new teacher, teacher whom he found in the form of the poor white boys of the neighbourhood, whom he would encounter on his errands. On page 119 he states, “I used also to carry bread with me… This bread I used to bestow upon the hungry little urchins, who, in return, would give me that more valuable bread of knowledge.” Both Frederick Douglass and the little white boys were hungry, they just had an appetite for different things. However, all that glitters is not gold. Douglass, after becoming educated, soon wished he had not as he was no longer able to swim in the ocean of ignorance, now, he was left to tread the long, rocky road of knowledge. As stated on page 121, “I would at times feel that learning to read was a curse rather than a blessing. It had given me a view of my wretched condition, without the remedy… I envied my fellow-slaves for their stupidity… Anything, no matter what, to get rid of thinking! It was this everlasting thinking of my condition that tormented me.” Now fully aware of the injustice of his circumstances, and also his inability to take actions to counteract it, he was left feeling as though it would have been better to never have taken a bite of the forbidden fruit of
Reading and writing is important: it helps us function in society, helps a skill which helps us find jobs, and helps develop our imagination. We all are determined to learn to better ourselves and our future. Douglass and I come from different eras, cultures, and backgrounds; however we both focused on trying to read and write in order to better ourselves, our futures , and so we are able to fit into society. He used all his obstacles in order to push himself to become the person he wanted to
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.