Similarities Between Frederick Douglass And Jhumpa Lahiri

Frederick Douglass once stated, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” This simple yet profound statement is relevant to countless scenarios in life. For Douglass, this quote is a direct reflection of his time as a slave. Without the challenges of slavery, he never would have progressed into a famous writer and orator. Frederick Douglass’ words can also be applied to Jhumpa Lahiri in her literary work, “Trading Stories.” While Lahiri was not a slave, she also had to overcome her own personal struggles to progress in her writing career. Both Douglass’ “Learning to Read and Write” and Lahiri’s “Trading Stories” illustrate the torment of self-doubt, triumph of writing, and struggle with existence felt by both authors on their journey

Frederick Douglass’ literary work, “Learning to Read and Write,” describes Douglass’ frustrations and regrets spurred by reading. Even though he desired to read, he struggled with the truth that came with this new-found lesson. Douglass began to feel that learning to read was not all he had hoped. He recalls, “As I writhed under it, I would at times feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing” (Douglass 103). Douglass goes on to express that his permanent status of “slave for life” began to consume his thoughts entirely (Douglass 102). He gained unwanted exposure to the evils of society and the harshness of his unavoidable fate. While Douglass assumed his life would be enriched through reading, he felt it was diminished. In the same sense, Jhumpa Lahiri also expresses apprehension in her literary work, “Trading Stories.” In her early stages of writing, Lahiri continuously battled with uncertainty. Instead of possessing the drive to become a writer, she claimed other people were better qualified for the position (Lahiri 4). Even though she enjoys writing and the creative outlets it provides, it takes her a while to gain true momentum. Lahiri writes, “It was not in my nature to be an assertive person. And yet writing stories is one of the most assertive things a person can do” (Lahiri 5). The insight that she provides illustrates her continuous lack of

In “Learning to Read and Write,” Douglass questions his life purpose. He writes, “I often found myself regretting my own existence, and wishing myself dead” (Douglass 103). The harsh reality of slavery compelled Douglass to contemplate the meaning of life and instilled in him a sense of hopelessness. While Douglass was found in a much more severe predicament than Lahiri, she also called herself into question. Throughout “Trading Stories,” Lahiri continuously expresses her insecurities. She states, “For much of my life, I wanted to be other people. The writer in me wanted to edit myself” (Lahiri 5). This self-disapproval stems from her inability to feel a sense of belonging. In addition to Douglass wishing he could alter his fate and Lahiri her characteristics, they also experienced rejection from others. Douglass received rejection from his mistress who had agreed to teach him how to read. He was accustomed to her kind-hearted personality; however, once she became a slave owner, she realized the danger of continuing his lessons (Douglass 100). Douglass recounts, “Under its influence, the tender heart became stone, and the lamb-like disposition gave way to one of tiger-like fierceness” (Douglass 101). This abrupt shift in his treatment motivated Douglass to self-educate. Similarly, Lahiri always felt slightly rejected by her Bengali parents because she was born in America. In their