Comparing Douglass 'Learning To Read And Write'

"Learning to Read and Write" by Frederick Douglass is an excerpt that illustrates the lengths one will go in order to achieve literacy. Born a slave, Frederick Douglass spent much of his childhood learning to read and write in order to feed his growing desire for knowledge. Douglass found this to be both a blessing and a curse, for literature allowed him to consider deeper perspectives that forced Douglass to analyze the world around him. He slowly came to the realization of just how cruel slavery was and only felt more and more trapped by his enslavers. His story, shared in the excerpt, shows the sheer power of knowledge and how it is the most powerful tool one can acquire. Knowledge has the ability to open doors to opportunities that would

In order to learn to read, he was taught by other boys of his age that went to school. As Douglass stated, “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.” This quote exemplifies Douglass’ belief that literacy is the most important skill one must obtain. Furthermore, his resourcefulness allowed him to fulfill this idea. It displays the sheer amount of determination and perseverance Douglass had in order to achieve his goal. Douglass furthered his education by learning how to write. He began by learning to write a few letters and their meaning, then continued learning through other boys who went to school. Douglass practiced this new skill on everything from the pavement to the walls, using repetition to perfect his writing. He then, “commenced and continued copying the Italics in Webster's Spelling Book, until [he] could make them all without looking in the book.” The amount of effort Douglass put into becoming literate finally paid off. All of his hard work and dedication paved the path toward being successful and

After achieving literacy, Douglass’ mind was opened to completely new perspectives, especially regarding his life as a slave. Douglass was able to understand the concept of basic human rights and, most importantly, the idea of freedom. However, this gift of learning is double-sided. Douglass himself wrote, “The reading of these documents enabled me to utter my thoughts, and to meet the arguments brought forward to sustain slavery; but while they relieved me of one difficulty, they brought on another even more painful than the one of which I was relieved.” Through reading novels, most importantly "The Columbian Orator", Douglass was able to realize how brutal slavery truly is. He could now fully comprehend the reality of his situation; how his enslavers had robbed his people from their own land, how he was being treated like less than human, and how his dignity had been taken away. He felt trapped in the air. Douglass knew that slavery was inhumane to an infinite degree, yet there was little he could do about it. This feeling of helplessness consumed Douglass to the point that anything would rouse his desperation for freedom. However, literacy also gave him the beginnings of his idea to