ipl-logo

Comparing Fredrick Douglass Learning To Read And Write

1408 Words6 Pages

Learning how to read and write can be a struggle especially if you’re taught at a much older age, but when you have the determination you can sure enough achieve it. But to having knowledge can have some good and bad to it. Fredrick Douglass wrote his personal essay titled “Learning to Read and Write.” This intelligent yet complex essay was written in 1845 and first published in Maryland. Douglass was an escaped slave. During the period of the Civil War, he was an adviser to President Abraham Lincoln twice. Douglass also recruited black troops during the Civil War. He gained fame for being a persuasive speaker and writer primarily on the abolition of slavery and racism. Declaring that being literate is his pathway to freedom, Douglass increases …show more content…

Douglass said reading persistently expanded his mind, but as a result the knowledge tortured him internally, so internally he did not want the knowledge anymore. In the essay Douglass said reading one of the speeches from the “Columbian Orator” told him that the capability of truth won over the inner feeling of the oppressor. Also with the knowledge he gained from the speeches he read was the elimination and discouragement of bondage, and the questioning of if slavery is right or wrong and went against human rights. Douglass, now knowing the truth about slavery and being able to argue against it, felt that slavery was unspeakable. Douglass grew his knowledge, not just because his was hurt by the truth, but at the same time grew anger toward the oppressors that put him in his situation. He also said that his enslavers were just a group of victorious thieves that basically got away with …show more content…

Reading the essay and thinking about the experiences Douglass went through to achieve what he wanted; which was the ability to read and write. I think the main idea relates to me by telling me the reader, that education is something so essential to knowing the truth in the words of others, and mastering the ability know about your past. Even though Douglass’s mistress stop teaching after a while, and always tried to prevent him from getting any sort of reading done, that obstacle never stopped him from formulating plans to counteract that depravity. That sense of determination to me outweighed anything that would ever stand in his way. Knowing that mind set Douglass had, constantly reminds myself of a period of time that happened to me when I was a little child. That particular time was, when I was just started learning how to ride a bike. As a little girl, wanting to know how to ride one was something I wanted to achieve immediately. Getting the hang of learning how to ride a bike really took while to grasp. Eventually, I prospered in getting a hang of it. Through that little experience, it really showed me that determination can lead to great

Show More
Related

Process Analysis In Frederick Douglass By This Time, My Little Master Thomas

865 Words | 4 Pages

In his writing, Douglass states, “I was now about twelve years old, and the thought of being a slave for life began to bear heavily upon my heart. Just about this time, I got hold of a books entitled “The Columbian Orator.” Every opportunity I got, I used to read this book. Among much of other interesting matter, I found in it a dialogue between a master and his slave” (Douglass 2). Douglass displays the use of narration in this piece of writing through himself explaining an identified experience he endured.

Read More

Sherman Alexie And Frederick Douglass Essay

689 Words | 3 Pages

In the essays, “The Joy of Reading and Writing; Superman and Me” and Frederick Douglass’s “Chapter 7: Learning to Read and Write”, Sherman Alexie and Frederick Douglass write about their hardships and challenges they faced while learning how to read and write due to their social economic status. Despite the fact that Alexie and Douglass are incredibly different people, they both use education for freedom and a sense of self-worth. Alexie and Douglass both struggled to receive education and struggled mentally and physically because of their social economic status. Although, Alexie and Douglass both experienced these hardships, they saw the world through a totally different perspective. Alexie saw the world in a more positive manner than Douglass

Read More

Summary Of Frederick Douglass Learning To Read And Write

299 Words | 2 Pages

Frederick Douglass in his article, Learning to Read and Write, tells about his struggle to learn to read and write in the 1800’s because he was a slave. He uses an anecdote, pathos, and personification to support his actions to not let slavery prevent his education. The majority of his article is a personal anecdote telling of his struggle to learn to read and write. In his narrative, he appeals to the readers’ emotions in order to make them better understand his actions and situation. He does this by using imagery to describe his situation, using descriptive words to explain his desire to learn, and telling about the change his mistress went through.

Read More

Why Did Frederick Douglass Become Literate

1062 Words | 5 Pages

Douglass was so determined to become literate that he learned in so many unorthodox ways that it made him a better thinker, reader, and writer. As a child Douglass got his hands on The Columbian Orator, which instilled an influx of ideas in his mind. Although with the spark the Columbian Orator arisen, Douglass wasn’t able to do much with it because he was unable to create a coherent answer or response to the questions and ideas he had. With the arrival of these thoughts also brought along heartache. He was a prisoner to his own mind, when he learned to read he got a rude awakening by being aware of his situation as a slave.

Read More

Summary Of Learning To Read And Write By Frederick Douglass

674 Words | 3 Pages

In “The Colombian Orator” if a slave was well educated, and uses that knowledge to educate the other slaves they will soon understand and realize that being own by someone is wrong. (NEED AN INTRODUCTION SENTENCE) Fredrick Douglass tells that it began to become a “torment and sting my soul to utter anguish.” Soon it became to “curse rather than a blessing.” Because reading and understanding the world he lives into order for him and caused him to want to read more and to obtain knowledge but, having a down side of his psych that he is always going to be a slave and trying to be free.

Read More

An Analysis Of Frederick Douglass Learning To Read And Write

544 Words | 3 Pages

Frederick Douglass is one of the best known abolitionists, who at the time when slavery was rampant stood and fought for freedom. Douglass was among slaves who managed to learn how to read and write through his determination. He escaped to New York and became a writer, editor, and inspirational speaker. In “Learning to Read and Write,” Douglass used his emotion and personal experience to inform abolitionists the need to end slavery. Douglass was a victim of slavery at a young age; he went through emotional drama that motivated him to call out for freedom for every man, women and child.

Read More

Analysis Of Learning To Read And Write By Frederick Douglass

118 Words | 1 Pages

In the text entitled "Learning to Read and Write" by Frederick Douglass, the author shares his experiences with the mistress, and her impact on his education. He explains that through the mistress's actions to teach him to become literate, it proved to be a significant stage to his mental progress. He continued to explain that awareness caused him to reevaluate his present situation, and that it also caused him to come to regret learning to read. Thereafter, Douglass learns about abolition and begins to long for freedom, and lastly, Douglass describes the process in which learned to write while being enslaved. These main ideas illustrate to readers that learning to read and write was important to Douglass’s understanding of slavery.

Read More

Frederick Douglass Why I Learned To Read And Write Analysis

582 Words | 3 Pages

Douglass began to view reading as a curse more than a blessing; a way in which he felt more imprisoned by the slave state he was in. Thus, the more he read the more he began to detest enslavers; which nonetheless in his mind would be nothing but thieves whom robbed slave’s homes. For it was not only reading but his ceaseless mind getting the best of him; such reading would create endless thoughts which haunted him and made him wish that he would remain an ignorant slave. Nonetheless, during Douglass’s thoughts, Douglass began to learn to

Read More

Examples Of Enlightenment In Learning To Read By Frederick Douglass

1251 Words | 6 Pages

Frederick Douglass and his description of learning how to read is an example of a terrifying pursuit of knowledge that ended up haunting him. Douglass recounted that reading “Torment and sting my soul to unutterable anguish… It opened my eyes to the horrible pit, but to no ladder upon which to get out” (230). For Douglass, learning how to read brought a current of negative emotions because he finally realized how he would never get the freedom he desired. Moreover, enlightenment caused him to feel a sense of overwhelming pain because there was nothing he could do.

Read More

Analysis Of Learning To Read And Write Frederick Douglass

560 Words | 3 Pages

Douglass states: “The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers. I could regard them in no other light than a band of successful robbers, who had left their homes, and gone to Africa, and stolen us from our homes, and in a strange land reduced us to slavery” (Douglass 51). Reading and writing opened Frederick Douglass’s eyes to the cause of the abolitionist. He became knowledgeable about a topic that white slave owners tried to keep hidden from their slaves. Literacy would eventually impact his life in more ways than what he could see while he was a young slave under Master Hugh’s

Read More

Essay On Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass

973 Words | 4 Pages

Because of this, he successfully creates a contrast between what the slave owners think of and treat the slaves and how they are. Douglass says that slave’s minds were “starved by their cruel masters”(Douglass, 48) and that “they had been shut up in mental darkness” (Douglass, 48) and through education, something that they were deprived of, Frederick Douglass is able to open their minds and allow them to flourish into the complex people that they are. By showing a willingness to learn to read and write, the slaves prove that they were much more than what was forced upon them by their masters.

Read More

Frederick Douglass Views On The Importance Of Education

1727 Words | 7 Pages

In many countries living in extremely poor conditions, not only is basic health an issue but also the lack of education. Although it is a necessity, “more than 72 million children of primary education age are not in school and 759 million adults are illiterate” (Rights to Education 1). The deprivation of education should be taken serious if a change is wanted. People need to become aware of how important education is and the benefit that it has.

Read More

Frederick Douglass Importance Of Education

836 Words | 4 Pages

Furthermore, Education opened Douglass’s eyes to the reality of his injustice as a slave; thus, compelling him to action as he recalls, “In moments of agony, I envied my fellow-slaves for their stupidity. ”(Douglass, 2014, p.133) Education caused Douglass heartache. While attaining his education benefited Douglass, he could not relate to his fellow slaves. The fellow slaves had the ability to remain content with their current state of being since it was all they had ever known. Douglass knew otherwise and longed for the forbidden life as a free man, as it changed from an unattainable idea into an achievable

Read More

The Power Of Education In A Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass

1673 Words | 7 Pages

However, literacy turns out to be not only bliss, but also painful. Indeed, while learning to read Frederick becomes more and more aware of the injustices of slavery, and this leads him to regret this knowledge “Learning how to read had become a curse rather than a blessing” ( Douglass ) . Douglass believes in the importance of education. He thinks that education is a key part to our life; it is the only way to get freedom. Literacy is very powerful because it can set anyone free to pursue dreams.

Read More

Frederick Douglass Blissful Ignorance Analysis

1394 Words | 6 Pages

Deliverance from Blissful Ignorance With how readily available reading material is in today’s society and just how much our daily lives are saturated with text, it is easy to take our literacy for granted. For slaves like Frederick Douglass, learning to read was a tremendous challenge and did not always give the results they hoped for. In the Narrative, Douglass learns to read gaining clarity and understanding of many things, such as his standing in the world. It opened his mind to some of the truths of this world, however, not all truths are pleasant. Many people, Douglass included, have found themselves depressed, to varying levels, when the veil of ignorance has been lifted from their face and they are forced to accept the truth about the

Read More

More about Comparing Fredrick Douglass Learning To Read And Write

Related Topics

Open Document