I will be answering questions 3, 4 and 5 from; Learning to read by Fredrick Douglas. The (The Columbian Orator) was acquired by Fredrick Douglas at the age of twelve and it changed his life. Being a slave in the 1800’s Douglas began to accept he was going to be a slave for life, feeling there was no hope he would ever be free. A speech in (The Columbian Orator) written by Sheridan the words became a powerful message to him, “they gave tongue to interesting thoughts of my own soul, which had frequently flashed through my mind, and died away for want of utterance.” (pg. 26) The ideas of denunciation of slavery and vindication of human rights gave Douglas the strength that he needed, to get through the feeling of being a “slave for life.” But the Ideas soon led to pain, and feelings of disgust and loathing for is enslavers. …show more content…
Douglas wrote” It had given me a view of my wretched condition, without the remedy.” (pg. 27) Thinking of his forlorn existence plagued him every day, bringing him to thoughts of death. Furthermore, Douglas wished he could take his knowledge and make it disappear, for being ignorant to reality was better. Slavers were powerful, they had the ability to keep slaves within there control. Douglas understood through his illegally acquired knowledge that ignorance is weak and knowledge is power.” Education, Douglas insists goes hand in hand with freedom.” (pg. 24) Slavers made it illegal for slaves to learn or have any education because of fear it would make them “unfit for slavery” and they were correct, it