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Handful Quotes

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The quote that Handful says to Sarah in The Invention of Wings, “My body might be a slave, but not my mind. For you, it’s the other way around” (Kidd 201), displays the obvious inequalities towards women and African Americans during the early 1800’s. The quote shows that not only is Handful a slave in the novel, but Sarah is as well. Sarah is trapped in the mindset that she cannot make a difference in the world and believes her dreams of having a profession are unrealistic due to what others think. The quote is very important because it helps Sarah realize how imprisoned she is in Charleston and how she can never make a difference in the fight for justice for others due to women’s status. Sarah has an inkling to go north, become a Quaker, and fight for her freedom and the freedom of Handful and other …show more content…

Surely he wouldn’t claim this was God’s will too" (Kidd 42), said by Sarah displays the theme of the importance of religion. Since Sarah is religious and knows about God, she knows that he would never agree with slavery and the injustices that African Americans face. Her connection and knowledge of God makes her into a powerful abolitionist. Another point that this specific quote brings up is that a message of The Invention of Wings is defying the law restricting slaves literacy and other laws that restrain slaves for the greater good of others. As Sarah defies the literacy law and teaches Handful how to read and write, she creates joy in Handful’s life and a skill that should be presented to everyone. The action of teaching Handful how to read is Sarah’s first action to stand up for what is right even though at the time, even though teaching slaves to write is very wrong. While most people, including ministers, treat African Americans and women unjustly, Sarah does not. By her fair treatment, Sarah sends a strong message, that standing up for what is just is very important despite what others

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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

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646 Words | 3 Pages

Obama continues her historical account as she describes the travail and bravery that a few people possessed that led them to afford educational opportunities for black people even when “Teachers received death threats.” (289). She evokes these historical events, not only to show the stark difference between the past and present with regards to educational opportunities for African Americans, but also demonstrate how the people who fought tirelessly so that they could gain an education did so because of they were aware of the value of education as it brings freedom and opportunity to those who have it. To bolster this assertion, Obama quotes Fredrick Douglas, “Freedom is Emancipation” (289) Obama details even further as she

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485 Words | 2 Pages

What was never presented was the point of view from the African Americans because it was seemingly dismissed. It was eye-opening to read about the experience from an African’s perspective because it brought a whole new light to my understanding of what it meant to be a slave and the struggles black Americans face here in the US, even

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743 Words | 3 Pages

Many of us take education for granted and don’t learn to our fullest potential, but Fredrick Douglass soaked in every piece of information up because he knew it was his way out. “Learning to Read and Write” is a famous article based on what Fredrick Douglass went through to earn a valuable education while being enslaved. Author Fredrick Douglass, wrote “Learning to Read and Write”, published in 1845. Throughout the article, he takes us through different events he goes through while being enslaved. Douglass begins building his credibility with personal facts and successfully demonstrating logic and pathos appeal.

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1353 Words | 6 Pages

Mamie specifically wrote this book to tell her son’s story, representing hope and forgiveness, which revealed the sinister and illegal punishments of the south. She wanted to prevent this horrendous tragedy from happening to others. The purpose of the book was to describe the torment African Americans faced in the era of Jim Crow. It gives imagery through the perspective of a mother who faced hurt, but brought unity to the public, to stand up for the rights of equal treatment. This book tells how one event was part of the elimination of racial segregation.

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1092 Words | 5 Pages

At the age of 14 years old Susie King began teaching children and adults how to read and write. After some time had passed the former slaves along with Susie and her uncle’s family escaped the plantation. They joined with the Union Army encampment on St. Catherine Island and remained there for two weeks before transferring to St. Simon’s Island (Taylor, S. (1902). Reminiscences of my life in camp with the 33d United States colored troops, late 1st S.C, volunteers. Boston: The author.).

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1490 Words | 6 Pages

In many ways, Whitehead’s novel is a symbol of resistance. He encourages individuals to resist the attempts of the unjust, who wish to erase the diverse nation that history has worked so hard to build. Today, freedom in American is often taken for granted. Taking a look at the struggles faced by those enslaved, therefore, forces individuals to pay close attention to and learn from America’s frightful history. In doing so, modern generations have the ability to work towards building a better world, laid alternatively, on the foundation of equality and acceptance of all, regardless of sex, gender, and

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392 Words | 2 Pages

African-American slaves were forbidden to obtain the knowledge of being able to read or write, stemming from the fear of white masters that educated slaves will overpower them. Douglass managed to learn to read by bribing poor and hungry white boys into teaching him in exchange for bits of bread. Douglass illustrates his thirst for literacy through “[The] bread [he] used to bestow upon the hungry little urchins, who, in return, would give [him] that more valuable bread of knowledge” (pg 23). This reveals how much Douglass valued education and took advantage of all the knowledge he had access to. Today’s youth, especially the ones belonging to a minority

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697 Words | 3 Pages

) There were a few quotes that stood out to me today. Their was one that stood out the most to me and that was what Freak says later in the book,"...you can remember anything whether it happened or not. " I think that that means you can remember things that never happened even if you learn to know it never happened. This quote stands out to me because I can remember things that were merely my imagination from when I was little. One thing I can remember that my mom always said never happened was a story about me driving my mom and dad 's minivan down the road to a nearby gas station and breaking down, I had always insisted it happened even though it obviously never did until I was 10 years old.

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560 Words | 3 Pages

“Learning to Read and Write” by Frederick Douglass is a personal narrative which describes a specific time in his childhood when he was learning to read and write. Born as a slave in the pre-Civil War south, Douglass was not expected to be literate. However, through strong ambition, Douglass overcame restrictions and stereotypes placed on slaves and taught himself to read and write. Later in his life, Frederick Douglass wrote down this story in his book Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass in 1845. Today, students and adults can enjoy this narrative on how he overcame the struggles of learning how to read and write.

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836 Words | 4 Pages

Human slavery requires ignorance, just as an individual’s freedom, from oppression, requires knowledge attained by education. To maintain order and control over slaves, slavery demands ignorant slaves; thus, keeping slaves ignorant prevents slaves from recognizing the empowering value of education and education’s ability to liberate slaves from the effects of ignorance. Frederick Douglass’s pursuit of education helped him discover the dark, hidden truths of slavery in his article, “How I Learned to Read and Write.” Thus, the pursuit of education inspires a desire for freedom. The desire to learn generates determination and motivation.

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1080 Words | 5 Pages

In Frederick Douglass’s narrative essay titled “Learning to Read” he recalls his journey to literacy. Throughout the essay Douglass reveals how he learned to read and write, despite the fact that education was strictly prohibited to slaves. Initially, Douglass learned how to read through his mistress, but he later learned from the little white boys on the streets. As for learning to write, he often times observed ship carpenters and replicated the copy-books of his Master’s son. Frederick Douglass did not have the same opportunities students have today, yet despite his adversities, Douglass was able to become a literate slave, and ultimately free himself from slavery with the power of

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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.

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660 Words | 3 Pages

Jones’ short story challenges the status quo in multiple ways. The status quo during this era was African American education. Throughout the short story we learn the mother did not get an education, for example: the mother says “I can’t read it. I don’t know how to read or

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1215 Words | 5 Pages

In order to change history, people must learn from their mistakes. Segregation in North America has been a big issue in North America that unfortunately still happens in the world today, however, it is not as bad as it once was. In the poem “History Lesson” by Natasha Trethewey, the author uses mood, symbolism and imagery to describe the racial segregation coloured people faced in the past compared to more recent times, where equality is improved and celebrated. The author uses language and setting to influence the mood and meaning of the poem.

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