Letter To Douglass Summary

2) While reading Garrison’s preface, we quickly realize that the author is referring to Douglass in the past tense. This preface is the life of a slave after he has been freed. He mentions bring Douglass up on to the platform to address a convention, “He came forward to the platform with hesitancy and embarrassment, necessarily the attendants of a sensitive min in such a novel position.” This shows the reader of the preface that we can anticipate the story of Douglass’ life as a slave. The letter written to Douglass from Wendell Phillips is taken as a thank-you to Douglass for telling his difficult story. He not only is saying thank you for sharing, but sends his condolences for the pain he endured throughout his life as a slave. “After all,

Sophia Auld who “very kindly commend to teach me the A, B, C” (Douglass 1196) was a different type of slave owner as she was kind and did not punish Douglass. Once Mr. Auld finds out that his wife has been teaching him how to read, he demands that she stop, explaining to her that it was “unlawful as well as unsafe , to teach a slave to read.” (Douglass 1196) As he continues to verbally degrade educating slaves, Douglass listens closely. Though young in age, he was much smarter than he seemed and he soaked in the information he heard from his masters mouth. He wrote “These words sank deep into my heart, stirred up sentiments within that lay slumbering, and called into existence an entirely new train of thought.” (Douglass (1196) Though he struggled to understand he states that he “now understood what had been a most perplexing difficulty—to wit, the white man’s power to enslave the black man….I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom.” (Douglass 1197) In this moment, Douglass comes to a realization that education was invaluable and and it was what he desired most. The ironic statement that we can withdraw this analyzation was “In learning to ready, I owe almost as much to the bitter opposition of my master, as to the kindly aid of my mistress. I acknowledge the benefit of both.” (Douglass 1197) He understands that

Montressor is very prideful of his family linage and this is where we can understand his actions as he plans and carries out the killing of Fortunato. The retaliation on behalf of his family can be a reason to why Montressor carries out the act of killing his insulter. He leads him into the crypts of his family, only to be continually insulted and questions by his “friend”. Eventually leading him to his death, which we also know as “amontillado”, but unbeknownst to Fortunato, whom believes they are on a venture to seek a famous