ESSAY 2! ! Aura A. De Leon Sosa! Professor A. Webb! September 26, 2014! !
Learning How to Read and Write! By Frederick Douglass!
! !
"Learning how to Read and Write by Frederick Douglass is based on the very unfair life of
this little boy (Douglass) who was born a slave. In the essay Douglass began expressing how
his mistress was a very kind woman when he met her. This kind woman started to teach him
how to read. However after her husband forbade her to teach him, she transformed herself in
this evil person. He also learned his slaveholders did not want him to learn how to read be-
cause the slaveholders maintain power by keeping the slaves controlled, confused and igno-
rants. Otherwise the slaves will become out of control. Douglass teaches himself how to read
in many ways possible and he succeeded. However he did not enjoyed as much as he though
because he found out how miserable his life as slave for life was. He discovered that learning
how to read was not the key for him to be a free man.
Douglass Mater's acknowledge the progress he was making on learning. He forbade his wife
to teach Douglass. He said to her "â¦among other things it is unlawful as well as unsafe, to
teach a slave to read." (except for Chapter VI) His master also told to his Mistress "â¦if you
give a nigger an inch, he will take an ell'. (except for Chapter IV) When he heard that he
felt helpless. He was very intrigued. Why his master was so upset about him learning?
!
Douglas knew that his masters were unhappy with him learning how to read. He noticed how
his progress, makes them upset. Douglass essay describes his terrible experiences...
Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass portrait
English: Portrait of Frederick Douglass as a young...