Douglass's Relationship with Reading and Writing

While reading this selection, I learned much about Frederick’s curiosity with reading and writing, and his desire to gain a literary education. His master, Sophia Auld, had originally begun to teach him the ABC’s, and this sparked his desire to read and write. Although his master had forbidden him from learning to read and write, and barred his wife from assisting him in learning to do so, Douglass nevertheless persisted in his studies. He found creative ways to learn how to read, as he would venture out into the streets and recruit young city-going boys to help him, and would give them bread in return. Not only did these boys teach him how to read, but also supplied him with a hope he never received elsewhere. “You’ll be free by the time you’re 21!”, they exclaimed. And though Douglass knew this wasn’t true, it didn’t matter because no one had uplifted him the way his new “friends” had. Douglass also learned to write in the harbor, where he would see large letters standing for timber on the ships and write them down. From there he began copying books, as well. 

But as Douglass began to write and read more, his curiosity and new literary proficiency made him increasingly aware of his servitude and its longevity. He learned the word “abolished” and also read texts like the “Columbian Orator”, which served to help him understand slavery, though his awareness began to weigh on him. However, it is an immense achievement to learn to read and write essentially all on his own, especially considering Master Auld’s complete condemning of his learning (though Douglass says it was equally as helpful as Mrs. Auld’s early lessons). It was equally as heartbreaking to see that something as simple as reading and writing, Douglass could not be afforded.

Learning about Douglass’s journey with reading and writing, which in and of itself is a rare one for the majority of slaves, showed me Douglass’s dedication to his education while having to maneuver his master, who so strongly denounced him learning to read and write, and risking the consequences. In addition, this showed the incredible intelligence of Douglass and it is no surprise that his memoir is so profound because he was able to become so capable in reading and writing at a relatively young age. Even in the preface, William Lloyd Garrison speaks to Douglass’s ability to engage the crowd with his powerful language, which his early education only aided. Douglass, in the bliss of his studying was able to recognize, with humility, the privilege he had in being able go receive such lessons, despite the fact that he wasn’t even really allowed to.