In 1845, Frederick Douglass wrote his astounding novel entitled “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave”. This text was revolutionary at the time, with a message for both slaves unknown to the freedoms of the world, and slave owners questioning the morality of slavery. His purpose was to educate, it was to prove himself in the eyes of all who doubted the intelligence of a black man. For slaves, it was to inspire to rise up, to grow and educate themselves. For slave owners, this meant proving the intelligence and literacy of a former slave. This text is read with great pride, and a sense of urgency. He spits in the face of all who hesitate in believing in true racial equality, the mere concept that men are men regardless
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Frederick Douglass uses the rhetorical device zeugma to emphasize the importance of his education, and how much learning meant to him. He was willing to do anything to better his literacy. He traded the literal bread, food, for the metaphorical “bread of knowledge” that fed his hunger. Douglass was determined to learn, no matter what it took, even if it meant endangering himself in a country where teaching a slave to be anything more was nearly illegal, or “an unpardonable offence”. The build up from the time he had his right to education taken away, to the time he took things into his own hands, proves his understanding of the effects of literacy. He pushed and pushed for his cause, ignoring the great chance of being caught or punished, because he was so passionate about his cause. He knew he had to do it, he had to take the risk and make a …show more content…
A great example of this is the excerpt, “Learning to Read and Write” by Frederick Douglass. He uses a wide array of rhetoric strategies to evoke a feeling in his audience - and to drive home his very emotional and critical claim. The entire piece is a reflection of his understanding of what literacy will do to him - how knowledge is power. He knows the abolitionist movement at the time truly needed a figure of intelligence - someone who is changing the minds of people not through violence, however, through his literacy. Frederick Douglass was truly a hero in the abolitionist
Frederick Douglass uses the rhetorical device zeugma to emphasize the importance of his education, and how much learning meant to him. He was willing to do anything to better his literacy. He traded the literal bread, food, for the metaphorical “bread of knowledge” that fed his hunger. Douglass was determined to learn, no matter what it took, even if it meant endangering himself in a country where teaching a slave to be anything more was nearly illegal, or “an unpardonable offence”. The build up from the time he had his right to education taken away, to the time he took things into his own hands, proves his understanding of the effects of literacy. He pushed and pushed for his cause, ignoring the great chance of being caught or punished, because he was so passionate about his cause. He knew he had to do it, he had to take the risk and make a …show more content…
A great example of this is the excerpt, “Learning to Read and Write” by Frederick Douglass. He uses a wide array of rhetoric strategies to evoke a feeling in his audience - and to drive home his very emotional and critical claim. The entire piece is a reflection of his understanding of what literacy will do to him - how knowledge is power. He knows the abolitionist movement at the time truly needed a figure of intelligence - someone who is changing the minds of people not through violence, however, through his literacy. Frederick Douglass was truly a hero in the abolitionist