Summary Of Frederick Douglass Learning To Read

In “Learning to Read,” by Frederick Douglass the author explains how he became literate. It took him hard work, especially since he couldn't go to school because he was a slave. Learning a new language was more of a detriment than a benefit. Learning a new language had some benefits for Douglass. By being literate he was able to know what was going on. He learned about “abolition” which let him know being a slave didn't have to be forever. From reading he also learned about human rights. This let him know he was just like his slaveholders, he had rights. Douglass also read about a slave that escaped from his master three times and managed to be free. This slave said some clever things to his master which set him free. I think this gave Douglass a bit of hope, that the better he became at speaking the less people would take advantage of him. By reading he was being exposed to other slaves and events. …show more content…
His mistress did not allow him to read in the house. She was afraid of Douglass gaining knowledge and because she could also get in trouble if he was seen reading. This left Douglass no other option but to learn how to read and write while no one was around. Douglass was risking his life by doing this. Not obeying the rules could lead to him being whipped, or even killed. In addition, reading made him realize the sad truth, he was a slave. He said he sometimes detested reading because “it had given me a view of my wretched condition, without the remedy” (Douglass, 193). Knowing he was a slave made him more anxious to be free. Reading made him think a lot about freedom sometimes it was all that he could think of. Not having freedom made him sad that he even wished to not be alive, “I often found myself regretting my own existence..” (Douglass, 193). Sadly reading wasn't going to change what he was. In his case it was better not to know the truth, it tormented