Frederick Douglass Learning To Read And Write Essay

Unequal Education Frederick Douglass, "Learning to Read and Write", Malcolm X, "Learning to Read". How does one compare the struggles between them. First off Mr. Douglass, "Learning to Read and Write" is not truly comparable with any of the other reading options, and to force comparisons would belittle Mr. Douglass's struggles to do so. Every other reading option had to endure unfair treatment and racism but no one was born into slavery as Mr. Douglass was. Whereas every other reading option had access to underfunded and unequal schools, Mr. Douglass was not afforded these options so order to learn he had to hide it for fear of being beat or killed. "I lived in Master Hugh's family about seven years. During this time, I succeeded in learning to read and write. In accomplishing this, I was compelled to resort to various stratagem"(Douglass 1). Mr. Douglass not only wanted to learn but had a deep driving need to learn for it was his only route to escape slavery. "I resolved to run away. I looked forward to a time at which it would be safe for me to escape. I was too young to think of doing so immediately; besides, I wished to learn how to write,as I might have occasion to write my own pass. I consoled myself with the hope thatI should oneday find a good chance" (Douglass 3). Mr. Douglass not only had to overcome being a slave for life but had a deep distrust for others thinking they would betray him "for I feared they might be treacherous.White men have been known to

In "Frederik Douglass Learning to read (1845)" Frederik Douglass describes his experiences as a slave and how he learned to read and write. The main idea of Frederick's passage is how powerful and important education is. Frederick accounts for how he began to learn to read through his mistress, who taught him the alphabet. Douglass lived in the master Hugh's family. Master Hugh ended the mistress illegal attempts at teaching Douglass. After learning the alphabet, Douglass continued to educate himself with the help of the white children he met on the street. Douglass explains that he gave the children bread in exchange for knowledge. He also read many books which prompted new thoughts and ideas. After reading books and documents repeatedly Douglass

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Frederick Douglass, a well–known activist against slavery and racial inequality, wrote about his journey towards literacy throughout his years as a slave. In his article, Learning to Read and Write, he discusses his strategies for gaining knowledge and his internal desires and struggles that centered around his education. In an article known as Freewriting, Peter Elbow discusses his disdain for excessive editing and its negative effects on the natural flow of a written work. These texts have many similarities; they share a love for literature and communication through writing. However, due to the vastly different backgrounds of the authors, topics throughout the piece, and intentions for writing, these articles have many distinctive...show more content...

He continued to think about abolition and emancipation throughout his time working in a ship–yard, where he used the letters on the timber to teach himself how to write. He also would copy the italics in the Webster's Spelling Book and his new master's copy–books from school. Eventually, Frederick Douglass became fully literate.

According to Peter Elbow, literacy is all that is necessary to improve one's writing. In his article, Freewriting, he encouraged amateur writers to practice simply writing their thoughts without filtering. "Don't stop for anything," Elbow said. "Go quickly without rushing. Never stop to look back, to cross something out, to wonder how to spell something, to wonder what word or thought to use, or to think about what you are doing." This task allows us to put exactly what we are thinking on a piece of paper, and visualize the natural flow of our thoughts, so they can be imitated in our writing. Elbow also warned young scholars against editing out thoughts that are "unacceptable" and attempting to force out words in a way that makes them more pleasing than the reality of verbal conversation. He used the analogy of an editor hovering over a producer while he is making art. "No wonder the producer is nervous, jumpy, inhibited, and finally can't be coherent. It's an unnecessary burden to try to think of words and also worry at the same time whether they're the right words," said

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Learning To Read And Write

By Frederick Douglass

In the extract "Learning to Read and Write," Frederick Douglass tells the intended audience about his experiences as a slave living in his master's house and how he went through many trials to learn to read and write. In this excerpt, Frederick Douglass uses imagery, contrast, pathos, ethos, logos, an empathic tone, certain verb choice, and metaphors to inform African Americans of how crucial it is to learn how to read and write and to inform an audience of caucasian Americans of the wrongdoings that slavery has brought about. Frederick Douglass is often persuasive using pathos to get across to the intended audiences.

Frederick Douglass had specific audiences that he wanted to either relate to or to get across a point to. African Americanpeople that had endured slavery were an intended audience because Frederick Douglass states things such as "Thus, after a long, tedious effort for years. I finally succeeded in learning how to read and write" and "I was compelled to resort to various stratagems". Those sentences by Frederick Douglass show that it was not an easy time for him and the levels or trials that he went through to be someone who was not illiterate. Frederick Douglass never once was one to give up on the need to learn to read and write, so that shows that Frederick Douglass thought that it was important for the African American people to be as well educated as the caucasian Americans were. The caucasian Americans were Frederick's intended audience because of Frederick's use of contrast throughout the extract. Frederick tells how his mistress had changed on him from being a helpful, loving, and nice woman to an evil spirited, bitter brute...show more content...

Frederick Douglass effectively persuades his audience to show the crucial need for learning to read and write and to inform how slavery was a true

Our first reading of EN101, Fredrick Douglass' "Learning to Read," helped our class to better understand the privilege of being a writer. During this time, he is able to learn how to read and write thanks to the help of Mrs. Auld, even though she is eventually pressured into no longer tutoring him due to pressure from society. The relationship between Douglass and Mrs. Auld is both physically and emotionally damaged because of slavery. Mrs. Douglass becomes hardened and cruel due to the lack of sympathy that the mentality of slavery has brought along with it. Nevertheless, Douglass was able to learn the alphabet and is now determined to learn how to read. He manages to persuade the poor local boys to give him lessons to read in exchange for bread. Douglass wants to thank these boys by using their name, but he knows that they would pay the price for it, because teaching blacks still is not socially acceptable during this time. Douglass recalls the boys sadly agreeing that he himself deserved to be a slave no more than they did....show more content...

In the book, the master presents the argument for slavery, but the slave was able to persuade the master to release him due to his ability to rebuttal each point given. The book helps Douglass to effectively build the case against slavery, but the more information he compiles, the more he begins to hate his masters. Douglass's discontent is becoming more present now that he understands the injustice of slavery but still has nothing in his power to escape it. Douglass enters a period of hopelessness that almost leads to suicide. Douglass anxiously listens to anyone discussing the topic of slavery. He hears the word abolitionist often appear in conversation. Douglass finally discovers that the word abolitionist means antislavery in a city newspaper account of a Northern abolitionist

Rhetorical Analysis of Douglass

In the excerpt "Learning to Read and Write", Frederick Douglass talks about his experiences in slavery living in his masters house and his struggle to learn how to read and write. Frederick Douglass was an African American social reformer, orator, writer, and statesman. Some of his other writings include "The Heroic Slave", "My Bondage and My Freedom", and "Life and Times of Frederick Douglass". In this excerpt, Frederick Douglass uses an empathic tone, imagery, certain verb choice, contrast, and metaphors to inform African Americans of how important it is to learn to read and write and also to inform a white American audience of the evils ofslavery. I find Frederick Douglass to...show more content...

As far as the white audience goes, he likely chose this audience to make slave owners and non–slave owners look at slavery a different way. The way he portrays slavery in my eyes is almost as a force that turned this woman (his mistress) into something that she is not. It makes slavery look like a disease spread on white Americans that makes them horrible people. Another audience that might be included are poor white children and/or teenagers. Throughout the excerpt, Douglass explains how he would use the poor white children as instructors to teach him how to read and write in exchange for food. In the excerpt he writes "Have not I as good a right to be free as you have?" These words used to trouble them; they would express for me the liveliest sympathy..." He could have chosen this audience because he knows that the children hold the future. This would be his way of convincing the younger kids to look down upon slavery. That could change the lives of African Americans forever. There could be a number of different audiences that Frederick Douglass was referring to, but the least likely would be extremely racist slave owners. Racist slave owners probably wouldn't even pick up something an African Americanwrote, let alone care what he had to say. The Logos in this excerpt has a structure of Frederick Douglass's events going in chronological order. He opens this

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In "Learning to Read and Write" written by Frederick Douglass, he talks about his experience of teaching himself how to read and write as a slave boy living in Master Hugh's house where his mistress educated him. However, she was dictated by her husband and the instructions given to the slaves on how to read had to stop; in order for Douglass to teach himself, he obtained a book about slavery, The Columbian Orator and read the book every free second he had. Encouraged by the book, Douglass runs away to the north from his master for freedom. Douglass' main ideas include depravity, chattel, and an emancipation, which represents a moral corruption, the slave properties, and an act of freeing someone from slavery, respectively.

Douglass' mistress treated all her slaves as if she would treat any other human beings. As Douglass explains, "She was a pious, warm, and tender–hearted woman..... She had bread for the hungry, clothes for the naked, and comfort for every mourner that came within her reach" (101). She lacked a general depravity towards the slaves and promoted education among the slaves at first. But, her husband did not; he knew if his slaves had knowledge about slavery and were literate and able to verbally defend themselves, the wall separating African–American slaves and White men will eventually break and free men power will no longer be available. When Douglass was in an unsupervised room for more than a reasonable period of time, he got "suspected of having a book, and was at once called to give an account of himself" (101). Master Hugh's corrupted morality blocked Douglass' every attempt to learn more about literacy and slavery.

Being a chattel –the idea of being possessed as Master Hugh's personal belongings for the rest of the life questioned Douglass' existence and the purpose of his life. As he explains, "I would at times feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing. It had given me a view of my wretched condition, without the remedy. It opened my eyes to the horrible pit, but to no ladder upon which to get out" (103). After reading "Sheridan's mighty speeches" in the book, The Columbian Orator, Douglass finally could utter his thoughts and form Get

Today, I read two articles which about the two author's experiences of learning to read and write. One is Frederick Douglass Learning to Read and Write. Another is Malcolm X Literacy Behind Bars. These two articles inspire me to learn more knowledge at the same time, and these two authors set us an example of diligent study. After I compare with these two articles, I found that they both have a lot of similarities, but they still have some differences. There are several similarities between Douglass and Malcolm X that we may interesting in. First of all, these two authors both are esne, but they still love studying. Douglass lived in a slavery society, and he was a slave. Further more, He was always treated by violence from his master....show more content...

At the beginning, Douglass regretted that he understand knowledge and understand his situation that make him hurt. However, when he know the word "abolition", he was willing to learn more and listen more about this word. He has began to yearn for freedom since he could read, and he was satisfied with it. Malcolm X proud to himself for he know the knowledge. An English writer ask him, " What's your alma mater?" He told him, " Books." From this conversation, we can image that he is pleased with the knowledge so that he become a militant black nationalist leader. Even though they share a lot of similarities, they still exist some differences. Such as, Malcolm was able to get and read a lot of book even he was a prisoner, but Douglass as a slave was hard to find a book. Another is Malcolm had more free time than Douglass to study because Malcolm stayed in prison all the time, but Douglass needed to work. Douglass prefer to know more about abolitionist, but Malcolm was just eager for reading. These differences that we may interested in. Indeed we could know more about what the situation and character between these two authors.

In conclusion, Even these two articles have some similarities and differences, they both can teach us to study hard. And these two authors are examples for all of students to follow. I hope every student can become more and more intelligent and make the world more Get

Frederick Douglass/ and Me Frederick Douglass autobiography learning to read and write was written in 1845 and is a story of his struggle to learn to read and write. The story talks about how he was self–taught because back when he was a kid, a slave in Maryland, it was not allowed for a slave to learn to read and write. Douglass had to sneak and trick people into teaching him how to read and write. He never went to school, never had a teacher to guide him or supportive parents like had while I struggled through school. In kindergarten I was diagnosed dyslexic, actually, it was number dyslexia. I had trouble solving basic math equations seeing and understanding patterns, math became a real struggle for me. It felt like other kids were flying by, and I would always be stuck in the same place. When Douglass talks about how he would always be a slave and how the other kids would soon be free. It...show more content...

I myself had to learn different tricks to learn math; such as, different techniques or having a teacher show me multiple times until I finally understood how to solve a math problem or I finally saw the shape that was being made. Douglass and I had our struggles growing up on how to learn something his was reading and writing, mine was problem solving and shapes.

Both Douglass and I were able to overcome our struggles, he was able to become free and became one of the most famous writers in the world. He made his mark in the world and showed people that no matter what people say or do, keep going because the struggle is worth the reward in the end. I learned how to deal with my disability, it took a lot of time and patience, but I never gave up. I am now the only person in my family who is a college graduate, something I never thought I would

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Fredrick Douglass's "Learning to Read and Write", gives readers insight into the struggles of being a slave with intelligence, but more importantly into his experience. In his essay, Douglass shows how he fought to obtain knowledge; however, a reading of his story will reveal that what he learned changed him for the better. Michael Scott, a former EOF student read the story and believed that Douglass's intelligence was a destructive and to a certain degree pointless. Contrary to Scott's statement, Douglass's knowledge wasn't more of a curse than a blessing. Being a slave was everyone's curse. Douglass went into depression because he hadn't had the same experience as other slaves and finally felt what it was really like to be a slave when he was punished for his knowledge. However just because his knowledge is what got him into trouble doesn't necessarily make him, being an intelligent slave; a curse nor does it mean that he had absolutely no alternatives to his condition. In fact, he above most other slaves had the upper hand when it came to creating his own alternative. Douglass's intelligence helped him become autodidactic, manipulate situations to benefit him, and develop an ambition to become free. As individuals we all get to make our own decisions so when the mistress stopped teaching Douglass; it was Douglass's dedication to his education that drove him to teach himself what she would not. The mistress made a conscious decision to teach Douglass the alphabet. She had Get

All humans are created equally and are born with free will. Every person has the natural right to be the author of their life, meaning that they can make their own choices and pursue their dreams. Nevertheless, humans bent nature to their will by adopting slavery, a practice in which humans are owned and are brutally forced to work. In the excerpt "Learning to Read and Write," Frederick Douglass masters the literacy skills he needed to fulfill his role as an abolitionist, bringing an end to slavery (Douglass 100). Throughout his piece, he addressed many important concepts such as that reading is power but also a curse (Douglass 100). His main objective was to prove his point that our environment doesn't define who we are. It's the choices we...show more content...

Although Douglass's mistress ceased to instructed him because he lived in a society where it was derogatory to teach blacks how to read, it didn't make him overwhelmed, illiterate, stupid, or uneducated (Douglass 101–102). It didn't make him too scared get help or to disobey the rules of society because of the choice he made (Douglass 101–102). For example, according to the excerpt "Learning to Read and Write," he befriended the boys he met on the street and did them many favors to make them his teachers (Douglass 101). That is to say that Douglass was ambitious and serious about his education though nobody pushed him to learn. He also "[gave bread to] the hungry little urchins, who, in return, would give me a more valuable bread of knowledge" (Douglass 101). In addition, by going one part of [his] errands quickly, [he] found time to get a lesson before his return" (Douglass 101) and in time, he successfully mastered the skill of reading (Douglass 101). In other words, Douglass tried to prove his point that our circumstances don't define us by showing that despite his disadvantages, he wasn't dumb or illiterate (Douglass 101). He became a

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In his essay "Learning to Read and Write" Frederick Douglass begins by describing how he learned to read and write and the obstacles he faced to overcome his condition of being a slave. Douglas's enslavers prevented him from getting an education or to learn anything that makes him somewhat valuable because they believed that slavery and education were not compatible. The challenges he faced were not easy, but his persistence to better himself allowed Douglas to invent strategic methods to pursue his aspiration of reading and learning. Frederick Douglas strongly believes in basic human rights of an individual and enlightens society around him the importance of education and freedom, stating that it gives an individual the opportunity to identify Get

Frederick Doulgass's essay "Learning to read and write" goes on to talk about slavery, and explains how he pursued his yearning to read and write efficiently despite his slave owners mission to keep Douglass from being literate. In his essay Douglass illustrates pathos when talking about the emotions he had during his youth when he was a slave. He presents himself in an authority to which he has the write to be literate because even being a slave, he is human. Frederick Douglass explains how slave owners kept the abolition of slavery from their minds by excluding them from education and keeping them ignorant.

Doulgass felt unworthy at times of existing because he has been enlightened by his reading and had realized his condition just as he says " It opened my eyes in to the horrible pit, but no ladder upon which to get out." He spoke of his emotions later in the essay with " I often found myself of regretting my own existence, and wishing myself dead;" Douglass values the ability to read and write with a full understanding, even though his slave owners didn't allow him to do so. He believed that he would forever remain a slave, unlike the white children." I wished I could be as free as they would be when they got to be men."...show more content...

" Nothing seemed to make her more angry than to see me with a newspaper. She seemed to think that here laid the danger." Douglass felt as though he has the right to be literate just like non slave members of society. Douglass has ethos because of the fact that he was a slave and went on to be an accomplished writer and abolitionist

Compare and Contrast of "A Talk to Teachers" and "Learning to Read and Write" In the mid 1800s, the question of whether slavery was ethical or not was a particularly contentious matter. Slaves struggled to withstand the harsh treatments from their master's, along with getting an education, until 1865 when the Thirteenth Amendment formally abolished slavery. Although slavery was no longer tolerated, the racial bigotry did not end. Fast forward to the 1950s, and racial inequality is still prevalent in society. Segregation existed in almost every aspect of life ranging from miniscule topics such as where one can sit on the bus, to more serious topics such as quality of education one child receives. This discrimination was fought through protests in the civil rights movement throughout the 1950s and 1960s. As an American high school student in a country still plagued with racial discrimination today, it is imperative to remember the true value of a quality education. While James Baldwin's "A Talk to Teachers" and Frederick Douglass's "Learning to Read and Write" both emphasize the need for racial equality in education, Baldwin's forceful and angry tone ultimately make his speech the more rhetorically effective of the two. Both authors appeal to pathos by sharing their dismal past experiences with racial prejudice. Douglass expresses these past experiences through personal stories of the hate, inequity, and betrayal he faced while attempting to get an education. After depicting several poignant encounters with failures in his plan to get an education, Douglass reveals that he "often found myself regretting my own existence, and wishing myself dead; and but for the hope of being free, I have no doubt but that I should have killed myself, or done something for which I should have been killed" (Douglass 103). Although Douglass evokes emotion from his audience by sharing this feeling, it does not correlate with his intended message that every human deserves an education. Instead, he focuses on the negative aspect of slavery and the despair he felt, making this appeal to pathos rhetorically ineffective. Similarly, Baldwin illustrates his past experiences with racial inequality through several examples of

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Frederick Douglass, former slave and prominent abolitionist gives an account of his coming to literacy in the excerpt, Learning to Read and Write, from his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. He offers an immersive and rich telling of his journey to academic enlightenment by using enthralling detail, riveting imagery, and noteworthy metaphors. Douglass's objective is to prove to the audience that in order to achieve recognition and dignity you must possess the power of articulation and eloquence. Douglass continuously uses detail as the small elements in his life story help to collectively constitute a recital of the important lessons he learned. Detail is distinctly present when he shares how he approached learning to write in the...show more content... The most obvious representation is seen when he describes coming to understand the word abolitionist, "the light broke in upon me by degrees". The light acts as a metaphor for his comprehension of what it means to be an abolitionist and additionally delivers the concept of gradually learning the word. The usage of metaphors deepens the reader's awareness of the content and decipherment of the text. Altogether, metaphors help to enrich Douglass's writing whilst presenting his purpose of intelligence being fundamental for living a liberated life. Devices such as detail, imagery, and metaphors help Douglass in producing an exceptional piece of literature and proving to his audience that the only way to obtain privilege and reach salvation is to invest in education. His passionate telling of literacy being the only response to his desire for freedom undoubtedly imprints in the minds of readers the importance of reading and writing and reminds them of how imperative it is. To sum, Douglass utilizes various stratagems to prove to readers the significance of education and

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Fredrick Douglass wrote the very empowering story called, "Learning to Read and Write". The entire work had emotion and painted a great picture of the life he lived struggling with his intelligence and trying to gain as much information as he could without getting caught. Douglass took any opportunity many others would not even notice. Frederick found something he was passionate about and didn't stop at anything to obtain his goal to be an intelligent man hoping one day he would make his way out of his lifetime role as a slave. He was taught the alphabet by the Mistress of the Hugh house that he worked for seven years. Her husband didn't like the power word could potentially give Douglass, so he stopped the sessions for learning. Little did

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Learning a new set of skills can be off putting and come with many difficult challenges. In the excerpt, "Learning to Read and Write " by Frederick Douglass and "Learning to Read" by Malcolm X it discusses each mans challenges to be literate as black men in America. Though set almost half a century apart, hardships occur as both strive for greatness. Through their use of diction, details, and language each speaker differentiates themselves from each other and forms their own unique way of sharing their story. In the two excerpts the two men use diction to expose their character and evoke emotions in the reader. Frederick Douglass describes his first challenge, when abandoned by his mistress's teachings and he has to come up with ways to become familiar with reading. "The plan which I adopted, and the by which I was most successful, was that of making friends with all the little white boys whom I met in the streets". BY choosing to say this Douglass then makes himself seen like a strong independent man. When things get tough he doesn't give up he simply finds another way to get it done and that is impressive. While Douglass uses diction to empower himself Malcolm X uses diction to lower his ego and describe himself before learning to read, "In the street, I had been the most articulate hustler out there I had commanded attention when I said something. But now trying to write simple English I not only wasn't articulate, I wasn't even functional". BY sharing this specific

Michael DeCuir Jr Mr. Zintgraff Composition 1 1 October 2017 Learning to Read "Education and slavery were incompatible with each other" is a quote from the excerpt Learning to Read and Write by Frederick Douglass. (7.40) Douglass was born a slave in 1818. In those times, a slave being able to read and write was a crime. For Frederick Douglass being able to do both, tells you a lot about his character before you even read the passage. It shows you that he's a very ambitious and strong–minded man. Douglass found ways to accomplish his goal to learn how to read and write. Douglass effetely persuaded his audience by his explanation through writings, he appeals to the three parts of the rhetorical triangle: ethos, logos, and pathos. Douglass appeals...show more content...

It is a non–fiction passage; it grabs the audience's attention. At one point in the story, Douglass explained in details how he learned to read and write. One might think this is a major step in Douglass' life. Douglass stated that he found himself Beamon his own life he contemplated taking his own life. This is the gyrate point of the autobiography. The audience would not expect Douglass to feel this way at all. Once Douglass accomplished reading, he found out an abundant amount of information pertaining to slavery and how the whites tortured his people. "In moments of agony, I envied my fellow–slaves for their stupidity. I have often wished myself a beast. I preferred the condition of the meanest reptile to my own. Anything, no matter what, to get rid of thinking! It was this everlasting thinking of my condition that tormented me. (7.6)" He was appalled by the information he discovered, he realized that he couldn't do anything about it because if anyone was to hear him reading his life would be in grave danger. It was not an easy process for Douglass to be able to read and write. His mistress, Sofia Auld who was said to be kind and tender–hearted, was his biggest supporter she taught him the alphabet. Suddenly, there was a change in her heart. She stopped teaching him and became an avid Get more content

In the narrative excerpt "Learning to Read and Write" (1845), which originally came from the autobiography Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Frederick Douglass recapitulates his journey into the coming of literacy that shifts his point to how slavery really is. Douglass develops and supports his main idea by providing a flashback of his own experience as a slave learning to read and write and through dialogue with rhetorical appeals, such as ethos, pathos, and logos. Douglass' apparent purpose is to retell his story of the obstacles he faced to finally become a free man to guide and prompt other fellow slaves to finally take action for their freedom; he also wants to establish a foundation in which people of higher power, such as abolitionists, are more aware of the slavery situation. The intended audience for this excerpt is the general public of the time consisting of fellow slaves, slave owners, and abolitionists; the relationship Douglass establishes with the audience is equivalent to a news reporter and the people receiving the message–he exposes the truth to them. Before I read this piece of art, I did not think that I would like it; I thought it was a tedious literary work like the ones a part of a colossal textbook at first glance. However, I changed my mind after reading it thoroughly. I am honestly amazed at how Douglass' words link together to have such easy flow and clarity through each sentence. He is a better writer than some of the people who learned how to read and write at an even younger age than him. Last but not least, I love how he proves that education is important since reading and writing gave him the advantage to become a free man; this excerpt gives a lesson on why education is pivotal to gaining knowledge to have a sense of individuality. Frederick Douglass utilizes the three rhetorical appeals–ethos, pathos, and logos–to justify his development into earning his freedom by absorbing the two abilities of literacy. He establishes credibility by illustrating his perspective as a slave learning to read and write, even though it was forbidden. Douglass depicts, "The plan which I adopted, and the one by which I was most successful, was that of making friends of all the

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In Frederick Douglass 's essay, "Learning to Read and Write", he describes the various methods with which he became literate throughout the age of slavery. The essay is made with well–executed and potent literary tools that serve to each relay the struggle he endured in learning to browse and write, additionally on more prove Douglass 's distinguished accomplishments and talent against apparently insurmountable odds. It 's an awfully personal recount of a heavy time in his life, however it additionally properly depicts Frederick Douglass as a capable author with deeply coherent thoughts. Through the utilization of irony, distinctive syntax, wordy diction, and intelligent metaphors, Frederick Douglass exhibits his ability to eloquently categorical himself and his personal strife. Irony is present during this essay as Frederick Douglass describes his previous teaching things. as an example, though he was bond at the time of his teaching, he explains to the reader that he carried loaves of bread once sent on errands so he might barter for Associate in Nursing impromptu reading lesson from native kids. He admits "I was far better off during this regard than several of the poor white kids in our neighborhood" (Douglass 101). This statement is ironic as a result of Frederick Douglass himself would presumptively be within the worse position, however instead, whilst a 12–year–old acknowledges what very little benefits he will have. Character traits like these are indicative of