Shailyn Warnock English Comp. F 14 Dr. McNeil 23 November 2014
My Proposal: Frederick Douglass I chose question number three of “Writing about the Text” of Frederick Douglass, “Learning to Read.” “Other abolitionists criticized Douglass for accepting the tenets of the U.S. Constitution, because it did not repudiate (refuse to accept) slavery. Write an essay examining the Constitution as it stood in Douglass’s day and arguing for or against Douglass’s proposition that it is inherently antislavery. Perhaps also examine other founding American documents and judge how Douglass might have viewed them.” (Pg. 52) I chose this text because I was intrigued on Douglass’s intelligence on gaining education. I chose question number three because the other question didn’t focus on Douglass, and that’s why I picked this story to narrow in on Douglass and get to know him more. People would argue why Douglass agreed with something that went against his own freedom, but as I explore him and this situation more I might come to learn his reasoning. In my proposal I will be covering the life of Douglass and where he started. I will dig into the constitution then, and compared it to the present constitution. And most importantly cover why like the abolitionist then, wonder why Douglass accepted the tenets of the U.S Constitution. Douglass befriended an abolitionist named Garrison; who in the future becomes his mentor. They both shared the same beliefs on the constitution being pro-slavery. Douglass then began to develop his own opinions about the Constitution; he believed the farmers intended the Constitution to be used as a weapon for anti-slavery. Garrison and Douglass began to drift apart
in their friendship for Douglass believes “We the people” was proof that the Constitution was anti-slavery, but for the fact that the constitution “failed to prohibit the forced bondage of African Americans” in Garrison’s defense made the constitution pro-slavery. The reason abolitionist disagrees with Douglass’s views about the “anti-slavery” constitution because it lacks in power to actually fight for slavery, the constitution went around it. The Constitution never interfered with the states and slaveholders in the south. Their main argument why the constitution was pro-slavery was, “Article 1’s “three-fifths" compromise that allowed “those bound to Service” to be counted as three-fifths of a human being for the purposes of congressional representation, were also viewed as being inherently supportive of the institution of slavery.” “The constitution is a glorious liberty document.”- Frederick Douglass My analytical strategy is to follow all the rules listed to me in the writing analytically text book starting with the Five analytically moves. Five Analytical Moves: 1. Suspend Judgment I will have to suspend my judgment on automatically taking the side of Frederick Douglass, I will have to explore both sides and treat Douglass, the U.S. Constitution and the abolitionists equally in viewing and discussing their opinions. 2. Notice and Focus
“Slavery soon proved its ability to divest her of those heavenly qualities.” (Douglass pg. 47) (revealing)
“The plan which I adopted, and the one by which I was most successful, was of making friends of all the little white boys whom I met in the street. As many of
these I could, I converted into teachers….. I finally succeeded in learning to read.” (Douglass pg. 47) (interesting)
“As I writhed under it, I would at times feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing.” (Douglass pg. 49) (strange)
“I 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 pg. 49) (revealing)
“White men have been known to encourage slaves to escape, and then, to get the reward, catch them and return them to their master.” (Douglass pg. 50) (revealing)
Top Three: 1. “The plan which I adopted, and the one by which I was most successful, was of making friends of all the little white boys whom I met in the street. As many of these I could, I converted into teachers….. I finally succeeded in learning to read.” (
Douglass pg. 47) (interesting)
2. “I 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 pg. 49) (revealing and strange) 3. “White men have been known to encourage slaves to escape, and then, to get the reward, catch them and return them to their master.” (Douglass pg. 50) (revealing)
(1) I found this interesting because even though Douglass didn’t have the ability to read or write he was still very intelligent. For him to know to make white friends and have a way to convince them to teach him knowing the dangers was amazing. He even explained in his text how they sympathized for him, for that once that were 21 they were a free man while on the hand Douglass will forever be a slave. He used their sympathy to gain knowledge which is very smart for someone who wasn’t considered human and especially wasn’t considered smart. (2) This is strange because something he worked so hard at, exceeding the boundaries, risking his life to achieve, was the cause of his sadness. How can someone’s dream become someone’s nightmare? This reveals with knowledge comes truth. The truth of what he really was. The truth about slavery and the thought of never being free, the thought of being controlled until the day you die. The thought of knowing what’s right, but have no power to fight for your rights. This haunted him because now he knew the truth, unlike the other slaves who were completely blind about their rights and hopes; he had to suffer this all alone. (3) This is revealing because it shows that Douglass learns a way out, but it’s hard for him to trust his leads. It shows that even non slave-owners were still apart of the brutality of the slaves.
3. So what? What details seems significant and why?
4. The Method 5. Keep Formulating Questions