Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass, "Learning to Read and Write"

Frederick Douglass (1817-1895) was born into slavery outside the town of Easton, Maryland. Defying tremendous odds, Douglass secretly taught himself to read and write, and later escaped slavery, settling in the free state of Massachusetts. He became a well-known women's rights leader, public speaker, and abolitionist. Douglass also published a newspaper called The North Star and served as a presidential advisor to Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. Douglass's writing style—bold, strong, and direct—mirrors the other aspects of this great man's life. His books include the autobiographies My Bondage and My Freedom (1855) and The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass (1882). "How I Learned to Read and Write," one of the most eloquent arguments for universal literacy ever written, is taken from Douglass's autobiography Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave (1845).

CONTENT

1. About how long did it take Douglass to learn to read and write?
2. Explain why the author doesn't want to reveal the names of the little boys mentioned in paragraph four.
3. Describe the author's most successful strategy in learning to read and write.
4. Name a book Douglass recounts as having a lasting impact on his life.
5. Discuss the author's encounter with the Irishmen in paragraph seven.
6. Why did slave owners not want slaves to be literate?
7. What is Douglass's relationship to Master Hugh's wife? How does it change over time? Name some of the important factors in this change.

STRATEGY AND STYLE

1. "Learning to Read and Write" is a narration about a part of one specific man's life, but it has widespread importance. What are some of the ways Douglass makes this more than just the story of a single individual? Where in the essay did you go to support your answer?
2. Douglass uses the phrase slave for life twice in close succession. What impact do the repetition and the punctuation have?
3. How can you relate the bread imagery in paragraph four to Douglass's views about the relationship of the mind to the body?
4. This piece was written in the middle of the 19^th century. Review it looking for words that were difficult for you to understand, due to this time difference. (If the words ell, trump, and larboard were familiar to you upon first reading, you can skip this exercise.) List these words and their meanings. What are some effective ways for you to bridge this gap in time, in this and other similar readings?

1. What are some of your earliest memories of learning to read and write? Contrast the contexts of your learning process and the author's. Did this essay make you look at literacy in a new way? Explain.
2. Describe your feelings as you read this essay. Did you become emotionally involved? Explain. If you didn't, what things might you be taking for granted?

SUGGESTIONS FOR SUSTAINED WRITING

1. Douglass suggests that becoming literate was painful and difficult in a number of different ways. Write about two of them, using examples from your reading. What explains his determination in this regard, given these difficulties?
2. Write an essay discussing the use of animal imagery throughout this essay. How does the use of this imagery further the author's ideas about slavery and freedom?

FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

Consult your text to pick either Alice Walker's "Beauty: When the Other Dancer Is the Self" or James Baldwin's "Notes of a Native Son" to read or reread. Then, write a comparison/contrast paper about it and your reading here. Do enough research to be comfortable contrasting the relevant historical periods.

WEB CONNECTION

Take a look at this photo of Douglass from Matthew Brady's studio, which now is a part of the collection at the Library of Congress. What can you tell about Douglass from studying the photo itself, its date, its creator, and its present owner?

LINKS

Biographical

Looking for a place to start your online research of Douglass's life? This biography is divided into hyperlinked chapters, and also contains links to a chronology of his life, and some links for further reading.

This brief biography contains hyperlinks and a portrait of Douglass. You'll also find some links for further reading and to associated sites here.

The homepage of The Frederick Douglass Museum & Cultural Center has a photo of Douglass, a biographical sketch, and links to Frederick Douglass resources.

Bibliographical

Would you like to take a look at a complete work by Douglass in etext? Click over to the library at the University of Virginia, where you'll find the entire book, My Bondage and My Freedom.

This edition of Douglass's Narrative, his first autobiography, is supplemented by navigation help and reading aids. You'll also have a chance to provide feedback about this valuable online project.

Here's a newspaper article about women's rights Douglass wrote for the abolitionist newspaper the North Star in 1848.

Cultural

Interested in writing about slavery in the U.S.? This chronology of U.S. statutes concerning the topic is a useful research tool from the Yale Law School.

As you know from your work on Douglass, reading and writing were central to his life as a free man. Why not take a visit to the National Institute for Literacy's site to see what you can learn there?

Here's a site where you can hear the actor Norman Matlock read a speech written by Douglass entitled "An Appeal to the British People." Douglass first delivered this anti-slavery speech in 1846.