Assertion: Learning to Read and Write by Frederick Douglass

The story, Learning to Read and Write by Frederick Douglass conveys a relevant message to the reader that the more knowledge an individual obtains, the more power and responsibility comes with it. For example, Frederick Douglass states, “Slavery soon proved its ability to divest her of these heavenly qualities. Under its influence, the tender heart became stone, and the lamb‐Iike disposition gave way to one of tiger‐like fierce‐ ness”. This quote portrays a shift in the treatment received from his mistress, as she obtains more understanding of slavery itself. In the beginning, she treated him with respect and as another human being, but once she began to accept and embrace the idea of slavery, she received more negative power and chose to use that against Mr. Douglass. Later he writes, “The reading of these documents enabled me to utter my thoughts, and to meet the arguments brought forward to sustain slavery; but while they relieved me of one difficulty, they brought on another even more painful than the one of which I was relieved. The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers”. After reading books that included dialog of abolition and emancipation, Mr. Douglass began to learn and take in this information. He portrays assertiveness with his choice of language as he states that an effect of him becoming more knowledgeable was that it brought him more pain rather than relief. He began to understand the situation he was in and develop new thoughts about slavery and the treatment of slaves from slave owners. In conclusion, Mr. Douglass presents the idea that more knowledge also brings more power and responsibility to the individual that receives it. He discusses specific situations in which knowledge transformed someone else, or himself throughout Learning to Read and Write.