This reading made us feel extreme gratitude towards our race and our culture. During the time, while Douglas was a slave, African Americans learning to read and write was looked down upon. Slave owners wanted to keep the slaves physically strong, but mentally weak. The fact that Douglas was willing to take such a risk to learn something shows his determination and compassion. Like our group member's grandfather, in like manner, who left home at the age of 12 to raise his special needs brother, didn't complete school. He had never learned to read or write until he was 30. He did not let the situation handicap him, he took initiative to learn himself. It gives us all hope and lets us know that we can overcome and rise above anything, no matter what the circumstances may be .
Fredrick Douglas gives us a close-up overview of his experience in learning to read and write. He explains the different techniques and methods he used to inquire the skills of reading and writing. For example on page 148 Douglas says, "The plan which I adopted, ......... was that making friends of all the white boys whom I met in the street." He saw them as an opportunity to learn from. He also goes into depth of how he felt after the fact of learning to read and write, and the personal conflicts he went through. Douglas writes that at one point, page 150,".... learning to read was a curse more than a blessing." Because of how much he read about slavery, he became more aware of the status of a slave and it upset him because he couldn't do much to stop the injustice of slavery. Lastly, Douglas explains how he practiced learning to write using Master Thomas's copy-book. Throughout this whole journey, Douglas found ways around him being a slave, that would benefit him, to enhance his abilities to read and write.
Fredrick, Douglas. "How I Learned to Read and Write" Connections: Guide to First Year Writing @ Clayton State University. 9th Ed. Edited by Mar Lamb and Patricia Smith. Fountainhead Press, 2019, 55-59
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