The book I chose was “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave”. There are a few reasons why I was drawn to this book. So far in our history class we’ve discussed slavery, but not very deeply. Douglass was someone who was born into it, lived it, and was even able to escape it. The thesis of the book was written change the minds of white women and white moderates who could be swayed to go against slavery. He was able to use his experiences to show how slavery negatively affected not only the slaves but also the slave holders.
Douglass was sent to live with Mr. and Mrs. Auld in Baltimore when he was between the ages of seven or eight years old. He states that this is one of the most interesting events of his life. He also says that is was quite possible that had he never been sent to live with them he would have still been on the plantation and might not have ever enjoyed his freedom. Mr. and Mrs. Auld had a young son by the name of Thomas, whom Douglass was charged with caring for. Since Mrs. Auld had never possessed slaves, she lacked the understanding that slaves were to be treated as possessions not people. She had begun to teach a young Douglass to read The ABC’s at the same time Thomas was learning. She had taught him how to spell words with three and four letters. It was only a short time later that Mr. Auld found out about the reading and writing lessons and forbid her to continue with the lessons. His words were”If you give a nigger an inch, he will take an ell. A nigger should know nothing but to obey his master-to do as he is told to do. Learning would spoil the best nigger in the world. Now, if you teach that nigger (speaking of Douglass) how to read, there would be no keeping him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave. He would at once become unmanageable, and of no value to his master. As to himself, it could do him no good, but a great deal of harm. It would make hum discontented and unhappy.” It was these words that...