For Douglas slavery was not being allowed to read and write. He freed himself by learning to read and write and speak well. The idea of providing education for slaves was a controversial idea for the white slave-owners because without slaves their revenues would shrink dramatically and eventually antislavery would occur. Education lead to freethinking and that can lead to revolts and the fear was that this could lead to a collapse in the economy. He then used the power of words to free him from the darkness of ignorance. Unlike other slaves, Douglas knew that he wasn’t going to be a slave for the rest of his life, he was fortunate to experience a better slave life than others. He was one of the rare ones who did not lose their way to freedom; he discussed the many ways that slaves were kept from thinking about escaping and freedom.
There were many ways a slaveholder kept their slaves from escaping from them. Terror and beating was one of the main reasons. One way they encouraged them not to leave is letting their slaves have vacations While Douglass lived with Mr. Covey, the slaves are given a vacation. It’s accustomed that slaves receive a holiday from Christmas to New Year’s. They are allowed to visit their families on different plantations and able to work industriously for themselves. Slaveholders believe that “a slave would work during the holidays was considered by our masters as scarcely deserving them”. Slaveholders also believed that if they let them have a vacation that it will look like they are kind people and care for their slaves. In all, letting them have a break was to make sure their slaves did not leave them.
Another way they encouraged them not to leave is making freedom look unbearable. As mentioned before during holidays slaves are allowed to do as they please but slaveholders encouraged slaved to drink rather than resting or working for themselves. Douglass explains that this is how they kept their slaves.
But in the South was the...