Introduction
State your position on the topic
Describe the points in support, including your position and other evidence
Anticipate and address readers’ concerns and arguments against your position
I agree with the statement that education and slavery are incompatible with one another. The two are worlds apart and cannot coexist. Education provides the tools for mental liberation (Tasker and Packham, 1993) . Educated persons form their perspectives, interpret them and create a plan of action that aims to seek a solution to a problem. Education provides one with the ability to express their own opinions. On the other hand, slavery entrenches mental conditioning. Slaves are made to follow orders without questioning the status quo. It is quite difficult for an educated person to remain a slave. Persons with a different school of thought may state that even educated slaves could remain in slavery. However, it is my view that despite such persons being physically in slavery, their minds are free. With more time and thought such persons will craft a plan to free themselves.
Questions
Why did most slaveholders believe that “education and slavery were incompatible with one another”?
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Most slaveholders believed that education and slavery were incompatible with one another because education being a tool for human emancipation would lead to rebellious slaves seeking freedom. Educated slaves are aware of human rights and the dignity that human beings should be accorded. Literate slaves could also read and learn about trends in other places in the world where advocacy for slavery abolition was being made. Douglass (1845) states this of her mistress, "Nothing seemed to make her more angry than to see me with a newspaper." The statement demonstrates the slaveholders' fear of their slaves learning of the developments in the world where slaves were rebellious, and slavery was being abolished. It was quite hard for one to be educated and be content with being a slave, as demonstrated in the Douglass case in the narrative.
What were some of the various stratagems that Douglass used to learn to read and write?
Upon discontinuation of his mistress' instruction on how to read and write, Douglass developed some clever tricks that saw him become literate. Having gained basic knowledge on alphabets from his mistress, he “tricked” poor little white boys in the streets to teach him how to read. He successfully did this by befriending them and always carrying his book and the available bread in his master’s house whenever sent on errands. Douglas (1845) states, “This bread I used to bestow upon the hungry little urchins, who, in return, would give me that more valuable bread of knowledge.” Douglass learned how to write by visiting the carpenters' ship-yard and learning of the letters inscribed on timber and what they meant. Again, he cleverly obtained writing lessons from boys who could write by taunting them that he too knew how to write and would go-ahead to write the letters learned at the shipyard. He perfected his writing skills by copying the italics in Websters Spelling Book until he memorized them. He copied Master Thomas' writings in his copy-book during his mistress absence until his writing matched Master Thomas's hand.
What effect did Douglass’ education have on him as a slave? How does this re-enforce the view of the slaveholders that slavery and education are incompatible?
Douglass' education brought him discontentment on him being a slave. He envied the life of the poor little boys who would be free as soon as they became men. Douglass, on the other hand, would remain a slave for life. He read of the release of slaves by their masters. Douglass also read of Sheridan's speech that advocated for the abolition of slavery and respect for human rights. The readings made him aware of his situation. This brought him anguish at times, wishing himself dead. He felt helpless and envied his fellow slaves’ ignorance; they were content with their situation. Education made him hate his masters, became restless, and all he ever thought of was freedom (Douglass, 1845). The hope for being free is all that kept him from killing himself. Douglass' predicament upon being educated illustrates the view of most of the slaveholders that education and slavery were incompatible. Education made slaves discontent with slavery and yearn for freedom.
Does Douglass’s account of his struggles to become educated show us anything about our own views and actions regarding education?
Douglass's account of his struggles to gain education illustrates what has commonly been said to us that education frees our minds. Acquiring education can help us to overcome the challenges that face us in the current world. Douglass' narrative emphasizes our need to go the extra mile to acquire education even in the face of adversity. Even in the busiest times, Douglass illustrates that we can use our spare time wisely and acquire some education. Education is powerful. It offers hope to all, the rich and the poor alike.
References
Douglass, F. (1845). The Life of Frederick Douglass . SaltHeart Publishers, LLC.
Tasker, M., & Packham, D. (1993). Industry and higher education: A question of values. Studies in Higher Education , 18 (2), 127-136.
