Baldin and Douglass

A detailed Summary of Baldin and Douglass

Baldwin and Douglass both used education as a guide to understanding their oppressive

disposition in society. In the, "Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave",

Douglass overcomes many barriers to learn how to read and write. In, "The Discovery of what it

means to be American", Baldwin goes on a philosophical journey to better understand himself and

come to terms with his color. The organization in both essays are quite similar, both authors

present an up-lifting experience and reflect on it. Although both Baldwin and Douglass used

education, the obstacles they overcame to obtain their knowledge were quite different.

"The Discovery of what it means to be American " by James Baldwin, and "The Narrative

of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American slave", by Frederick Douglass, are similar essays

because learning played a key factor in their lives. Douglass discovered his quest for knowledge

when he learned the alphabet. He states of this, "The first step had been taken. Mistress in

teaching me the alphabet, had given me the inch, and no precaution could prevent me from taking

the ell" (p.104). Douglass was a slave in a relatively rich slave family, and he was thus

Baldwin faced were nowhere as daunting of a task that Douglass faced while learning how to read

Baldwin also stresses the need for self-enlightenment. Baldwin left America because he

of how people can break through societies racism's and succeed.

to search for a place more civilized. Both Baldwin and Douglass went through their own

Education played a key factor in both Baldwin and Douglass' lives. Even though the

barriers overcome by Baldwin and Douglass were different the learning experiences were

abroad to expand his intellectual thought. Because of the racism in America, Baldwin left to

valuable. These writers rose out of the status society placed on them, of being merely a colored

Approximate Word count = 904
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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