Frederick Douglas
When considering the roles of traditional African Americans during Frederick Douglass's time, it is apparent that Douglass simply does not fit into this role. Because a slave's opinion was unheard of at the time, their positions in society were already set for them. Yet, Douglass constantly resists this position throughout the narrative. His ambition and courageous strength does not allow him to accept his "traditional role." Instead, he digs deep down inside himself to find the motivation to break out of the expected norm, and therefore paint himself as an American hero. Douglass used his strive for education as one way to escape the traditional standards of slaves. Education was not something other slaves worried about, since they simply were not allowed to have one. In a slaveholder's opinion, knowledge (for a slave) is dangerous. Said Mr. Auld (one of Douglass's masters), "Learning would spoil the best nigger in the world. If you teach that nigger how to read, there would be no keeping him" (Douglass, 236). In Douglass's case, Mr. Auld was somewhat right. Education was the driving force in Douglass's escape from slavery. Mrs. Auld taught Douglass the basics to reading, and that was all he needed. After Mr. Auld convinced hi
s wife not to teach slaves to read, Douglass knew that it was up to himself to complete his education. He began tricking other kids into educating him, he read newspapers and books whenever he could, and he taught himself to write. This education distinguished him from the other slaves. Douglass was able to read stories about abolition, so he knew that there were other people out there who believed slavery was wrong. Whereas, the other slaves knew nothing other than what they had seen on the plantations; consequently, they were not aware just how wrong they were being treated. In conclusion, Douglass never was the typical African-American slave. He was always something more. He refused to accept his position in society and did everything in his power to ensure that he was no slave for life. He is now an American hero because he served as a model that one has the ability to break free from their social situation. Ultimately, it cost him a great deal, however, he was able to gain a lot more than Douglass's desire for freedom comes again after he is jailed for escaping. It hurt him very badly to be in jail. Says Douglass, "but a few days before, and I was full of hope. I expected to have been safe in a land of freedom; but now I was covered with gloom, sunk down to the utmost despair" (Douglass, 304). He had lost all of his hope until he went once again to live with the Aulds. This was significant in setting him apart from the other slaves, because Douglass was allowed to work for wages. He gets to learn the trade of working on a ship while getting paid. His education became important again because he was able to see that he was being cheated out of his money when he had to give the biggest majority of his wages to his master. Once again, Douglass gets a taste of freedom, and once again he finds his desire to be free. He devises another educated plan to run away. He succeeds this time, and ultimately gains his freedom. It would have been difficult for others in Douglass's situation (being an African-American slave) to break out of their situation. In the beginning,
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Approximate Word count = 1406
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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