Micayla Kotarski

October 29,2015
Question #1

The Spoiling of Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass was once quoted as saying, Once you learn to read, you will be
forever free. This truth was given to him unwittingly once by his master, Mr. Auld, while he
was scolding his wife for teaching Frederick to read. This moment in his life was very important
to him because Mr. Auld gave him the key to his freedom. Mr. Auld believed that knowing how
to read would spoil the slave because when literacy opens the door to knowledge, slaves are no
longer content. The remainder of this paper will be devoted to explaining why a slave would
become discontent with their situation once they gained knowledge and how gaining knowledge
helped Frederick Douglass become a free man.
Frederick Douglass had the misfortune of being born a slave. Douglass was not told how
old he was. He was not sure who exactly his father was. Douglass was taken from his mother at a
young age. He was not afforded the same comforts of white people, such as utensils, because of
his skin color. Douglass realized how important learning to read was by Mr. Aulds angry
reaction. Mr. Auld unknowingly gave the young Douglass that small nugget of freedom that he
says gave him an epiphany: I now understood what had been to me a most perplexing difficultyto wit, the white mans power to enslave the black man. It was a grand achievement, and I prized
it highly. From that moment, I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom. It was just what
I wanted, and I got it at a time when I the least expected it. Whilst I was saddened by the thought
of losing the aid of my kind mistress, I was gladdened by the invaluable instruction which, by the
merest accident, I had gained from my master. Though conscious of the difficulty of learning
without a teacher, I set out with high hope, and a fixed purpose, at whatever cost of trouble, to
learn how to read (41). Douglass used many different methods to learn how to read and write.
He made friends with all of the young white boys he met in the street. Douglass began to carry

Micayla Kotarski
October 29,2015
Question #1

bread around with him and would bribe the street urchins to give him a quick lesson in reading
from a book he had while he was out doing errands.
Douglass was extremely clever in how he went about learning to read and he was very
successful in his methods. Once he gained literacy he was able to get a copy of The Columbian
Orator. Douglass was very moved by a speech by British abolitionist Richard Sheridan. This
piece of writing exposed him to a "bold denunciation of slavery, and a powerful vindication of
human rights" (45). The writings of Sheridan and other writers both inspired Douglass and
reminded him of his unfortunate circumstance. At times he regretted learning how to read saying,
As I read and contemplated the subject, behold! That very discontentment which Master Hugh
had predicted would follow my learning to read had already come, to torment and sting my soul
to unutterable anguish (45).
Douglass taught himself how to write by watching the men in the shipyards building
ships. He first learned the letters S,A,L,F and once he had those mastered he would challenge
any boy he knew could write to contests, I would tell him I could write as well as he. The next
words would be, I dont believe you. Let me see you try it. I would then make the letters which
I had been so fortunate as to learn, and ask him to beat that. In this way I got a good many
lessons in writing, which is quite possible I should never have gotten in any other way (47-48).
Armed with this new found knowledge Douglass went to live with a new master named
Master Thomas. This master was particularly cruel and used religion to excuse the way he
treated his slaves. Douglass had lived a pretty easy life with the Aulds and his new life at Master
Thomass didnt sit well with him at all. He was soon sent to Covey, a man known for being able
to break slaves. During his time with Master Covey, Douglass reached an all-time low. Master

Micayla Kotarski
October 29,2015
Question #1

Covey was successful in breaking Douglass in mind, body and spirit (63), just a few months
after his arrival. On Sunday, his only day off, he spent the days staring at the sails from the boats
in the Bay near his house. In the book Douglass said The sight of these always affected me
powerfully.. with no audience but the Almighty, I would pour out my souls complaint, in my
rude way, with an apostrophe to the moving multitude of ships:- You are loosed from your
moorings and are free: I am fast in my chains and am a slave! You move merrily before the
gentle gale, and I sadly before the bloody whip! You are freedoms swift-winged angels, that fly
around the world; I am confined in bands of iron!(63).
Douglasss second six months were much improved after he broke the final piece of
Slaveholders Economy of Dominion by getting into a fist fight with Covey. This battle was a
turning point in Douglasss career as a slave. Douglass beat Covey to a pulp while Covey
didnt do any damage to him. Covey didnt lay a finger on him the remainder of his time there
and Douglasss attitude changed and his spirits were lifted. Once his time was up with Covey he
returned to Mr. Freeland, where he began to hold school on Sundays in a free black mans house
near his home. Douglass loved being able to use his knowledge to teach other slaves. He said, I
look back on those Sundays with an amount of pleasure not to be expressed. They were great
days to my soul (75). Douglass used the next year to teach and learn from other slaves. It was
one of the best of his life, but he becomes no longer content to live with Mr. Freeland or any
other master. Douglass and a few other slaves decide they would try to run to the North.
Douglass used his writing skills to draw up passes from them saying, This is to certify that I, the
undersigned, have given the bearer, my servant, full liberty to go to Baltimore, and spend the
Easter holidays. Written with mine own hand, &c, 1835 (78). Unfortunately, they were found

Micayla Kotarski
October 29,2015
Question #1

out and Douglass and his fellow runaways must swallow their passes so they will not be
imprisoned.
Douglass was sent to live with someone else where he gained the valuable skill of
calking, which he was able to earn a wage. After a while he became restless and upset that he had
to give all his wages to his master. After hiring out his own time and saving up some money he
ran to New York where he finds a measure of safety. He was taken in by Mr. Ruggles who gave
him a place to stay for a while. Douglass then was married to Anna. They continue onto New
Bedford where they began to feel a measure of safety.
Frederick Douglass was in fact spoiled by learning to read. He became entirely
unhappy with his situation and he did something about it to change his life. He knew that by
learning to read and write he would become a free man. Douglass was able to break the chains of
slavery by inverting the Slaveholders Economy of Dominion. He became cognizant of his
surroundings by tricking the hungry, white boys in his city to teach him to read and write. He
fought back against the brutality shown to him by Master Covey and won! Douglass used his
knowledge to teach other slaves to read and write and gave them hope of a free future. Frederick
destroyed the last bond of slavery by writing his narrative. In his narrative he is able to
beautifully craft his story. He tells of the horrors he lived through and the trials he conquered to
become a free man. He essentially makes it known that he is in fact a human and he lived
through terrible, terrible things. Learning to read and write gave him the power to do so, because
as Douglass believed, Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.

Micayla Kotarski
October 29,2015
Question #1

Works Cited
Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave.
New York, NY: Barnes & Noble Books, 2003. Book.