Precis for Douglass Reading from Susan

Douglass, Frederick. "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave."
Chapter VII. 14 May 97. Berkeley Digital Library SunSITE. 21 Jan. 09.
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/07.html

In chapter seven of his autobiography, Douglass presents the journey he takes and the struggles he faces as he strives to acquire the knowledge of how to read and write. He reveals the strategies he uses to overcome the barriers of slavery in his efforts to obtain this knowledge. A lack of formal training and the prohibition of his instruction do not quell his fervor for learning. While he lacks basic skills of reading and writing, Douglass demonstrates his intellect with the creative methods he employs to attain his knowledge.

Douglass equates the knowledge of reading and writing with freedom – freedom from slavery and freedom to articulate his thoughts. As for slaveholders, Douglass sees the ability to read and write as a power they abuse. The disparity between the literacy level of slaveholders and slaves serves to keep the balance of power in the hands of the slaveholder. Douglass acknowledges that while "knowledge" can empower, it can likewise debilitate. We see this when Doulgass struggles with the newfound insight his reading affords him as he realizes the extent of his condition.

Douglass delivers a powerful message in this chapter. We see that while it may not be easy to acquire the skills of reading and writing without the customary means of education or instruction, it is still very possible to succeed in doing so despite adversities or impediments. It puts into perspective how insignificant our own struggles in attaining language competency are in comparison to those who are oppressed or disadvantaged. His tone and writing style reflect the style of a well-educated intellectual. In this way he overcomes the argument that slaves are intellectually inferior to their slaveholders and to Whites as a majority.

This power of literacy to define people still exists today. There is still the perception that people who are illiterate are for some reason less intelligent than those who have achieved literacy. People without the basic skills of reading and writing are stigmatized. They are excluded from many opportunities such as employment, services, and education. While slavery is abolished today, people without the ability to read and write still live in a form of slavery – a "mental darkness" as Douglass calls it – the inability to express their thoughts or to escape their condition.