It is interesting to think about the way that having knowledge can be equated to having power, autonomy, and freedom in Douglas’ experience. Along the trajectory of Frederick Douglass’s life, his movement from oppression to liberty is certainly fueled by the urge of knowing. Douglas is keen to know the ideas of the world (history, language, culture, etc.) and at the same time is very eager to uncover details about his identity. This includes wondering about his age and birthday, confusion regarding his parental identity rumors that his master is his father, and vague memories of his mother who was allowed to meet him only at night. Without this proper family identity, Douglas was even more eager to establish an identity of his own, which he seemed to realized from a young age could only be developed with knowledge and learning. His journey began with learning and literacy in Baltimore under the guidance of Mrs. Auld. Once Mrs. Auld was warned by her husband, the learning stopped, but Douglass indulged in self-learning and pressed on. He started reading news paper secretly and learned from poor little white boys in exchange for bread. It becomes clear that educating slaves in any sort of way, or providing them with knowledge (even just about themselves, their birthday, their age, etc) was condemned and seen as something that would give these people power they didn’t deserve. It is incredible how through all of this resistance, there was still a spark of desire in Douglass, almost like a mission to ‘steal’ the wealth of knowledge from the privileged whites. Douglas’s story showcases his incredible growth, and the way he develops from a learner to an educator, and from a listener to a speaker.
Knowledge as Power
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I agree with you that in Douglass’ life, having knowledge leads to power and freedom. I think Narrative of the Life perfectly shows why Mr. Auld said that teaching Douglass how to read would “forever unfit him to be a slave” (1185). In this narrative, writing is a weapon, used to shame and expose his former masters for their cruelty. In addition, knowing how to read and write allows him to counter the stereotypes and myths about slavery perpetuated by white slaveowners. Writing gives him a method to fight back against the damaging effects of slavery, in his own life and those of others.
I wrote a blog post similar to this one. After being freed, Black people struggled due to lack of resources such as finances and education. I like your point when you said, “it is interesting to think about the way that having knowledge can be equated to having power, autonomy, and freedom in Douglas’ experience.” Douglass having access to the resource of education, specifically the ability to read and write which many Black people could not do, it gave him more power over his life, and more ability when he was trying to adjust to his life outside of slavery. In addition, his ability to write then gave us a source that depicts how slaves were often treated, and was able to bring awareness to what he had withstood during his experience as a slave, giving him more autonomy in how he wanted to share his story.
– AC
I definitely agree that there’s a strong correlation between the possession of knowledge and the possession of power in this text. Black people, both enslaved and free, were heavily deprived of the right to education, and claiming that right could never be anything other than an act of revolution against the system which disenfranchised them. Writing and reading naturally open the door to communication, to community, to accessibility and self-identification. The intentional restriction of those skills inhibits the ability of the individual to come into their own. It was a constant and methodical abuse, and Douglass seeking out learning was a form of self-actualization which had been systemically denied to him his whole life.