Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass: Chapter VII

Summary

Douglass was able to read and write during the seven years that he spent in the house of Hugh Auld, although she was not teaching him anymore. However, she was very kind to her at the beginning and had the same discouraging thoughts about slavery as Douglass had, but with time and upon advice from her father to restrict Douglass from learning and reading by any means, she became a stone-hearted woman who could not bear him with a newspaper. However, since Douglass was now familiar with the alphabet, he was very determined to learn to read. Therefore, he managed to take reading lessons from poor local boys by giving them bread in exchange, whom he never called by names, considering the consequences they would have to face for teaching a black boy.

When Douglass became twelve years old, he encountered the book “The Columbia Orator” which presented a philosophical dialogue between a slave and a master. The slave was ultimately freed upon winning with his master in arguments against slavery. He was inspired by this book, which helped him to make a strong stand against slavery. However, he began to hate his masters more and more gradually after reading the book. As Huge Auld anticipated, Douglass was feeling intensely discontented after learning the acute injustice he was facing in his position as a slave, which led him towards suicidal despair when he found no means to get his freedom.

It was during this period that he was keenly interested in discussions about slavery. He often had heard of the word “abolitionist” but could not learn its meaning until he discovered it in a city newspaper. On another occasion, Douglass was suggested to run away by two Irish sailors whom he kindly helped, but he did accept this offer, fearing that these white men were trying to trick him for the reward of capturing a slave. Meanwhile, he learned how to write by copying letters from the lumber written by the ship’s carpenters and later practised them on walls and fences. Finally, he was able to write articulately in Thomas Auld’s old discarded book when she left her in-home alone.