How did Mrs Auld change, and why did she change?
Mrs. Auld was initially very kind and soft-hearted when Douglass first came to her house; therefore, she willingly started teaching her. But with time, she became very harsh because her husband continuously scolded her for teaching him. Finally, she lost her initial thought of slaves being human beings and restricted Douglass from all learning and reading activities, fearing that the slaves could revolt if they began to comprehend the injustice they were facing by becoming literate.
What plan did Douglass adopt to learn how to read now that Mrs. Hugh was no longer teaching him?
When Mrs. Hugs stops teaching Douglass, he finally manages to learn how to read from poor local white boys by giving them bread in exchange. Till that time, he had already learned the alphabet, so it was easier for him to learn to read.
What is ironic about this plan?
The irony of this plan is that white people were supposed to hate blacks, but they were now helping a black boy, which is an offence. Moreover, it is also ironic that they are doing this in exchange for bread, which shows the poor economic conditions of some white people.
What did Douglass learn from the book The Columbian Orator?
The main theme of the book was to provide a strong rational basis against slavery in the form of a dialogue between a master and a slave. Since the slave was able to convince his master that slavery was oppression that also helped him win his freedom, Douglass finally grasped the great injustice that was prevailing in society. The first time, he had a feeling of intense discontent.
How does Master Auld’s prediction about Douglass and learning come true?
Mrs Hugs anticipated that if slaves became literate, they would finally revolt. This somehow became true when Douglass started to hate his masters after reading the book “The Columbian Orator”, which contained a strong case of slavery in the form of a dialogue between a slave and a master.
How does Douglass learn the meanings of the words abolition and abolitionist?
Although Douglass had heard of these words many times in discussions about slavery, he was not able to understand them until he learned their meanings in a city newspaper.
What do the two Irishmen encourage Douglass to do? Why does he not trust them?
Douglass helped two Irishmen, and when they learned about him being a slave, they advised him to run away. However, Douglass thought that it was very unusual for white men to help black people. So, they were maybe tricking him into getting the reward from the owner for capturing a slave by taking him. Therefore, he did not trust them, but the idea of freedom stuck in his mind.
How does Douglass learn to write?
Douglass learned how to write by observing the ship’s carpenters while they were writing letters on lumber. Later, he used to practice them on the walls and fences of the city. Moreover, he was engaged in a competition overwriting with two boys that ultimately helped him learn new letters.
How does Douglass trick the white boys into teaching him new letters?
Whenever Douglass encountered a boy about whom he knew that he could write, he used to say that he could write as well. The most definite answer from these boys was, “I don’t believe you. Let me see you try it.” As soon as he wrote those words he learned at the shipyard, the other boys started to write different letters. In this way, according to his own words, he was able to learn that it was not possible in any other way.
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