Education of Black Slaves, as a Pathway to Freedom in the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave

Education helps the Awakening of conscience 

Education as a Quest for Freedom Freedom is liberty and liberty is having privileges in order to move freely in a society. Also it is something that allows a person to live in togetherness without any interference. Freedom is not something that should be given. However a good freedom ought to be snatched. And a person needs to know his right to quest for his freedom. Knowledge is therefore crucial for a person to achieve his ambition. Somebody who lacks of freedom may feel awful in a society. Moreover, we learn from the history that America claimed its freedom from British crown. They were fed up about their conditions as the subjects of England. Actually freedom became something which they were ready to pay their lives. This is when Thomas Jefferson Drafted the declaration of independence in July the 4th 1776. Had not been educated the founding fathers of America would have been rid themselves from this oppression. We can see from this historical event that Knowledge pushed the founding fathers like George Washington, James Adams, and Thomas Jefferson to overthrow king Georges II. Education comes to give evidence to Frederick Douglass to seek for his freedom from his master. The narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave, describes the young Douglass in the age of merely 16 years old enthusiasm to free him. He was ready to scarify himself for the sake of his freedom. Furthermore, we can see in chapter Four (4) of his narrative, Frederick Douglass describes his desire in leaving Colonel Lloyd‟s Plantation for Baltimore. Baltimore is located in the south of America. The south was the area where the black community was numerous. The black were located in the south of America where there is more oppression, more difficulties. The reason why they yearned to move to the north was they were oppressed enslaved whereas in the north they could have found air to breath. Indeed everything started in Baltimore. It is a place where the sun rises; this is also where Thomas Auld and his wife Sofia Auld were living. Had not been in Baltimore, Douglass would have been like many other young slaves. Lived and died naked of knowledge. Moreover, we can see from the very beginning that he was gifted; he was the chosen one among the others. Everything was prepared for Douglass to escape from bondage by being educated. For example we can see that death has sometimes a positive impact; it can be regarded as a sad event when it freshly comes but later on, it may create another atmosphere. The ties which generally blind the children to their mothers were erased. Douglass loss of his mother helps him to be strong enough. 12 He did not see neither his mother because she died when he was just a child, nor his family members. That loneliness brings a sort of determination for Douglass. If you are raised in a family where you are not spoiled you might thrive in the future. Douglass did not grow up in a house of his own plenty of wealthy but he did have in on his mind and his heart. And he early understood that the pathway to freedom was education. Freedom is something that one ought to hustle and fight to move forward. In moving to the higher ladder of the society Douglass became more and more devoted to grasp firmly his success with his two hands. It costs him so many feathers to become free. And the reason why Baltimore was different from the other plantations makes Douglass different from the other young slaves living in America. We can see from the psyche of that man that Baltimore represents everything. Before he went to Baltimore Douglass was to make himself very clean. He was actually a slave but his rank was among the white people who always considered learning as something given to them. On the veil of his departure he washed his body took some new clothes, all this gives a kind of hints that he was ready to be special in America. Frederick Douglass has never been to Baltimore before but his intuition tells him this is the place where he will have the freedom. He describes Baltimore like a paradise on earth a place where the landmark of his joy starts. Also Frederick is feeling like a kind of enthusiasm when he talks about that place in the narrative. The inner part of Frederick tells us that going to Baltimore were not at random. It was something that the destiny had already prepared. Going to Baltimore was good, meeting Sophia Auld, his new mistress was better and learning was the best thing that Douglass had ever had in life. A new life had started for Douglass upon arriving in Baltimore. In the narrative the author, Douglass tells us that he arrives in Baltimore when the morning comes that time is very symbolic because he has left the darkness of his unhappiness to reach the dawn that symbolizes the beginning of the day and the landmark of the happiness. Baltimore helps him to see as the dawn with its light to illuminate the world. In addition, we can see that family Auld did give opportunity for Frederick Douglass. They participate much for the quest of freedom. Frederick Douglass desire for freedom starts with his former master‟s son in law, Captain Thomas Auld. They kindled the fire. They were to ring the horn for Douglass to wake up in the long night of ignorance. The quest for freedom was not an easy task for the African Americans in general but especially for Frederick Douglass. In the chapter VI of his narrative, Douglass describes his long way to freedom. Indeed he did not have any problem from the very beginning; he even expressed a positive feeling towards his master Sophia Auld. The latter taught him A B C she was the one who creates the good atmosphere between Douglass and family.

. Freedom by all Necessary

Means Freedom has always been regarded as a core mean for a person to have a sort of recognition if ever one lacks of freedom, he will have so many problems to make his duties through. Also freedom as well as education does not have any price. The reason why that Frederick Douglass did all his best or even risked his life in order to be free was very significant. In this book, Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave, 1848 we can see in psyche of the author that he has a very devotion to achieve his dream. He paid so many things for the price of his freedom. We can see in the chapter VIII Douglass relates about the difficulties he encountered on his way. We can see from the psyche of the master a kind of fear. They began to move him from place to place thinking that was the suitable solution to stop the young Douglass. Anxiety was what made the master move Douglass. However this act was not so effective for the master. The fact that he moved from plantation to another one made him discovered the world as well as having enhancing his desire for his future run away. The master did not use the right card for the game to win. Douglass started to attempt to flee when he started going out Baltimore. Education helped him now to start to see the reality of the white system. The more he grew the more he became devoted enough for the price of freedom. He paid much more attention to the way from Philadelphia, the North. On his way he observes, he located the areas where he was crossing. His intelligence helped him to quickly master the map for the path to his freedom. How many young black people did not know the north because their lack of education. Thanks to his education Douglass started in knowing so many secrets that will help him to be subsequently free. The author of this narrative actually knew the price of freedom that was the reason why he never abdicated even if he met many issues on his way. In several attempted he tried to flee but in vain. These obstacles did not discourage him. Contrary he kept on struggling, moving and doing his utmost to achieve his dream. And his dream was just to be free and prosper like the white boys he used to interact with about the lessons. Moreover the price of freedom has always strengthened the desire for somebody who feels the lack of this natural right. This right is somehow compulsory for the life. This price for freedom must have been what stimulated Rosa Parks to refuse to give her seat in 1955 during the Jim Crow Laws in the United States of America. 23 Being terrified with their living conditions, living such a plight, the African Americans were devoted enough to quest for their rights. The price of their freedom cost them so many things. They fought against that inequality by many strategies like, the boycott and the non violent method the way was plenty of interferences but they succeeded in realizing their dreams. Indeed, Education was what helped Rosa Parks to stand for the right of her people. The time she refused to give her seat she actually knew that he was fighting for the freedom of one entire community. She represented the voiced of the voiceless. A person who has already been lit can be the guidance for those who lived in the darkness. Thanks to her education Rosa Parks freed many of her people. So many African Americans had their freedom the refusal of this brave black woman Rosa Parks. History tells us their sorrows ended with the enacting of the bill of right in 1965. In addition, we can say that the price for freedom was the concern for Marcus Garvey a Jamaican who went to America and settled in New York. Garvey advocated the ideas to back in African roots. In addition, he sensitized his people throughout his program the UNIA19 (Universal Negroes Improvement Association). He deconstructed the white men strategy advocating a total separation. Through relevant speeches and sermon Garvey advised his people to believe in themselves. His focus was the education for the blacks and a firm separation to the white world. Garvey was one of the outstanding African Americans freedom fighters to wake up his community. His education was in a big importance for the black people to back into their roots. Garvey‟s ideology for liberation participated much to the improvement of the blacks; he did help his people for not being lost in the white system world. In reality Marcus Garvey participated for their emancipation in one of his speeches he quotes.

Education as a Way to Overcome Issues 

Intelligence of Ann Jacobs to Control her Life

 The novel “Incident in the Life of a Slave Girl”, written by Harriet Ann Jacobs (1813- 1897) using the pseudonym Linda Brent, is one the most widely read female slave narrative in American History. In her account Jacobs appeal to reader as a woman and mother by detailing the sexual harassment she suffered as a female slave in America especially in Edenton NC and an eventual escape. Her story is one triumph and a testament to her spirit. In this narrative we can see the hard task for being free from the oppression and taking control of her destiny as well. The author of this narrative is special of her generation. Indeed she is special because she did a great achievement for her success. Her color did not ostracize her to remain in the portion of African American women who left their paper sheet empty. Ann Jacobs existed and she still exists in the life of African Americans because she wrote her life. Writing her life was not easy at all because she met so many troubles in her life. Despite all those obstacles she succeeded in taking control of her destiny. She is among the black women who created their destiny. Furthermore what made Harriet Ann Jacobs achieve her goal when she was living under the slavery issue was undoubtedly this following word: education. Even though she lived in the time when teaching a slave was ruled out, Ann Jacobs was somehow gifted because where many African American women failed she actually succeeded just because she was educated. The reason why she received education when she was so young did help her from being different for the other women. Also took control of her destiny and carry out her dream as a free black woman. Education plays a core role for the life of the Black community. She took control of her destiny because in her Narrative we noticed that Ann Jacob or Lynda Brent the pseudonym she used in the book, succeeded in dodging all the traps put by Dr Flint. The latter was a person who tried several times to have intercourse with Lynda Brent. Despite all the interferences put in her way she eluded all. Indeed she eluded all the obstacles and what made her dodging all those bad traps was education. Many black women would mix their bloods with their white masters just because they were ignored. Ignorance has always been something negative for a person. When you are ignored your capacity of thinking is limited, you cannot move forward. It makes you lose your faith in reaching the top of one‟s destination. This is what brings about lot of obstacles for many African Americans to remain in a low social ladder. Ignorance may forbid social improvement. The lack of education can cause damages as well as an easy way to be manipulated. 28 In this narrative Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, 1842 we can see in chapter XXV: Competition Cunning that Lynda succeeded in playing with Dr Flint Indeed she wrote two letters one for her grandmother and the other for Dr Flint just to play with the master. Generally the white men regard themselves as superior to the other races, but Ann Jacobs changed that rule. She played with the mind of the master writing the letters just to trick the master. These events showed a sort of inferiority of white men. Dr Flint felt so weak towards Lynda Brent. His status of master did not mean anything for Lynda who was a black. Education comes to give superiority for the black color above the white one. It indeed helped them to take control to their destiny. Therefore we can analyze a solid mental strength for the author of this narrative. Ann Jacob cunning was at the big importance to cope with the problems she had encountered in her path. She was to create her destiny and education became so crucial to do so. She was on her way from being free. She represented the icon for her generation to believe in themselves as well as to save their dignity. Ann Jacobs made the black woman pride because she carries out big achievements. Thanks to her education she turned herself being someone who is very important in the history of African American. Similarly to Frederick Douglass, Ann Jacobs also lose her mother. The death of her father and mother cemented her mental strength. At 6 years old her mother passed away. 12 years the mistress who taught her died soon after her father passed away as well. These incidents came to cement her mental strength. The destiny had already created a path for Lynda; she was alone but very strong. That loneliness changed so many things in her life. She did not need to be spoiled. Ann Jacobs just needed to be educated to be an icon in the world of African American. She never rid herself from being a reference and being free too. She was aware about her future and knew that her nights will soon end and she will see the Promised Land. The psyche of this black woman, Ann Jacobs reveals a weight not physically but in her mental, that overwhelming weight made her to become a heroine and subsequently an abolitionist when she arrived in the north. We can see in the narrative that she went as to play with the white masters who were trying to use her like a stick tooth. Also it was a custom for the white master to satisfy their libidos with their black women slave. There existed a paradox in doing so because in the morning they beat those women whereas at night they yearn just to see them. What hypocrisy! But for Ann Jacob it was different because she was not part of the ignored black women who did not have their tongue. She was actually the slave of Dr Flint but not his stick tooth. Lynda owned her body just because she was intelligent; she had received education from Margerit Horniblow.