Frederick Douglass: Human Nature, Essay Example

A story in which I learned a lesson about human nature was “Learning to Read and Write” by Frederick Douglass.  This story concerns the struggle the author had with becoming literate in a world where slaves were generally forbidden to learn how to read or write.  This is a tale of struggle that embodies the idea of human nature.  While a person can be in chains or servitude, if they are given even the smallest flame of hope, then they will press forward towards its fulfillment.  Throughout the story, there are various barriers that stand in his way, however, he keeps learning more and more, until he finally achieves his goal.

Douglass begins his story by explaining how he first started down the path of literacy. It began with a mistress, or owner, who, as he says, would “treat [him]as? she?supposed?one?human?being?ought?to treat?another.”  In this way, she saw him as a person and not a tool, which was his initial departure from the “mental darkness” that set him on the road to enlightenment by teaching him the basics of how to read. (1)  This would be the starting point of his literary abilities. Unfortunately, the kindness shown to him by his mistress wouldn’t last.

He explains that, although this person had a large amount of humanity, eventually, the polarizing effect of slavery would change her, “the?tender?heart?becamestone,and thelamb?like?disposition?gave?way? to?one?oftiger?like? fierce??ness.” (1)  At the behest of her husband, the woman began to act in opposition to how she had, and instead began to keep Douglass away from learning.  However, it seems that it was too late to stop him.  “Thefirststephadbeentaken. ?Mistress,in?teaching?me?the?alphabet,?had?given?me?the?inch,?and?no?precaution?could?prevent?me?from?taking the?ell.” (1)  It was too late, though, as the man would take every opportunity to learn, and received help from unlikely sources.

It was about the time he was 21 that Douglass began to read, and dream, about the idea of emancipation.  While this allowed Douglass the great freedom of knowledge and a better understanding of the world, it also brought with it a price,“but?while?they?relieved?me?of?one?difficulty,they?brought?on?another?even?more?painful?than?theone?of?which?I?was?relieved.” (1)  As he came to understand his situation and the world around him, it made him begin to detest both himself and those who held him as a slave.  He hated them for treating him as an animal, and himself for having the intelligence to understand it.

Although he contemplated the freedom of death, in the end, Douglass was able to build hope for himself that he might be able to learn to read, and thus, find a chance to gain his freedom.  Throughout this struggle, he had to decide what was important to him, whether he wanted to continue down the path he had started or put an end to himself and his suffering.  However, he was able to come to the conclusion that he should keep struggling to find search for knowledge and the freedom that goes along with it.  He decided that, to do this, he must also learn to write.  He accomplished this through creative endeavors, while he was on errands, or when his masters were out of the house.“In?this?wayI?got?a?good?many?lessons?in?writing,which?it?is? quite? possible?Ishould?never?have?gottenin any other?way. (4)  Thus, after years he was able to teach himself to write, and so achieved literacy.

This is how it related to human nature.  This story represents the struggles of the human spirit, as simply being given a small amount of information compelled Frederick Douglass to keep learning more and more throughout his life, until he finally achieved that which he was seeking. It also gives evidence of the compelling struggle that those who were in slavery had to put up with.  Despite this struggle, Douglass was able to accomplish something, and was at a time even more literate than some of the poorer white children that lived near him.

In the end, Douglass was able to become more proficient at reading, and even taught himself how to write.This is inspiring, as even though he was born into slavery, he took hold of the small light that was given to him and made it grow into something more. This exemplifies human nature, as it shows how the spirit can give the inspiration necessary to continue on despite hardship. The effort that Douglass puts forth in attaining his goal is inspiring.

On the other hand, it also exemplifies human nature through the example of those who attempted to keep Douglass from learning.  There seems to have been, in the sense of slavery, an innate understanding that if the slaves were to gain a sense of self-worth, then it would lead to trouble.  When Douglass’s mistress realizes this, it completely changes her demeanor and ethical framework.  She goes from being an incredibly kind person, to an incredibly strict one at the fear of losing the structured environment that existed at the time.

Works Cited

Douglass, Frederick. Learning to Read and Write. Taken?from <http://www.gibbsmagazine.com/learning%20to%20read.html> May 2014.