Essay Example on the Role of Literacy in Abolition of Slavery

It is factual when many philosophers come forwards to explain to the world about the revolution that was seen during the era of slavery. In many of their arguments, many of them have come to a consensus that slavery was fought successful due to the gradual change of some of the people in the population of slaves opting to have knowledge through secrectful means thus gaining literacy. One such kind of individuals was Fredrick Douglass.

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Douglass presents a narrative about his journey out of slavery in his book, A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Salve. In his book, he highlights how the American slaves were being mistreated through the brutal beatings, rape and the killing of many that was being advocated by the hypocrite Christian slave owners. He has been identified as one of the slaves that explored into gaining the knowledge of how to read and write during his time in slavery.

The mother to the his sons master teaches him on how to read and write, but when He decides to have lessons by trading his bread in order to be educated by reading books and engaging with the poor white boys from his neighborhood at a young age. This early exposure and hunger for knowledge sees him through the journey of slavery as he cleverly tries to escape with failed attempts. However, he successfully finds his escape channel after a long period. It is at this time that he moves to Massachusetts.

Frederick being one of those that were eager to confront the authorities about the ill-treatment of the other slave, he worked hard in finding a way out of the south in order to escape from his slave master. He later used the knowledge gained out of his lessons by cleverly luring the son of his slave master to work for him in return for huge amounts of money. The conditions that he has to be allowed to be out and should not be monitored on condition that he gives the sons master a good amount in return. This is the time he cleverly hatches a plan of escape which turns out to be successful. He move to the north where he seeks to have a job, but since the whites fear that their jobs would be taken, he is denied one.

When at one point he attends a convention for anti-slavery, he finds a chance to addres the people and launches hi manifesto of fighting for the rights of the slaves. He was careful not to be caught and be returned to the south back into slavery again. The urge that he had to speak and revolt against slavery that is even propagated by even the clergymen is rejuvenated at this time when he engages is public speeches as well as writing about the abolition of slavery. This is evident that literacy amongst slaves helped a lot in their liberation. He is one of the few that used the knowledge he gained to rally against slavery in the America. Therefore, it is worth-noting this revolution that he led since he had knowledge similar to the whites and this is what gave him the confidence to confront them and their cruelty on slaves. He greatly helps the change from slavery to the adoption of equality for the blacks in America.