The author's life experiences described throughout the passage primarily reflect his- attitudes toward slavery- thoughts on social injustice- evolution of thought- motivation to read- contemplation of childhood In the same book, I met with one of Sheridan's mighty speeches on and in behalf ofCatholic emancipation. These were choice documents to me. I read them over andover again with unabated interest. They gave tongue to interesting thoughts of myown soul, which had frequently flashed through my mind, and died away for want ofutterance. The moral which I gained from the dialogue was the power of truth overthe conscience of even a slaveholder. What I got from Sheridan was a bolddenunciation of slavery, and a powerful vindication of human rights. The reading ofthese documents enabled me to utter my thoughts, and to meet the argumentsbrought forward to sustain slavery; but while they relieved me of one difficulty, theybrought on another even more painful than the one of which I was relieved. Themore I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers. I could regardthem in no other light than a band of successful robbers, who had left their homes,and gone to Africa, and stolen us from our homes, and in a strange land reduced usto slavery. I loathed them as being the meanest as well as the most wicked of men.As I read and contemplated the subject, behold! that very discontentment whichMaster Hugh had predicted would follow my learning to read had already come, totorment and sting my soul to unutterable anguish. As I writhed under it, I would attimes feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing. It hadgiven me a view of my wretched condition, without the remedy. It opened my eyesto the horrible pit, but to no ladder upon which to get out. In moments of agony, Ienvied my fellow-slaves for their stupidity. I have often wished myself a beast. Ipreferred the condition of the meanest reptile to my own. Any thing, no matter what,to get rid of thinking! It was this everlasting thinking of my condition that tormentedme. There was no getting rid of it. It was pressed upon me by every object withinsight or hearing, animate or inanimate. The silver trump of freedom had roused mysoul to eternal wakefulness. Freedom now appeared, to disappear no more forever.It was heard in every sound, and seen in every thing. It was ever present to tormentme with a sense of my wretched condition. I saw nothing without seeing it, I heardnothing without hearing it, and felt nothing without feeling it. It looked from everystar, it smiled in every calm, breathed in every wind, and moved in every storm.3035404550 (The following passage is an excerpt from a narrative text written in 1845 by a leading orator for theAmerican Anti-Slavery Society.).I lived in Master Hugh's family about seven years. During this time, I succeeded inlearning to read and write. In accomplishing this, I was compelled to resort tovarious stratagems. I had no regular teacher. My mistress, who had kindlycommenced to instruct me, had, in compliance with the advice and direction of herhusband, not only ceased to instruct, but had set her face against my beinginstructed by any one else. . . .The plan which I adopted, and the one by which I was most successful, was that ofmaking friends of all the little white boys whom I met in the street. As many of theseas I could, I converted into teachers. With their kindly aid, obtained at differenttimes and in different places, I finally succeeded in learning to read. When I wassent of errands, I always took my book with me, and by going one part of my errandquickly, I found time to get a lesson before my return. . . .I was now about twelve years old, and the thought of being a slave for life began tobear heavily upon my heart. Just about this time, I got hold of a book entitled "TheColumbian Orator." Every opportunity I got, I used to read this book. Among muchof other interesting matter, I found in it a dialogue between a master and his slave.The slave was represented as having run away from his master three times. Thedialogue represented the conversation which took place between them, when theslave was retaken the third time. In this dialogue, the whole argument in behalf ofslavery was brought forward by the master, all of which was disposed of by theslave. The slave was made to say some very smart as well as impressive things inreply to his master-things which had the desired though unexpected effect; for theconversation resulted in the voluntary emancipation of the slave on the part of themaster.In the same book, I met with one of Sheridan's mighty speeches on and in behalf ofCatholic emancipation. These were choice documents to me. I read them over andover again with unabated interest. They gave tongue to interesting thoughts of myown soul, which had frequently flashed through my mind, and died away for want ofutterance. The moral which I gained from the dialogue was the power of truth overthe conscience of even a slaveholder. What I got from Sheridan was a boldLine51015202530

Fredrick Douglas was a former slave turned abolitionist who wrote his narrative in a powerful account. He details his time as a slave as a young boy and how certain circumstances led him to start questioning the institution of slavery, which ultimately shaped the trajectory of events in his life.The correct answer is ‘evolution of thought’. The author highlights how he attempted to educate himself as a young boy by befriending young white boys. Ultimately, he was able to learn how to read, following which he got hold of a book about slavery. The book shaped his views, which he had secretly always thought but never quite put into words. He learnt about why slavery was wrong, and furthermore his thought evolved as he read about the concept of freedom in the book. For Douglas, the book thus acted as a catalyst to help him in formulating his own thoughts and opinion on the matter.Attitudes towards slavery is wrong although that is the general gist of the passage. Douglas being a slave himself took time to form his opinions on just why slavery was to be abolished as a system. Also, the notion of emancipation and manumission are concepts which he adopted slowly over time. Thoughts on social injustice is incorrect as although Douglas was formulating his opinions against slavery, the term social justice is a broad term which encompasses other facets such as poor living and working conditions, low status of immigrants, wage gaps and long working hours, etc. Until now Douglas is only understanding about slavery and why it is wrong and evil. Motivation to read is incorrect as that was applicable in the early phases of Douglas’s life as he had a desire to learn how to read and write. Contemplation of childhood is wrong as it only with time that he was able to formulate his thoughts and ideas regarding slavery.Thus, the correct answer is evolution of thoughts.

Social Science

History

The author's life experiences described throughout the passage primarily reflect his - attitudes toward slavery - thoughts on social injustice - evolution of thought - motivation to read - contemplation of childhood

The author's life experiences described throughout the passage primarily reflect his - attitudes toward slavery - thoughts on social injustice - evolution of thought - motivation to read - contemplation of childhood