The author’s purpose in this passage is most likely todescribe how education led to discontent among enslaved peoplesexplain how reading equipped him to argue against slaveryacknowledge the people who taught him to readdiscredit the idea that slaveholders abide by moral truthsargue in favor of the practice of slavery in certain circumstances (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 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

Frederick Douglass wrote the above excerpt while he was a member of the American Anti-Slavery…

The author’s purpose in this passage is most likely to describe how education led to discontent among enslaved peoples explain how reading equipped him to argue against slavery acknowledge the people who taught him to read discredit the idea that slaveholders abide by moral truths argue in favor of the practice of slavery in certain circumstances

The author’s purpose in this passage is most likely to describe how education led to discontent among enslaved peoples explain how reading equipped him to argue against slavery acknowledge the people who taught him to read discredit the idea that slaveholders abide by moral truths argue in favor of the practice of slavery in certain circumstances