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Frederick Douglass Value Of Education Essay

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Frederick Douglass Value Of Education Essay
Two quotes from Frederick Douglass’ Narrative teach important lessons about the value of education and the impact it can have on a person’s life. ”The plan which I adopted, and the one by which I was most successful, was that of making friends of all the little white boys whom I met in the street. As many of these as I could, I converted into teachers. With their kindly aid, obtained at different times and in different places, I finally succeeded in learning to read.” (pg. 82) Frederick Douglass learned that in order to break free from slavery, he needed an education and more importantly to learn to read. Mrs. Auld was very kind and wanted to help him achieve his goal, but her husband forbid her to teach Frederick. Douglass persisted in his quest to read and he found help in the most ironic …show more content…
135) Douglass’ time in Baltimore showed him that by educating himself, he could earn a living, but it came at a price. As an educated man, Douglass was earning a wage, however his Master was confiscating this from him. This troubled Douglass greatly as he affirmed his realization that education alone wasn’t going to make him a free man. In fact, he was more chained to his Master by providing more value as he was an earner. Education was only one step towards becoming a free man and that one must also possess the courage to truly break free. In some respect, Douglass wished he was ignorant again as he wouldn’t be aware of the great disparity between slaves and owners. Through the process of becoming educated, Frederick Douglass experiences both the ups and downs of being an educated slave. Education alone cannot free a person, but rather it is one step in the right direction. A person’s courage and aspirations need to be added in to achieve a dream of freedom. This philosophy is true today. While all of us are presented with an opportunity for an education, success is not inherent upon completion but rather it is what we choose to do with that education that truly
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