Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass was a slave in the 1800s, but Douglass was not a typical slave. Douglass fought for his freedom more then the other slaves, he wanted more than anything to be free and equal to everyone else. He also had a better outlook on life then all the other slaves, he tried to be more positive even when he was involved with slavery. Douglass worked hard and knew what he had to do to get out of slavery and help the rest of his fellow slaves get out of slavery as well. Douglass did not have an easy adventure out of slavery by any means, but he worked as hard as he could to fight for what he wanted, and it was all worth it in the end when he finally became free.
“The white children could tell their ages. I could not tell why I ought to be deprived of the same privilege.” (Douglass, Chapter 1) This is when I could first tell that Frederick Douglass was going to want to become free, and equal when he got older. I am sure a lot of slaves wanted to be free, but I do not think they realized things like this at such a young age like Douglass did. “The hearing of those wild notes always depressed my spirit, and filled me with ineffable sadness.” (Douglass, Chapter 2) Douglass is talking about the songs that slaves would sing while they were leaving home, although he was a slave as well, he did not agree with those songs, and just thought they made you even more depressed than slaves already were. Douglass did not want to be a slave, but as you can see he had a different attitude about everything then most of the other slaves. “I have been frequently asked, when a slave, if I had a kind master, and do not remember ever have to given a negative answer; nor did I... for I always measured the kindness of my master by the slaveholders around us.” (Douglass, Chapter 3) A lot of slaves I’m sure would say someone who makes them do stuff, or beats them is not kind. Douglass would look more into things than most people, and be able to see that even though its never easy to be a slave, he got one of the nicer owners.
In chapter 5 Douglass is sent to Baltimore, he was excited to get a new “home” but he expected it to be nothing like this. “Very soon after I went to live with Mr. and Mrs. Auld, she very kindly commenced to teach me the A, B, C.” (Douglass, Chapter 6). This is where Frederick Douglass first started to become literate. She also taught him three and four letter words, this was just the beginning of Douglass’ new adventure. Once Mr. Auld found out that this was happening he got very mad about the whole situation. He said “if you teach that nigger how to read, there would be no keeping him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave. He would at once become unmanageable, and of no value to his master.” (Douglass, Chapter 6). These are the most important lines in the book, saying that once Douglass did learn how to read, this is exactly what happened. He no longer wanted to be a slave. This is the turning point where Douglass figures out that maybe, if he can teach himself how to read, he can become free.
Once Douglass learned how to read, he shortly after came up with a plan to get little white boys to teach him how to read. “I finally succeeded in learning how to read” (Douglass, Chapter 7). His plan ended up being successful. Douglass would read books about slaves that tried to escape, and for a time in his life, he thought that reading may have hurt him more than anything (Douglass, Chapter 7). As Douglass was talking to two white men, they told him to run up North make friends and be free. This was a big step of his escape. “I remembered their advice, and from that time I resolved to run away.” (Douglass, Chapter 7). The next step in Douglass’ life was learning how to write on his own, once again just like learning how to read he got little white boys to teach him. This was his next step leading up to his escape. Once Douglass’ masters died, he had to move along with their children. He was on a