Marlea Pavlick

Mrs. Bouch

Honors English 11

13 March 2018

With Great Knowledge Comes Great Freedom

Slavery was abolished February 1, 1865. Although some works in America came from

that time period, they were seldom works from African American slaves. However, one of these

rarities is by Fredrick Douglass, entitled The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass. This

book develops a few themes throughout the book using literary elements, and one of these

themes is “knowledge leads to freedom”. Fredrick Douglass develops the theme of “knowledge

leads to freedom” in the book by using anecdotes, quoting others, and with the structure of the

narrative.

First, Fredrick Douglass develops the theme of “knowledge leads to freedom” in the book

by using anecdotes. The first anecdote he mentions is that he barely knew his mother. Douglass

recounts his experiences with his mother in Chapter I, “I do not recollect of ever seeing my

mother by the light of day. She was with me in the night. She would lie down with me, and get

me to sleep, but long before I waked she was gone. Very little communication ever took place

between us. Death soon ended what little we could have while she lived, and with it her

hardships and suffering” (Douglass 37). This quote is an anecdote of Fredrick’s mother and what

he remembers from her. He mentions the little interactions he experiences with his mother before

her death. Douglass states that his mother only could see him at night occasionally and left him

by day. This relates to the theme of “knowledge leads to freedom” because Douglass later states,
“it be to hinder the development of the child's affection toward its mother, and to blunt and

destroy the natural affection of the mother for the child” (Douglass 37). This quote shows how

slaves are taken from their mothers to make them without knowledge of their own family. This

connects to how Douglass develops the theme of “knowledge leads to freedom” by showing how

his mother had no freedom of her natural maternal affection. Next, Douglass gives an anecdote

of himself learning to read through the little white boys that taught him. Douglass states, “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” (Douglass 93). This quote explains how Douglass obtained some of his education as a

slave. He would make the white boys that he befriended to teach him. This develops the theme of

“knowledge leads to freedom” by showing how Douglass is obtaining the knowledge that later

makes him free through the white boys with freedom. This is how Fredrick Douglass develops

the theme of “knowledge leads to freedom” in the book by using anecdotes.

Next, Fredrick Douglass develops the theme of “knowledge leads to freedom” in the

book by quoting others. In chapter VI, he quotes Mr. Auld speaking to Mrs. Auld in regards to

teaching Douglass how to read. Mr. Auld states, “if you teach that nigger (speaking of myself)

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. As to himself, it could do him no

good, but a great deal of harm. It would make him discontented and unhappy” (Douglass 86).

This quote is exhibiting that Fredrick Douglass learning how to read gives him the freedom to

think for himself, thus making him “discontented and unhappy”. As well as being unhappy, Mr.

Auld also states that he has no value and be an unfit slave after gaining knowledge. This is a
development of the theme “knowledge leads to freedom” because with the knowledge that

Douglass could gain by being able to read a book would give him freedom for himself. Next,

Douglass mentions the previous quote from Mr. Auld again when he states, “The very decided

manner with which he spoke, and strove to impress his wife with the evil consequences of giving

me instruction, served to convince me that he was deeply sensible of the truths he was uttering. It

gave me the best assurance that I might rely with the utmost confidence on the results which, he

said, would flow from teaching me to read” (Douglass 87). This quote shows Douglass’s view of

Mr. Auld’s quote. Douglass mentions that Mr. Auld states truth when he speaks to his wife. This

relates to the theme of “knowledge leads to freedom” because Mr. Auld gives Douglass the

certainty that knowledge will give him freedom. These examples show how Fredrick Douglass

develops the theme of “knowledge leads to freedom” in the book by quoting others.

Last of all, Fredrick Douglass develops the theme of “knowledge leads to freedom” in the

book with the structure of the narrative. In the beginning of the book, he mentions slaves’

knowledge of their birthdays. Douglass states, “I do not remember to have ever met a slave who

could tell of his birthday” (Douglass 35). This quote shows how Douglas has not met a slave that

knew their birthday. It is a very basic knowledge to know your birthday. This develops the theme

“knowledge leads to freedom” because it shows how most slaves have no knowledge and

therefore are not free. In the middle of the book, Mrs. Auld teaches Douglass how to read.

Douglass states, “Very soon after I went to live with Mr. and Mrs. Auld, she very kindly

commenced to teach me the A, B, C. After I had learned this, she assisted me in learning to spell

words of three or four letters” (Douglass 85). This quote shows how Mrs. Auld teaches Douglass

the alphabet as well as letters. This gives Douglass a newfound knowledge of very basic tools.
This develops the theme “knowledge leads to freedom” because Douglass gaining knowledge is

setting the path for freedom for him. At the end of the book, Douglass mentions that he escapes.

Douglass states, “I now come to that part of my life during which I planned, and finally

succeeded in making, my escape from slavery” (Douglass 191). This quote explains how

Douglass finally becomes a free man. He escapes from slavery after gaining knowledge and is

now free, as the theme suggests. This develops the theme of “knowledge leads to freedom”

because it proves the theme correct very literally and shows Douglass’s journey from no

knowledge and slavery to knowledge and freedom. These examples show how Fredrick Douglass

develops the theme of “knowledge leads to freedom” in the book with the structure of the

narrative.

In conclusion, Fredrick Douglass develops the theme of “knowledge leads to freedom” in

the book by using anecdotes, quoting others, and with the structure of the narrative. Anecdotes

helps to develop the theme by showing Douglass with little knowledge of his mother. Then,

Douglass is shown learning to read from the white boys. These two anecdotes help develop the

theme of “knowledge leads to freedom” because of how it shows Douglass without and then with

knowledge. Quoting others helps to develop the theme by quoting his slaveowner Mr. Auld as

well as his opinion on the quote. Quoting others helps to develop the theme of “knowledge leads

to freedom” because of Mr. Auld’s viewpoint and truth that teaching Douglass leads to freedom.

Lastly, the structure of the narrative helps develop the theme by showing Douglass not

knowledge, gaining knowledge, and then having knowledge. The structure of the narrative helps

develop the theme of “knowledge leads to freedom” because of the way Douglass’s knowledge
progresses as well as his freedom. If “knowledge leads to freedom”, does that mean that people

without freedom are without knowledge? Or rather, are the smartest people the most free?