Douglass and Resilience – Saif

Saif Alhammami                                   

Part A: – “I
used
to
talk
this
matter
of
slavery
over
with
them.
I
would
sometimes
say to them,
I
wished
I
could
be
as
free
as
they
would
be
when
they
got
to
be
men “You
will
be
free
as
soon
as
you
are
twenty‐one,
but
I
am
a
slave
for
life!
Have
not
I
as
good
a
right
to be
free
as
you
have?”
These
words
used
to
trouble
them.
they
would express
for me
the liveliest
sympathy,
and
console
me
with
the
hope
that
something
would
occur
by
which
I might
be
free.” (pg.2) I chose this passage because it shows how Fredrick Douglass feels hopeless. He is talking to poor white boys who trades bread for books. Douglas says how he is more fortunate than these boys when it comes food because he is a salve under a wealthy man while they are poor but, since he is a slave, he doesn’t have access to “more valuable bread of knowledge” (books). He tells the boys how they will be free when they get older but not Fredrick because he is a slave. He says to them does he not deserve the right to be free as them? Then which the poor boys feel sorry for him and hope that in the future something must happen for him to be a free man.

Part B: –

Douglass showed resilience by learning to read even though he was a slave and not allowed too. He found ways to get his hands on books and learn to write when it was not allowed for him to do so. He would do things like trade bread with poor white boys for books and trick people into spelling contests so he can learn more about writing. “I
immediately
commenced
copying
them,
and
in
a
short
time
was
able
to
make
the
four
letters
named.
After
that,
when
I
met
with
any
boy
who
I
knew
could
write,
I
would
tell
him
I
could
write
as
well
as
he.
The
next
word
would
be,”1 don’t
believe
you.
Let
me
see
you
try
it.”
I
would
then
make
the
letters
which
I
had
been
so
fortunate
as
to
learn,
and
ask
him
to
beat
that.
In
this
way
I
got
a
good
many
lessons
in
writing,
which
it
is
quite
possible
I
should
never
have
gotten
in
any
other
way.”(pg.4) This shows resilience by he would go up to anyone who was able to write and say he knew more than them. As a slave people didn’t believe him so they would try and challenge him and in doing so Douglass learned more words which he says he wouldn’t have gotten in any other way.

            Something hard for me was trying to focus on my work and studying. I went through all middle school without studying and it was a new concept for me in high school. I wouldn’t focus in class and would go home clueless. I would be lost and clueless having no idea what to do. I would get distracted easily either from my phone or just putting the work aside telling myself I would do it later and never do it. My grades fell and I had no idea how I would be ready for regents at the end of the year. So, I developed habits to help me now focus on my work at home even though I still have a little trouble to this day.

Some things I have taught myself over the years to focus on my work is to wait till nighttime when the house is quiet and start there. I like to turn off the lights and play a video in the background that isn’t too distracting. I found it much better for me to work when I don’t have anyone distracting me like my four-year-old sister. Sometimes I would pause my work to pay attention to the video and sometimes I pause the video to focus on my work. This has helped my resilience because I can now stay more focused for longer periods of time.