Asa Walton
My interpretation of what Douglas means when he say that “learning to read been a curse rather than a blessing” is he rather was able to read and understand documents. He read Sheridan’s speeches and from the dialogue he gain the truth about slavery and save holders. The curse was the pain he felt and understood of the violation of human rights toward slaves it hurt his soul. The gift was he gain this irreplaceable knowledges learning to read.
When he says that “freedom. Was ever present to torment me” referred to his thinking and wishing he wasn’t a slave. There was no way to change the condition in which he lived. The fact of him knowing he was a slave tormented his. Existence and he wished he was dead he knew what other slaves didn’t”t know
The downside to becoming literate was he couldn’t let slave holder know he could read and write because slaves did get education it wasn’t seen as good. Douglas knowing how to read gave him power and during
“ I pretended not to be interested in what they said, and treated them as if I did not understand them; for I feared the might be treacherous. White men have bee known to encourage slaves to escape, and than to get the reward, catch them and return them to their masters. I was afraid that these seemingly good men might use me so; but i nevertheless remembered their advice, and from that time i resolved to run away. I looked forward to a time at which it would be safe for me to escape. I was too young to think of doing so immediately;besides I wished to learn how. to write,as I might have occasion to write my own pass .”
That time would be a threat o his life. Douglas pretended to not be interested in the ideas ot running away to be free. He know better to not let himself be tricked into running away. White men would do this to get reward money for slaves. He didn’t feel confident that the white men were really good men, but that seem good. He went with his first instinct to not not run that night as they suggested. Douglas did keep the ideas for a later date. He had a plan to learn how to write. Him being able to write his own pass was. His plan. The plan to learn how to write went together with knowing how to read. He would them have the whole package. In his hope of learning to write gave him the time to grow up so when he did decide to run he would have a better chance.
