Group Members

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Group Members

• Meredith Miller
• Megan Furman
• Mattie Wasiak
• Lydia Sambuco

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Passage Chapter 6 Page34-35
Very soon after I went to live with Mr. and Mrs.
Auld, she very kindly commenced to teach me the
A, B, C 1. After I had learned this, she
assisted me in learning to spell words of three
or four letters. Just at this point of my
progress, Mr. Auld found out what was going on,
and at once forbade Mrs. Auld to instruct me
further, telling her, among other things, that it
was unlawful, as well as unsafe, to teach a slave
to read. To use his own words, further, he said,
"If you give a nigger an inch, he will take an
ell. A nigger should know nothing but to obey his
masterto do as he is told to do. Learning would
spoil the best nigger in the world. Now," said
he, "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." 2 These
words sank deep into my heart, stirred up
sentiments within that lay slumbering, and called
into existence an entirely new train of thought.
3 It was a new and special revelation,
explaining dark and mysterious things, with which
my youthful understanding had struggled, but
struggled in vain. I now understood what had been
to me a most perplexing difficultyto wit, the
white man's power to enslave the black man. It
was a grand achievement, and I prized it highly.
From that moment, I understood the pathway from
slavery to freedom. It was just what I wanted,
and I got it at a time when I the least expected
it. Whilst I was saddened by the thought of
losing the aid of my kind mistress, I was
gladdened by the invaluable instruction which, by
the merest accident, I had gained from my master.
4 Though conscious of the difficulty of
learning without a teacher, I set out with high
hope, and a fixed purpose, at whatever cost of
trouble, to learn how to read. 5 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. 6 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. What he most dreaded, that I most
desired. What he most loved, that I most hated.
That which to him was a great evil, to be
carefully shunned, was to me a great good, to be
diligently sought and the argument which he so
warmly urged, against my learning to read, only
served to inspire me with a desire and
determination to learn. 7 8In learning to
read, I owe almost as much to the bitter
opposition of my master, as to the kindly aid of
my mistress. I acknowledge the benefit of both.
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Annotation 1
Very soon after I went to live with Mr. and Mrs.
Auld, she very kindly commenced to teach me the
A, B, C.

• This sentence uses inverted syntax to enhance the
  second half of the sentence because the reader is
  more likely to remember the last thing they read
  and in this case, that portion is more
  influential than the beginning half. This shows
  that Douglass was very focused on learning to
  read so that he may excel from being an ordinary
  slave. This desire to read heightens his desire
  to be free
• The informal diction that Douglass uses when he
  refers to the alphabet (A,B,C) demonstrates his
  lack of education. This relates to the overall
  theme of disdaining slavery because he was
  defying the normal characteristics of a slave.

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Annotation 2
If you give a nigger an inch, he will take an
ell. A nigger should know nothing but to obey his
masterto do as he is told to do. Learning would
spoil the best nigger in the world. Now, said
he, 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.

• This part of the passage establishes irony. If
  Douglass was able to read then he would use it to
  his advantage rather than it making him
  discontented and unhappy. Also in the passage,
  Mr. Auld is referring to how he will use his
  ability to read and write to defy slavery which
  in the end, Douglass contributes to the
  abolitionist movements by publishing a newspaper
  that talks about the inhumanity of slavery.

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Annotation 3
These words sank deep into my heart, stirred up
sentiments within that lay slumbering, and called
into existence an entirely new train of thought.

This portion of the passage incorporates climax.
The three events of the sentence builds up to the
final idea that Douglass entire ideology
changed. In the beginning sequential events
happened that lead up to him thinking about using
his knowledge towards defying slavery. This
contributes to the overall theme because it was
the turning point where Douglass really decided
to defy slavery and run away.
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Annotation 4
Whilst I was saddened by the thought of losing
the aid of my kind mistress, I was gladdened by
the invaluable instruction which, by the merest
accident, I had gained from my master.

• This sentence incorporates a change in Douglass
  tone. In the beginning he is sad that he may not
  see his mistress any longer because he is losing
  a teacher just as he is sad about his condition
  as a slave before he learned how to read. In the
  second half of the sentence he is glad that he
  has gained the education from his master and
  mistress, making him glad that he has gained an
  ability to defy slavery.

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Annotation 5
I set out with high hope, and a fixed purpose,
at whatever cost of trouble, to learn how to
read.

• The parenthesis in this sentence shows how
  Douglass was determined to learn how to read, no
  matter the punishment that could come from his
  actions. It emphasizes his will to defy slavery
  and support the abolitionist movements as
  referred to by the fixed purpose.

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Annotation 6
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.

• In this sentence, Douglass uses parenthesis,
  including the detail that Mr. Auld was trying to
  convince his wife that teaching the slaves was
  detrimental to their condition. He also includes
  the additional idea to show that their masters
  had no purpose for the action they take but to
  enhance their appearance so that the slaves would
  fear them and refrain from defying them.

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Annotation 7
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.
What he most dreaded, that I most desired. What
he most loved, that I most hated. That which to
him was a great evil, to be carefully shunned,
was to me a great good, to be diligently sought
and the argument which he so warmly urged,
against my learning to read, only served to
inspire me with a desire and determination to
learn.

• This passage uses irony because Mr. Auld feared
  that teaching Douglass to read and write would
  cause him to act out and over rule slavery
  however Douglass never had the idea to use his
  knowledge for a higher purpose until Mr. Auld
  mentioned it, making him desire what Mr. Auld
  most feared. In the end Douglass becomes a major
  influence to the abolition movement, that helps
  to end slavery.

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Annotation 8
What he most dreaded, that I most desired. What
he most loved, that I most hated. That which to
him was a great evil, to be carefully shunned,
was to me a great good, to be diligently sought
and the argument which he so warmly urged,
against my learning to read, only served to
inspire me with a desire and determination to
learn.

• The series of antithesis in this passage shows
  Douglass contradictory ideas to that of Mr.
  Auld. While Mr. Auld thinks that teaching slaves
  will corrupt them from being manageable and ruin
  the system of slavery, Douglass thinks that it
  will allow him to pursue his dreams and that the
  end of slavery is good for everyone. The
  opposition from Mr. Auld fuels his desire to
  become free.

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Annotation 9
In learning to read, I owe almost as much to the
bitter opposition of my master, as to the kindly
aid of my mistress. I acknowledge the benefit of
both.

• Douglass uses antithesis to compare the effect of
  both his master and mistress to his character.
  While Mrs. Auld was comforting and supportive of
  him, giving him the courage to defy slavery, Mr.
  Auld drove his fight by giving him the harsh
  experience of slavery, making him want to leave
  and abolish it.

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Syntax

• Inverted syntax reversal of the basic
  subject-verb order of a sentence.
• Climax consists of arranging words, clauses, or
  sentences in the order of increasing importance,
  weight, or emphasis.
• Parenthesis Consists of a word, phrase, or
  whole sentence inserted as an aside in the middle
  of another sentence.
• Antithesis Establishing a clear, contrasting
  relationship between two ideas by joining them
  together or juxtaposing them, often in parallel
  structure.

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Irony
A state of affairs or an event that seems
deliberately contrary to what one expects and is
often amusing as a result.
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Vocabulary

• Discontented (adj.) dissatisfied, especially
  with one's circumstances

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Vocabulary

• Perplexing (adj.) completely baffling very
  puzzling.

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Vocabulary

• Merest (adj.) - that is solely or no more or
  better than what is specified
• - the smallest or slightest

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