"Learning to Read and Write" by: Frederick Douglass

The most striking thing about Douglass' literacy experience is how he started. Most slave owners never taught their slaves to read or write. They were afraid that if the slaves could read and write, they would revolt against them. The owner would then end up either dead or slave less.
Mrs. Auld was at first an exception to the typical slave owner. She actually started to teach Douglass spelling. Douglass continued his lessons until Mr. Auld told his wife to stop teaching Douglass because it was unsafe. Mr. Auld's harsh words ignited a passion in Douglass to learn how to read and write. He figured out that the white man's power to enslave was their ability to write. Learning how to read and write was Douglass' pathway to freedom.
Douglass was forced to secretly learn how to read and write. Though it was a challenging and dangerous task, Douglass was determined to do the impossible. He found anyway possible to learn, even if it meant sneaking around while running errands. Douglass had almost no fear about getting caught and was truly devoted to his goal.
Towards the end of his learning experience, he decided to run away. He got the idea from Irishmen. Now he had a far better goal to achieve, him becoming a free man. The only thing standing in his way was his inability to write. This road block ignited his passion to be literate even more.
My passion to learn to read and write was a lot like Douglass'. We both wanted to be literate, so we could better our lives. I wanted to be able to read and write on my own, while Douglass wanted to be become free. Though our results would be different, in the end, we both had the passion to learn.
One difference is that Douglass' literacy ended helping other people. My literacy only helped myself. Douglass' literacy, on the other hand, ended making him one of the most famous abolitionists in history. I could only hope to achieve as great of things as Douglass.
Another difference is the female influence in my life did not stop helping me. Douglass' slave master stopped because her husband told her to. My parents fully supported my learning, so I could become literate.