Question

She finally became even more violent in her opposition than her husband himself. She was not satisfied with simply doing as well as he had commanded; she seemed anxious to do better. Nothing seemed to make her more angry than to see me with a newspaper. She seemed to think that here lay the danger. I have had her rush at me with a face made all up of fury, and snatch from me a newspaper, in a manner that fully revealed her apprehension.

rush: v. to move toward something with great speed, violence, and anger

Based on the passage and the definition, why does Douglass use the word rush?

Answer 1

Douglass uses the word "rush" to convey the intensity and urgency of the woman's actions. The term suggests not only speed but also a sense of violence and anger, emphasizing her fierce emotional reaction to him reading a newspaper. The abruptness of her movement highlights her fierce opposition and her determination to prevent Douglass from engaging with what she perceives as a dangerous source of information. By using "rush," Douglass captures the heightened tension of the moment and illustrates the lengths to which she will go to assert control and express her opposition to his autonomy and access to knowledge. This choice of word powerfully encapsulates her fear and hostility, as well as the broader theme of the struggle for knowledge and freedom in the context of oppression.