Question
Directions: First, write your introductory paragraph to your letter. Second, add your topic sentence for each of your 3 chosen texts from Unit 4: The Fight for Freedom, and include quotes or paraphrased examples from each text with explanations for why your evidence is relevant or important. Third, write your concluding paragraph.
First 2 steps done
1 I lived in Master Hugh's family about seven years. During this time, I succeeded in learning to read and write. In accomplishing this, I was compelled to resort to various stratagems. I had no regular teacher. My mistress, who had kindly commenced to instruct me, had, in compliance with the advice and direction of her husband, not only ceased to instruct, but had set her face against my being instructed by any one else. It is due, however, to my mistress to say of her, that she did not adopt this course of treatment immediately. She at first lacked the depravity[1] indispensable to shutting me up in mental darkness. It was at least necessary for her to have some training in the exercise of irresponsible power, to make her equal to the task of treating me as though I were a brute.
2 My mistress was, as I have said, a kind and tender-hearted woman; and in the simplicity of her soul she commenced, when I first went to live with her, to treat me as she supposed one human being ought to treat another. In entering upon the duties of a slaveholder, she did not seem to perceive that I sustained to her the relation of a mere chattel, [2] and that for her to treat me as a human being was not only wrong, but dangerously so. Slavery proved as injurious to her as it did to me. When I went there, she was a pious, warm, and tender-hearted woman. There was no sorrow or suffering for which she had not a tear. She had bread for the hungry, clothes for the naked, and comfort for every mourner that came within her reach. Slavery soon proved its ability to divest her of these heavenly qualities. Under its influence, the tender heart became stone, and the lamblike disposition gave way to one of tigerlike fierceness. The first step in her downward course was in hor ceasing to instruct me. She now commenced to practise her husband's precepts. [3] 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. She was an apt woman; and a little experience soon demonstrated, to her satisfaction, that education and slavery were incompatible with each other.
3 From this time I was most narrowly watched. If I was in a separate room any considerable length of time, I was sure to be suspected of having a book, and was at once called to give an account of myself. All this, however, was too late. The first step had been taken. Mistress, in teaching me the alphabet, had given me the inch, and no precaution could prevent me from taking the ell.
* The plan which I adopted, and the one by which I was most successful, was that of making friends of all the little white boys whom I met in the street. As many of these as I could, I converted into teachers. With their kindly aid, obtained at different times and in different places, I finally succeeded in learning to read. When I was sent of errands, I always took my book with me, and by going one part of my errand quickly, I found time to get a lesson before my return. I used also to carry bread with me, enough of which was always in the house, and to which I was always welcome; for I was much better off in this regard than many of the poor white children in our neighborhood. This bread I used to bestow upon the hungry little urchins, who, in return, would give me that more valuable bread of knowledge. I am strongly tempted to give the names of two or three of those little boys, as a testimonial of the gratitude and affection I bear them; but prudence forbids;-not that it would injure me, but it might embarrass them; for it is almost an unpardonable offence to teach slaves to read in this Christian country. It is enough to say of the dear little fellows, that they lived on Philpot Street, very near Durgin and Bailey's ship-yard. 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.
5 I was now about twelve years old, and the thought of being a slave for life began to bear heavily upon my heart. Just about this time, I got hold of a book entitled "The Columbian Orator." [4] Every opportunity I got, I used to read this book. Among much of other interesting matter, I found in it a dialogue between a master and his slave. The slave was represented as having run away from his master three times. The dialogue represented the conversation which took place between them, when the slave was retaken the third time. In this dialogue, the whole argument in behalf of slavery was brought forward by the master, all of which was disposed of by the slave. The slave was made to say some very smart as well as impressive things in reply to his master-things which had the desired though unexpected effect; for the conversation resulted in the voluntary emancipation of the slave on the part of the master.
6 In the same book, I met with one of Sheridan's mighty speeches on and in behalf of Catholic emancipation.[5] These were choice documents to me. I read them over and over again with unabated interest. They gave tongue to interesting thoughts of my own soul, which had frequently flashed through my mind, and died away for want of utterance. The moral which I gained from the dialogue was the power of truth over the conscience of even a slaveholder. What I got from Sheridan was a bold denunciation of slavery, and a powerful vindication of human rights. The reading of these documents enabled me to utter my thoughts, and to meet the arguments brought forward to sustain slavery; but while they relieved me of one difficulty, they brought on another even more painful than the one of which I was relieved. The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers. I could regard them in no other light than a band of successful
robbers, who had left their homes, and gone to Africa, and stolen us from our homes, and in a strange land reduced us to slavery. I loathed them as being the meanest as well as the most wicked of men. As I read and contemplated the subject, behold! that very discontentment which Master Hugh had predicted would follow my learning to read had already come, to torment and sting my soul to unutterable anguish. As I writhed under it, I would at times feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing. It had given me a view of my wretched condition, without the remedy. It opened my eyes to the horrible pit, but to no ladder upon which to get out. In moments of agony, I envied my fellow-slaves for their stupidity. I have often wished myself a beast. I preferred the condition of the meanest reptile to my own. Anything, no matter what, to get rid of thinking! It was this everlasting thinking of my condition that tormented me. There was no getting rid of it. It was pressed upon me by every object within sight or hearing, animate or inanimate. The silver trump of freedom had roused my soul to eternal wakefulness. Freedom now appeared, to
disappear no more forever. It was heard in every sound, and seen in every thing. It was ever present to torment me with a sense of my wretched condition. I saw nothing without seeing it, I heard nothing without hearing it, and felt nothing without feeling it. It looked from every star, it smiled in every calm, breathed in every wind, and moved in every storm.
Closing to Your Letter (Be sure to restate the info shared in the intro and body of your letter and leave your reader with something to apply to their own life. Include the personalized closing with your signature
Mainly use the info bellow
"I would at times feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing." (Douglass 6)
Learning to read opened Frederick Douglass's eyes to the harsh realities of his life as a slave, making him long for freedom but also causing him great pain and frustration."I oftentimes found myself wishing I could be as free as those little white boys." (Douglass 4)
Douglass expresses his longing for freedom by comparing his own enslavement to the freedom that white boys will have when they grow up, highlighting the deep injustice he feels as a slave
Separate the paragraph it doesn't have to be equal
Review of main points:
Inspiration to apply:
Make it look like a 8th grader wrote it
Make sure no one can find this
First 2 steps done
1 I lived in Master Hugh's family about seven years. During this time, I succeeded in learning to read and write. In accomplishing this, I was compelled to resort to various stratagems. I had no regular teacher. My mistress, who had kindly commenced to instruct me, had, in compliance with the advice and direction of her husband, not only ceased to instruct, but had set her face against my being instructed by any one else. It is due, however, to my mistress to say of her, that she did not adopt this course of treatment immediately. She at first lacked the depravity[1] indispensable to shutting me up in mental darkness. It was at least necessary for her to have some training in the exercise of irresponsible power, to make her equal to the task of treating me as though I were a brute.
2 My mistress was, as I have said, a kind and tender-hearted woman; and in the simplicity of her soul she commenced, when I first went to live with her, to treat me as she supposed one human being ought to treat another. In entering upon the duties of a slaveholder, she did not seem to perceive that I sustained to her the relation of a mere chattel, [2] and that for her to treat me as a human being was not only wrong, but dangerously so. Slavery proved as injurious to her as it did to me. When I went there, she was a pious, warm, and tender-hearted woman. There was no sorrow or suffering for which she had not a tear. She had bread for the hungry, clothes for the naked, and comfort for every mourner that came within her reach. Slavery soon proved its ability to divest her of these heavenly qualities. Under its influence, the tender heart became stone, and the lamblike disposition gave way to one of tigerlike fierceness. The first step in her downward course was in hor ceasing to instruct me. She now commenced to practise her husband's precepts. [3] 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. She was an apt woman; and a little experience soon demonstrated, to her satisfaction, that education and slavery were incompatible with each other.
3 From this time I was most narrowly watched. If I was in a separate room any considerable length of time, I was sure to be suspected of having a book, and was at once called to give an account of myself. All this, however, was too late. The first step had been taken. Mistress, in teaching me the alphabet, had given me the inch, and no precaution could prevent me from taking the ell.
* The plan which I adopted, and the one by which I was most successful, was that of making friends of all the little white boys whom I met in the street. As many of these as I could, I converted into teachers. With their kindly aid, obtained at different times and in different places, I finally succeeded in learning to read. When I was sent of errands, I always took my book with me, and by going one part of my errand quickly, I found time to get a lesson before my return. I used also to carry bread with me, enough of which was always in the house, and to which I was always welcome; for I was much better off in this regard than many of the poor white children in our neighborhood. This bread I used to bestow upon the hungry little urchins, who, in return, would give me that more valuable bread of knowledge. I am strongly tempted to give the names of two or three of those little boys, as a testimonial of the gratitude and affection I bear them; but prudence forbids;-not that it would injure me, but it might embarrass them; for it is almost an unpardonable offence to teach slaves to read in this Christian country. It is enough to say of the dear little fellows, that they lived on Philpot Street, very near Durgin and Bailey's ship-yard. 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.
5 I was now about twelve years old, and the thought of being a slave for life began to bear heavily upon my heart. Just about this time, I got hold of a book entitled "The Columbian Orator." [4] Every opportunity I got, I used to read this book. Among much of other interesting matter, I found in it a dialogue between a master and his slave. The slave was represented as having run away from his master three times. The dialogue represented the conversation which took place between them, when the slave was retaken the third time. In this dialogue, the whole argument in behalf of slavery was brought forward by the master, all of which was disposed of by the slave. The slave was made to say some very smart as well as impressive things in reply to his master-things which had the desired though unexpected effect; for the conversation resulted in the voluntary emancipation of the slave on the part of the master.
6 In the same book, I met with one of Sheridan's mighty speeches on and in behalf of Catholic emancipation.[5] These were choice documents to me. I read them over and over again with unabated interest. They gave tongue to interesting thoughts of my own soul, which had frequently flashed through my mind, and died away for want of utterance. The moral which I gained from the dialogue was the power of truth over the conscience of even a slaveholder. What I got from Sheridan was a bold denunciation of slavery, and a powerful vindication of human rights. The reading of these documents enabled me to utter my thoughts, and to meet the arguments brought forward to sustain slavery; but while they relieved me of one difficulty, they brought on another even more painful than the one of which I was relieved. The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers. I could regard them in no other light than a band of successful
robbers, who had left their homes, and gone to Africa, and stolen us from our homes, and in a strange land reduced us to slavery. I loathed them as being the meanest as well as the most wicked of men. As I read and contemplated the subject, behold! that very discontentment which Master Hugh had predicted would follow my learning to read had already come, to torment and sting my soul to unutterable anguish. As I writhed under it, I would at times feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing. It had given me a view of my wretched condition, without the remedy. It opened my eyes to the horrible pit, but to no ladder upon which to get out. In moments of agony, I envied my fellow-slaves for their stupidity. I have often wished myself a beast. I preferred the condition of the meanest reptile to my own. Anything, no matter what, to get rid of thinking! It was this everlasting thinking of my condition that tormented me. There was no getting rid of it. It was pressed upon me by every object within sight or hearing, animate or inanimate. The silver trump of freedom had roused my soul to eternal wakefulness. Freedom now appeared, to
disappear no more forever. It was heard in every sound, and seen in every thing. It was ever present to torment me with a sense of my wretched condition. I saw nothing without seeing it, I heard nothing without hearing it, and felt nothing without feeling it. It looked from every star, it smiled in every calm, breathed in every wind, and moved in every storm.
Closing to Your Letter (Be sure to restate the info shared in the intro and body of your letter and leave your reader with something to apply to their own life. Include the personalized closing with your signature
Mainly use the info bellow
"I would at times feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing." (Douglass 6)
Learning to read opened Frederick Douglass's eyes to the harsh realities of his life as a slave, making him long for freedom but also causing him great pain and frustration."I oftentimes found myself wishing I could be as free as those little white boys." (Douglass 4)
Douglass expresses his longing for freedom by comparing his own enslavement to the freedom that white boys will have when they grow up, highlighting the deep injustice he feels as a slave
Separate the paragraph it doesn't have to be equal
Review of main points:
Inspiration to apply:
Make it look like a 8th grader wrote it
Make sure no one can find this
Answers
GPT-4o mini
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]
[Email Address]
[Date]
[Recipient's Name]
[Recipient's Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]
Dear [Recipient's Name],
I hope this letter finds you well. In this letter, I want to discuss three powerful texts from Unit 4: "The Fight for Freedom." These texts show the personal struggles of those who fought against slavery and the yearning for freedom that defined their experiences. I believe Frederick Douglass’s writings especially illustrate the harsh realities faced by enslaved individuals, the pain caused by their situations, and their unbreakable spirits.
First, in Douglass's narrative, he highlights the conflict between knowledge and slavery. He admits, “I would at times feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing” (Douglass 6). This quote shows that while learning to read opened his eyes to the injustices of slavery, it also filled him with despair. Douglass’s ability to read helped him understand his own suffering and the cruelty of his enslavement, which made him long for freedom even more intensely. His knowledge illuminated his condition but also tormented him, revealing the dual nature of education for the enslaved.
Second, Douglass also reflects on his feelings of envy for the freedom of white boys: “I oftentimes found myself wishing I could be as free as those little white boys” (Douglass 4). This comparison illustrates the deep injustice he felt. While the white boys had the promise of freedom ahead of them, Douglass was condemned to a life of servitude. This sentiment reinforces the unfairness of slavery and highlights the psychological impact of his enslavement on Douglass, making his fight for freedom all the more urgent and relatable.
Finally, Douglass’s struggle is encapsulated in his vivid descriptions of his longing for freedom. He connects every aspect of his life to this desire, stating that freedom "looked from every star, it smiled in every calm" (Douglass 6). This observation emphasizes that freedom was not only a physical state for Douglass but a spiritual and emotional longing that surrounded him every day. His reflections show how the desire for freedom is inescapable and that it fuels the fire of resilience in those who are oppressed.
In conclusion, Douglass’s insights into learning, longing, and suffering reveal the complex nature of slavery and the profound desire for freedom. His experiences remind us of the importance of education and awareness, even in our own lives today. We should cherish our opportunities to learn and strive for freedom in every sense, whether it be freedom of thought, expression, or any other form. It’s a reminder that we must stand up against injustice in whatever form it takes, just as Douglass did.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]
[Email Address]
[Date]
[Recipient's Name]
[Recipient's Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]
Dear [Recipient's Name],
I hope this letter finds you well. In this letter, I want to discuss three powerful texts from Unit 4: "The Fight for Freedom." These texts show the personal struggles of those who fought against slavery and the yearning for freedom that defined their experiences. I believe Frederick Douglass’s writings especially illustrate the harsh realities faced by enslaved individuals, the pain caused by their situations, and their unbreakable spirits.
First, in Douglass's narrative, he highlights the conflict between knowledge and slavery. He admits, “I would at times feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing” (Douglass 6). This quote shows that while learning to read opened his eyes to the injustices of slavery, it also filled him with despair. Douglass’s ability to read helped him understand his own suffering and the cruelty of his enslavement, which made him long for freedom even more intensely. His knowledge illuminated his condition but also tormented him, revealing the dual nature of education for the enslaved.
Second, Douglass also reflects on his feelings of envy for the freedom of white boys: “I oftentimes found myself wishing I could be as free as those little white boys” (Douglass 4). This comparison illustrates the deep injustice he felt. While the white boys had the promise of freedom ahead of them, Douglass was condemned to a life of servitude. This sentiment reinforces the unfairness of slavery and highlights the psychological impact of his enslavement on Douglass, making his fight for freedom all the more urgent and relatable.
Finally, Douglass’s struggle is encapsulated in his vivid descriptions of his longing for freedom. He connects every aspect of his life to this desire, stating that freedom "looked from every star, it smiled in every calm" (Douglass 6). This observation emphasizes that freedom was not only a physical state for Douglass but a spiritual and emotional longing that surrounded him every day. His reflections show how the desire for freedom is inescapable and that it fuels the fire of resilience in those who are oppressed.
In conclusion, Douglass’s insights into learning, longing, and suffering reveal the complex nature of slavery and the profound desire for freedom. His experiences remind us of the importance of education and awareness, even in our own lives today. We should cherish our opportunities to learn and strive for freedom in every sense, whether it be freedom of thought, expression, or any other form. It’s a reminder that we must stand up against injustice in whatever form it takes, just as Douglass did.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]