CHAPTER 7

PASSAGE #1

"Under its influence, the tender heart became stone, and the lamblike disposition gave way to one of tiger-like fierceness. The first step in her downward course was in her ceasing to instruct me. She now commenced to practise her husband’s precepts. 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."

WHAT IT DOES

• Describes the transformation of his mistress
• Shows how power can lead to greed
• Begins to explain the difficulty and risk of writing

HOW IT WORKS

• Comparison
• Familiar words
• Short sentences
• Active voice
• Loose sentence

PASSAGE #2

"[Reading] 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. Any thing, 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."

WHAT IT DOES

• Explains the troubles Douglass faces
• Describes learning to read and think at a new level

HOW IT WORKS

• Loaded words
• Easy read
• Short sentences
• Passive and active voice both seen
• Periodic sentence

HOW IT WORKS CONTINUED

• Comparison of Douglass
• Cause-effect on reading

PASSAGE #3

"I often found myself regretting my own existence, and wishing myself dead; and but for the hope of being free, I have no doubt but that I should have killed myself, or done something for which I should have been killed. While in this state of mind, I was eager to hear any one speak of slavery. I was a ready listener."

WHAT IT DOES

• Shows emotions of a slave

HOW IT WORKS

• Easy read
• Loaded words
• Long and short sentences
• Active voice
• Loose sentences

Untitled Slide

PASSAGE #4

"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. I consoled myself with the hope that I should one day find a good chance. Meanwhile, I would learn to write."

WHAT IT DOES

• Shows more difficulties of a slave
• Describes ways he avoided pain

HOW IT WORKS

• Easy read
• Long and short sentences
• Active voice

PASSAGE #5

"When left thus, I used to spend the time in writing in the spaces left in Master Thomas’s copy-book, copying what he had written. I continued to do this until I could write a hand very similar to that of Master Thomas. Thus, after a long, tedious effort for years, I finally succeeded in learning how to write."

WHAT IT DOES

• Ends the chapter with something new in his life
• Teaches readers an important lesson

HOW IT WORKS

• Easy read
• Short sentences
• Periodic sentence
• Active voice

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Poor boys taught Douglass how to read because they felt sympathy for him. If you were asked to teach Douglass how to read back then, would you have? Why or why not?

2. Mrs. Auld was a sweet person who treated Douglass well. After some time, she changed dramatically for the worse. How can power change a person and are there other examples like this that can be seen today?

3. Douglass reaches a point where he wants to kill himself. Why do you think Douglass did not kill himself? Did reading and writing have something to do with it?

4. Douglass thought about escaping slavery by running away because the Irishmen told him a way out. Would running away solve his problems? Would that had stopped his determination to read and write if he would have left then?

5. On page 46, Douglass says he is desperate to hear and discuss slavery. Why do you think this is? Would discussing slavery help or hurt Douglass in your opinion?