Rhetorical Analysis Of Learning To Read By Frederick Douglass

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Frederick Douglass was a slave who was later able to obtain his freedom. Douglass is one of the most know abolitionist. Frederick Douglass used many rhetorical devices in his writing “Learning to Read.” In “Learning to Read” Frederick Douglass talks of the struggles he faced while he was a slave. Frederick Douglass used irony, tone, and motif in his writing. Frederick Douglass used irony in his writing called “Learning to Read.” Douglass starts off by talking about when he first learned to read and write. Douglass learned to read with the help of his mistress. The writing states “During the time, I succeeded in learning to read and write… My mistress, who kindly commenced to instruct me, had, in compliance with the advice and direction of her husband…” The first sentence speaks of reading and writing, something that Douglass appears to be very proud of. The second sentence talks about the problem he faced, his master did not want his wife to help…show more content…
Douglass was learning to read but later his mistress gave up but despite this Douglass continued to learn. Douglass also stated the following, “I was now about twelve years old, and the thought of being a slave for life began to bear heavily upon my heart.” Douglass shows that he might be stay as a slave for a long time if he does not take action. Tone ties along with pathos. Pathos and tone are both set to complement each other. The way the text is organized give the audience the impression that Douglass is optimistic. Pathos is shown all through the text, it helps the reader sympathize with Douglass such as how his mistress started to teach him how to read and write but later gave up. In the text the author stated “I often found myself regretting my own existence, and wishing myself dead...” The line uses pathos because the author can feel all the negative things that occurred to Douglass during his
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