Knowledge: Enlightenment for the Good and the Bad Alike

Reading Douglass’ narrative, I was struck by the huge role knowledge played in the South. This may seem like an obvious statement, but something about the way Douglass wrote and the way he presented things made me see things in a whole new light.

The first time I noticed this shadowy character named Knowledge was at the beginning of Chapter Six. Douglass is explaining how when he first moved to work for Master Auld’s family, his wife was very kind and compassionate, even going so far as to say, “I was utterly astonished at her goodness” (186). This seems a very strange way to describe your slave mistress; the person who has bought you to work for them until they have no further use for you, at which time they sell you to another person, passing you as if you are an object, not a human. But Douglass continues on to explain how his mistress began to teach him the ABCs, again a very peculiar thing for a mistress to do. And just as you begin to feel hopeful that Douglass will live a happy existence at the Auld’s house, Knowledge rears its ugly head, shattering Douglass’ world.

When Master Auld discovers that Mrs. Auld is trying to educate Douglass, he quickly reprimands her, using his “knowledge.” He explains, “If you give a nigger an inch, he will take an ell. A nigger should know nothing but to obey his master—to do as he is told to do. Learning would spoil the best nigger in the world” (186).

After Mrs. Auld’s eyes are opened to this “knowledge” she changes into a vastly different person, becoming even worse than her husband. Douglass says of her: “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, 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 … 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 tiger-like fierceness” (188). Knowledge of her power and her role in the mistress-slave relationship corrupted her. She became a new person; and a very less likeable one, at that.

In these same chapters, I again saw Knowledge creep up onto the scene. But this time Knowledge played an entirely different role. He was not there to corrupt, but to bring wisdom, and at the same time, discontent. This time Knowledge came to wake Douglass from his complacency and to show him where he could gain strength. Douglass explained that after hearing Mr. Auld’s fierce reaction to his wife educating Douglas, he “understood the pathway from slavery to freedom” (186). This pathway was education. And suddenly Douglass realized that he must work by all means to educate himself to read and write. Douglass said, “In learning to read, I owe almost as much to the bitter opposition of my master, as to the kindly aid of my mistress. I acknowledge the benefit of both” (187).

Knowledge opened Douglass’ eyes. But Knowledge did not bring instant gratification; it also brought a bitter struggle, for Douglass realized what he was missing. He had to daily fight for his education and freedom.

This passage really made me think about Knowledge in a whole new way … Knowledge has great power, both for the good and the bad. It has the power to corrupt, and the power to heal. It has power to enslave, and the power to bring freedom. It is all in the way you use it.