Every week we will have a quick assignment to complete on this blogger page. This week's assignment will be to analyze the following quote and explain its significance. (Answer the questions in a paragraph form. All together you should have at least two paragraphs answering all of the questions. (Min. 2 paragraphs)
Due: Monday April 19
“A little learning, indeed, may be a dangerous thing, but the want of learning is a calamity to any people.”- Frederick Douglass-
* Frederick Douglass values his education because education enabled him to be free. Analyze the quote listed above.
- Why does he believe that learning may be a dangerous thing? Explain.
- Why does he view the want of learning as a calamity? Explain.
- Do you agree with Douglass's quote? Explain your response.
Make sure to use at least one example from the book.
Click on the comments link to type your answer.
The following quote said by Frederick Douglass, “A little learning, indeed, may be a dangerous thing, but the want of learning is a calamity to any people.” brings out a powerful meaning and significance. Frederick values his education because it isn't provided towards him or people like him. He believes that learning may be a dangerous thing because back then, the slaves weren't allow or isn't suppose to have the right to learn. Once the slaves learn they would be able to use there minds and overcome there masters or ruin the society that most thought was "perfect." So by him learning he would be able to end the whole slavery or any other problems that needs to be solved.
ReplyDeleteFrederick Douglass view this as calamity because of how everyone and everything is reacting towards this situation. Like when they say "the whole city was affected by the irremediable calamity" meaning there's a great lost, a tragedy and misfortune. I agree with Douglass's quote because they way he tries to show everyone how we are blinded and something or someone is forcing us to believe and/or follow something else, in a negative way. Just how when his new mistress teaches him how to learn the A.B.C's and the master finds out, the new mistress doesn't pay much mind, because she see's what most don't which relates to this following quote above.
-Christina
As Frederick Douglass said,"A little learning, indeed, may be a dangerous thing, but the want of learning is a calamity to any people," posses a huge importance on the lives of slaves. Frederick belives in order to have freedom one has to have knowledge. In his quote he mentions that having knowledge was dangerous during his time period. Slaves weren't taught any knowledge because if they were they would have power to become free from their masters. Their masters would keep their slaves unworthy and would torture them till death. Furthermore, if the slaves were to optain knowledge slaves would become free because they would learn how to read and, write and rebel from their masters. Slaves having knowledge was dangerous to the masters who owned the slaves.
ReplyDeleteMoving on, Frederick Douglass views the want of learning as a calamity because the slaves didn't have the fortune to be taught how to read ,nor write and this is why they couldn't become free. Their masters were to cruel and unhearted to teach them thats why freedom was a dream to them which they couldn't reach. In conclusion, I agree with Frederick Douglass's quote because having knowledge was something dangerous and a great misfortune. It was dangerous to the masters,but calamity to the slaves.
Maria Alonso
He believes that learning may be a dangerous thing because back then, the slaves weren't allow to have the right to learn. If the slaves would learn they would be able to use what they learned and use it agent his master.By Frederick learning he would be able to change th world in the act of slavory. And would cause there "perfect" world to start having problems.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is reacting towards this situation. For example when they say "the whole city was affected by the irremediable calamity" meaning there's a great lost that is why Frederick Douglass saw this as calamity.
I agree with Frederick Douglass.
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ReplyDeleteFederic Douglass once said,"A little learning, indeed, may be a dangerous thing, but the want of learning is a calamity to any people," this was a mirror imagee towards what the slaves were going through at the time. Their knowledge of the world was held to a barrier by the slave owners and like robots, they were programed to work. This is all they knew of life and it is exactly this that Douglass wanted to change.
ReplyDeleteJust look at Douglass as an example of what knowledge can do. In the book he was taught things such as his alphabet and from this simple base his knowledge grew quikly. Soon he was able to use this knowledge to analyze what was going through his fellow people and write a book about their and his own hardships. In conclusion I completly agree with Douglass because with knowledge comes the power of understanding.
Fredrick Douglass throughout his quote expresses that learning may be a dangerous thing. During the slave period, the slaves weren't allowed to have an education. Their masters believed that the slaves would rebel against them if they did, have an education. Learning to slaves was dangerous because it would go against the master's rules and slaves could die from such an offence.
ReplyDeleteIf I was in Fredrick Douglass's time period I would agree. If your going to have your life taken away for trying to learn then why would you even try to get an education? I believe that during slavery, this quote is a significance of what slaves really felt . However, this quote does not resemble thoughts for this time period.
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ReplyDeleteFrederick Douglass said " A little learning indeed, may be a dangerous thing". This phrase had a lot of importance to the slaves. Learning was dangerous because if the master found out, he would not like that idea. This was because according to masters and overseers slaves would become "unmanageable". Meaning that they will become free soon or later. The only difference between the master and the slave now would be the money, because they would be on the same level of knowledge.
ReplyDeleteDouglass viewed the want of learning as a calamity. This is because no slave had the chance to learn. Meaning that in order to make a big change they all had to come together. Which was very hard because they were all ignorant and the only thing they knew had to do was obey there master. Yes, i agree with this quote. It was bad to learn for the master and the slave his/her self.
Frederick Douglass said " A little learning indeed, may be a dangerous thing".This line is very significant in that it expresses how Frederick Douglass viewed the concept of a slave gaining an education. To him learning was a danger because if a slave learns how to read then they risk showing how educated they are and being subject to a whipping.
ReplyDeleteThe want of learning is a calamity and danger because to start learning you must seek out a teacher. By seeking someone out you reveal the attempt to learn, wich could result in the slave being put in danger.
Yes i would normally agree with this because to seek an education you must leave yourself vulnerable to any witnessess to your learning.
- Why does he believe that learning may be a dangerous thing? Explain.
ReplyDelete- * i belive fredrick D , believe's that learning is dangerous beacuse he feels that if he know's whats really going on that he woulnt like the results of what he is finding out.
- Why does he view the want of learning as a calamity? Explain.
- * He views the want of learning as a camlamity becuase you have to suffer so much just to learn when its actully free.
- Do you agree with Douglass's quote? Explain your response.
-* Yes i agree with his qoute beause the point that he is tting to come across is very true what i think about this qoute "
want is a word close to need
so, need must be fulfilled if possible
knowing little does not signify/mean need/want.....however it gives false confidence/confusion which is to be avoided
Excellent comments class! =) Great analysis and connections to the narrative.
ReplyDeleteEveryone who completed this assignment received two check plusses for the homework assignments.
Class,
PLEASE read over your over answers. There are several spelling/grammar mistakes.
Don't forget to complete this week's homework asasignment. =)
-Frederick Douglass said “A little learning, indeed, may be a dangerous thing, but the want of learning is a calamity to any people.” The quote says it all. It has a powerful meaning pertaining to slaves and everyone else. How learning can cause many people suffering and pain because people such as masters don't want them to escape free.
ReplyDelete-He believes that the will and want to learn is the most dangerous. With that will comes the power to resist any master's power, thus becoming a problem. If a master saw or even heard a slave wanted to learn, they'd be taught a lesson and whipped.
-If we were still in Douglas's time then yes I'd agree, but in this day and age, wanting to learn is great. Not many people understand learning is a "Privilege," that others had to struggle to obtain.