Allegory of the Cave vs. Douglass Narrative
At first, Fredrick Douglass is shackled, therefore not being able to access knowledge, the same situation with the prisoners in the allegory of the cave. Thus, there exists a tangible similarity between the prisoners of the cave allegory and Fredrick Douglass’s narrative. Both require a sturdy bridge that will lead them to knowledge and wisdom. Bother Douglass, and the prisoner have found themselves captives and restrained from the knowledge of the world. Shadows around them dictate what they should or should not do. The prisoner in the Plato Allegory of the cave, when he finally saw the light, realized that the reality he had earlier perceived was nothing but an illusion (Brians 1998). After seeing the light, the prisoner finally admitted that the shadows on the cave did not depict any form of reality. A similar concept applies in the Douglass narrative. Being a slave, he also had limited access to the actual world. He imagined himself to be in “…mental darkness.” When at first, he was unable to read and write (Douglass 2007). The two philosophical texts extensively relate to each other since they both follow the journey of two men who were initially held in a state of bondage and ignorance. Thus, these two stories focus on the maiden journey from ignorance, freedom to knowledge. The observation and realization of another reality was an eye-opening moment for both prisoners. Although these two texts are set from different historical timeframes, they both illustrate how education and experience play a crucial role in shaping one’s perception of reality. Besides, these texts enhance the essence of the enlightened to teach and educate the ignorant.
Fredrick Douglass was initially oriented into the literacy world by his mistress. Douglass showed the determination, the passion, and the zeal to read and have knowledge. He was filled with joy when he could articulate and spell some of the English vocabularies. With the denial of the chance to read by his master, the urge to become literate was catalyzed when he finally realized that by becoming literate, a slave could liberate himself from the master. Being an illiterate slave, Douglass felt that his master dictated his fate; all of the understanding of the world was dictated by his brutal master. However, Douglas fathomed that by being literate, he would gain power over his master; thereby, he will be able to be a master of his own. After gaining knowledge, Douglass was able to comprehend the slavery life. He saw slavery as a dark, bottomless pit with no ladder to get out (Douglass 2007). Douglass still felt powerless even with the knowledge possessed. At one point, he saw literacy as a curse rather than salvation. At first, Douglass believed that the only way to freedom is through gaining knowledge. In his case, literacy plunged him profoundly into the slavery pit. The shackles of slavery became heavier as Douglass gained more literal knowledge. He pitied and despised his fellow slaves for being ignorant. His enthusiasm for knowledge made him create a Sabbath school for fellow slaves. He desperately wanted to teach his fellow ignorant slaves some knowledge about the world. He felt it was the time to liberate his fellow slaves from the chains of mental ignorance. The mission of Douglass was to create an intellectual army that will fight against inhumanity perpetrated in the name of slavery. Destroying the entire institution of slavery was the critical agenda of Douglass as he seeks and dispersed knowledge.
References
Douglass, F. (2007). Learning to read and write. 50 Essays, A Portable Anthology, 2004-100.
Brians, P. (1998). Plato: The Allegory of the Cave, from The Republic.