Question

read this excerpt from the narrative of the life of frederick douglass.

the more i read, the more i was led to abhor and detest my enslavers.... i loathed them as being the meanest as well as the most wicked of men. as i read and contemplated the subject, behold! that very discontentment which master hugh had predicted would follow my learning to read had already come, to torment and sting my soul to unutterable anguish.

which statement best describes douglasss viewpoint?

• he believes that increased knowledge inspires a greater hatred of injustice.
• he believes that master hugh deeply regrets his harsh treatment and seeks to stop.
• he believes that master hughs cruel treatment is severely injuring his well-being.
• he believes that the material he reads is upsetting to him and master hugh.

Explanation:

Analyze the provided text excerpt

Using the Textual Analysis knowledge point, we examine the excerpt from The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass:
"The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers.... I loathed them as being the meanest as well as the most wicked of men. As I read and contemplated the subject, behold! that very discontentment which Master Hugh had predicted would follow my learning to read had already come, to torment and sting my soul to unutterable anguish."

The text explicitly connects the act of reading and gaining knowledge ("The more I read", "learning to read") with an increased hatred and detestation of his enslavers ("abhor and detest my enslavers", "loathed them").

Evaluate the viewpoint of the author

Using the Authors Viewpoint Analysis knowledge point, we evaluate the relationship between Douglass's literacy and his feelings toward the institution of slavery:

• The first option states: "He believes that increased knowledge inspires a greater hatred of injustice." This directly aligns with "The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers."
• The second option suggests Master Hugh regrets his treatment, which is not supported by the text.
• The third option focuses on Master Hugh's cruel treatment injuring his well-being, whereas the text focuses on the discontentment arising from learning to read.
• The fourth option suggests the material is upsetting to both him and Master Hugh, which misinterprets Master Hugh's prediction.

Therefore, the first option is the most accurate description of Douglass's viewpoint.

Answer:

• (A) He believes that increased knowledge inspires a greater hatred of injustice. (Correct answer)
• (B) He believes that Master Hugh deeply regrets his harsh treatment and seeks to stop.
• (C) He believes that Master Hugh's cruel treatment is severely injuring his well-being.
• (D) He believes that the material he reads is upsetting to him and Master Hugh.