Final answer:
Frederick Douglass includes his experiences with literacy in his narrative to highlight education's critical role in his life and the fight against slavery. His struggle and success in learning to read and write showcase education as a transformative power and a means of resistance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phrase that best describes Douglass's purpose for including this particular experience in the narrative of his life is to show the importance of education in changing his life. By detailing how literacy empowered him and other enslaved individuals, Douglass underscores the transformative power of education. His description of Mr. Auld imposing illiteracy to oppress others, and Douglass's subsequent quest for literacy, showcases the critical role that education played not just for himself but as a means to combat the larger institution of slavery. Further, he illustrates the sophistication of his thought and the complexity of the detriment of slavery with his strategic use of language tailored to an educated audience. Douglass's narrative emphasizes how education served as an avenue for empowerment, resistance, and ultimately, his freedom.
This journey towards literacy was a definitive and transformative moment for Douglass, marking a significant turning point in his narrative arc. By highlighting his struggle and success in attaining literacy, Douglass profoundly demonstrated that enslaved people were not only capable of intellectual achievements but that their education was fundamental to challenging and ultimately dismantling the racist ideologies of the time.