Final answer:
Frederick Douglass uses the metaphor of the inch and the ell to signify the expansive, transformative potential of literacy for enslaved people. Douglass's narrative serves to highlight the empowering aspect of literacy, its role in combatting racism and oppression, and to illuminate the characters and culture of his time.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Frederick Douglass’ autobiography, the metaphor of the inch and the ell is used to convey the transformative power of literacy for enslaved individuals. The ell here is not explicitly defined as a unit of measurement but is used metaphorically. Douglass recounts how his enslaver, Mr. Auld, adamantly opposed his wife educating Douglass, fearing that literacy would make him unmanageable. The metaphor underscores the value of literacy as something that could free slaves from the confines of their imposed limitations, much as an inch can become an ell, or a small amount can become much larger.
Douglass's use of this metaphor is poignant as it also reflects Mr. Auld's racism and the broader societal racism of the time, showcasing Douglass's awareness of the value of education in combating these oppressive attitudes. Literacy, to Douglass, is not simply about reading and writing but about empowerment and upending oppressive systems that keep enslaved people in ignorance and submission. Through his narrative, Douglass illustrates that literacy can lead to a more profound understanding and a tool to achieve freedom and equality.
Through his skilled use of language and storytelling, Douglass brings life into the characters of Mr. and Mrs. Auld, using specific diction to describe Mrs. Auld's kindness in contrast to her husband. The depth with which he explores these relationships and his commentary on them indicates the text's purpose of being a powerful literacy narrative. It's a narrative that not only recounts Douglass's journey to literacy but also generates a palpable sense of the times and challenges faced while making a compelling argument for the liberating potential of literacy.