Question

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. As I writhed under it, I would at times feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing. It had given me a view of my wretched condition, without the blessing. What effect does Douglass’s use of the verbs torment and sting have on the reader?

Answer 1

Frederick Douglass's use of the verbs 'torment' and 'sting' effectively conveys his deep emotional pain and the acute discomfort that literacy brought him, highlighting the complex consequences of education for the enslaved.

Step-by-step explanation:

The verbs torment and sting used by Frederick Douglass in his narrative have a powerful effect on the reader. By choosing these words, Douglass conveys the intense emotional suffering and the sharp, piercing pain he experienced as a result of his newfound literacy.

Such vivid language serves to illustrate the cruel irony in Douglass's situation; while learning to read opened his eyes to his oppression, it also deepened his discontent and sense of entrapment by giving him the insight into his condition without offering a clear escape. This use of language allows the reader to empathize deeply with Douglass's distress and overall plight, reinforcing the inhumanity of slavery and the double-edged nature of literacy for the enslaved.