Question

"You will be free as soon as you are twenty-one, but I am a slave for life! Have not I as good a right to be free as you have?" These words used to trouble them; they would express for me the liveliest sympathy, and console me with the hope that something would occur by which I might be free.

What is the overall impact of Douglass ending the passage in this way?
A. It ties the main idea--Douglass' strong drive to learn to read--to his overarching hope for freedom.
B. It resolves the plot tragically by describing how different Douglass' life is from those of the other
boys.
C. It provides a strong climax that emphasizes Douglass' indignation, an important theme in this
excerpt.
D. It is used as a rhetorical device that highlights Douglass' fear of his mistress, a central figure in the
passage.

Answer 1

The overall impact of Douglass ending the passage this way is:

A. It ties the main idea--Douglass' strong drive to learn to read--to his overarching hope for freedom.

Step-by-step explanation:

The reason behind this answer is that in this passage Douglass uses a stylistic device to link his liberty with the ability to read. To justify that the boys can read and they will be free at the age of 21. However, he is a slave for life and that he is also incapable of reading. Portraying that reading would suffice his hope of liberty.