Final answer:
Mrs. Flowers' advice to Marguerite on being intolerant of ignorance but understanding of illiteracy echoes the ideas presented by Frederick Douglass, who valued literacy as a pathway from slavery to freedom, and viewed the slaveholders' efforts to suppress education as a means of control.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Mrs. Flowers advises Marguerite to "be intolerant of ignorance but understanding of illiteracy," she is emphasizing the importance of empathy towards those who have not had the opportunity to learn to read and write, while also encouraging a critical attitude towards willful ignorance. This advice reflects the sentiments expressed by Frederick Douglass, who recognized that literacy was a powerful tool for personal liberation and transformation. Douglass' narrative illustrates that slaveholders, like Mr. Auld, intentionally kept slaves illiterate to maintain control, fearing the empowerment that education could bring to them.
Douglass' determination to learn to read, despite his master's vehement opposition, highlights the value he placed on literacy. His story is a testament to the idea that literacy is not merely about the ability to read and write but is intrinsically linked to freedom and self-realization. The narrative also discusses the complex dynamics between Douglass, his mistress, and her eventual succumbing to the norms of slavery by ceasing to teach him, further showcasing the systemic efforts to maintain ignorance among enslaved individuals.