Read the following excerpt from Douglass' narrative from page 179 in your textbook. Then answer the question at the end: In this section Frederick Douglass relates on how he came to learn to read, having learnt the alphabet early on from Mrs. Auld as a base before her husband forbid her to continue. Douglass now looks to the kids who play on Philpot Street, near Durgin and Bailey's ship-yard, where he lives to help him learn to read.

"The plan which I adopted, and the one by which I was most successful, was that of making friends of all the little white boys whom I met in the street. As many of these as I could, I converted into teachers. With their kindly aid, obtained at different times and in different places, I finally succeeded in learning to read. When I was sent of errands, I always took my book with me, and by going one part of my errand quickly, I found time to get a lesson before my return. I used also to carry bread with me, enough of which was always in the house, and to which I was always welcome; for I was much better off in this regard than many of the poor white children in our neighborhood. This bread I used to bestow upon the hungry little urchins, who, in return, would give me that more valuable bread of knowledge. [. . .}

I used to talk this matter of slavery over with them. I would sometimes say to them, I wished I could be as free as they would be when they got to be men. "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."

(Douglass 179).

Question: Which of the following lines contains a metaphor for learning:

a) "This bread I used to bestow upon the hungry little urchins, who, in return, would give me that more valuable bread of knowledge."

b) "I always took my book with me, and by going one part of my errand quickly, I found time to get a lesson before my return."

c) "As many of these as I could, I converted into teachers."

d) "You will be free as soon as you are twenty-one, but I am a slave for life!



Answer :

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