Literacy, Freedom and Justice

Abstract

This dissertation explores the issue of literacy in prominent nineteenth-century slave narratives in particular, the three slave narratives-The History of Mary Prince by Marry Prince,Incidents in the Life of Salve Girl by Harriet Jacobs and My Bondage and My Freedom by Frederic Douglass to show the extreme form of domination upon the slaves by different masters and mistresses.These narratives also stage the moments of resistance implying that slavery could be challenged if the slaves acquire literacy.Douglass's acquisition of literacy is a series of acts of resistance. His attempts to gain freedom through education establish acquisition of literacy as a form of resistance. Therefore, unjust discrimination and punishment were a kind of good lesson for some slaves like, Douglass, Jacobs and Mary Prince who instead of tolerating such unjust behavior,revolted resist, struggle for personal freedom. Thus, they deconstructed their history by rewriting it and disclosing the realizes of the slavery system. Jacob realizing the importance of education tries to teach other black people as she alone could not get complete equality. Prince also gets her narrative published with the help of literacy she has obtained education. Thus the three narratives highlight the importance of literacy for slaves to attain liberty from bondage.