Describe the process by which Douglass learns how to read. Be sure to discuss his interactions with Sophia Auld, his young playmates, and the Columbian Orator. Is literacy a blessing for Douglass or a curse, and why? Explain the impact that you think learning to read and write had on Douglass life.

Midterm Examination Essay Prompts (5 points)

For the essay component of your midterm examination, please respond to one of the two prompts below with a 1 to 2 page double-spaced typewritten essay. When you are finished with the essay, please make sure that it is labeled Midterm Essay and then upload it to the ENGL 322 Assignment Portal.

1) Describe the process by which Douglass learns how to read. Be sure to discuss his interactions with Sophia Auld, his young playmates, and the Columbian Orator. Is literacy a blessing for Douglass or a curse, and why? Explain the impact that you think learning to read and write had on Douglass life.

2) Since the publication of Hazel Carbys Reconstructing Womanhood, many scholars would argue that African American feminism began in the 19th century not the 20th. Take a second look at the texts that we read by Jarena Lee, Sojourner Truth, and Harriet Jacobs and see if you can identify the elements of an emergent feminism. What are the defining features of these narratives? How do these authors see their role as women? How might they have serve as role models and inspirations for women in their time and ours?

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