Eucation and Identity - Essay Example

He lacked the many facilities we have, and yet he managed to develop his writing skills by relying on the little help he could access. All through, he struggle with identity crisis though he later manages to establish his identity. The critical role that education plays in defining Douglas identity cannot be ignored. Douglass's urge and determination to learn is captivating. This essay discusses how Douglas narrative on learning to write influences my thinking about education as well as identity and how his ideas relate to my own ideas regarding education, literacy, and identity.

As I read his narrative, it triggered me to think of my own views regarding education. Although I have always considered education important in achieving my goals, never had I viewed education with as much regard as Douglass did. This is irrespective of having teachers and all learning resources at my disposal. However, Douglass ideas about education are somehow related to my own views about education. Just like Douglas believed, learning to read and write sets us free not just from stupidity but it also enables us discover ourselves.

Lack of education makes us ignorant and we end up being slaves of ourselves. It is only by expressing ourselves through activities such as writing that we can be able to really feel sufficient and convince others of our capability. Thinking of people who are deprived of education by one reason or another makes me consider that the worst form of slavery. However, this kind of slavery is better since one can make a choice to liberate him or herself from it like Douglass did. As I read Douglass narrative, I thought of the many times I felt like giving up because I could not understand a concept in class.

Those are the time I felt like I did not really understand who I was. However, I have always considered education to be one of the fundamental aspects that will enable me achieve my goals and that is what keeps me going. When I imagined of Douglass roaming in the streets seeking for assistant from kids in the streets, I acknowledged the many education resources we have at our disposal and how little we make use of them. This made me feel like I was a slave of myself since I have no good reason to fail to achieve my academic goals yet I find myself failing at times.

Reading Douglass experience and comparing it with my own encouraged me that no matter the adversities it is possible to achieve our goals. Education and literacy plays a great role in enabling us to realize our own identity. Educational attainments assist us in integrating with others in addition to being able to understand and appreciate those who may different from us. Just as the slaves suffered with their real identity as humans, such is the case when one is not conversant with a concept.

Education defines us in some ways. People will identify with you depending on how well you can express yourself. If you are uneducated, people will brand you as illiterate. This has made me conclude that education can form one’s identity since it determines a person’s interest in life. In the contemporary society, social stratification is a common phenomenon and education is used as one of the criteria of defining the class one belongs to. However, not all people are able to access equal education opportunities.

Being unable to access quality education does not automatically mean you cannot set high