Part a

read these sentences from paragraph 2 of the passage.

these words sank deep into my heart, stirred up sentiments within that lay slumbering, and called into existence an entirely new train of thought. it was a new and special revelation, explaining dark and mysterious things, with which my youthful understanding had struggled, but struggled in vain. i now understood what had been to me a most perplexing difficulty….

which definition best expresses the connotative meaning of the word youthful as the author uses it in the second sentence?

active

ignorant

brand new

sensible
question 2
part b

what effect does the author's use of the word youthful have on the meaning of this passage?

it shows that douglass's new awareness of how owners maintain control over slaves allows him to better understand how to improve his situation.

it shows that douglass's youth makes him more courageous than he might otherwise have been.

it shows that douglass knows that he is too young to know what is best for him.

it shows that mr. auld is able to manipulate douglass into obeying his orders by taking advantage of his good nature and lack of experience in life.

1. Brand new.

2. It shows that Douglass's new awareness of how owners maintain control over slaves allows him to better understand how to improve his situation.

Explanation:

The passage is from Chapter VI of "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass" which is a memoir of the narrator as a slave and then later on working towards the emancipation and freedom for the black people. the narrator Douglass was born into slavery and had to endure being racially discriminated, but at the same time, began to understand the importance of education and learning for one's freedom.

The author/narrator used the word "youthful" to imply to the very basic and naive being he was, before his master Mr. Auld gave his be_rating speech on why his wife should not teach Douglass to learn to read or write. According to him, "if you teach that ni g g er  how to read, there would be no keeping him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave. He would at once  become unmanageable, and of no value to his master. As to  himself, it could do him no good, but a great deal of harm. It  would make him discontented and unhappy." That event opened his eyes to the power of education, for it seemed that Mr. Auld was scared of his slaves having their own rational thinking ability.  

With the use of that word "youthful" in the passage, the narrator/ author indicates his new fund awareness of the power which held the masters over their slaves. So, with this new discovery of the power of education and the fear of his master that he (Douglass) will know how to read or write made him all the more eager to be educated. He is now aware of the power dynamics and knows how best to improve his situation.

to inform the reader that the text will take a second look at the grimms’ original tales