Going From ABCs to a Narrative

In class we discussed some explicit and implicit literacy used by Frederick Douglass. One of the questions that was brought up during this discussion was how Frederick Douglass went from tricking little white boys into giving him "lessons" to writing his own narrative, which is both stylistic and grammatically sophisticated. Frederick doesn't go into any detailed explanation as to how he managed to hone his skills, but there are some small inferences that the reader can make. First, on page 368 Frederick says, "If I was in a separate room any considerable length of time, I was sure to be suspected of having a book." What the reader should take from this is that Frederick had access to literature. He also mentions reading newspapers several times throughout the narrative. Knowing that Frederick was able to read, we (the reader) can assume that he took those opportunities that he could to read (just as he found those opportunities to learn how to write). Reading would enhance his vocabulary and show him by example the rules of correct grammar/syntax. On page 370, Frederick mentions looking up "abolitionist" in a dictionary. That he had access to a dictionary would further improve his ability to both read and write.
Judging by his efforts in finding creative ways to learn how to write and improve that skill, the reader can assume that, though removed from Baltimore, Frederick continued working in the same way to find and consume reading material (I would make an exception to this assumption when Frederick worked under Mr. Covey, who barely gave his slaves time to eat much less time for any other activity that did not involve working the farm).
On page 401 Frederick tells his reader that he began a Sunday school where he taught other slaves reading and writing. This, too, would improve his own literacy skills, for teaching a subject tends to generate a deeper intimacy between subject and teacher.
Finally, on page 428, Frederick mentions that once he had enough money he subscribed to the "Liberator". Reading abolitionist literature would familiarize Frederick with the prose of anti-slavery arguments and attacks on that institution. This would also help to develop the style and sophisticated rhetoric that we see in the "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass". I guess one could say that though Frederick never tells his audience explicitly how he was able to develop his writing skills, he does leave little clues and the provide some basis for understanding his growth was a writer.

Also, I found this website that I found to be interesting.
http://www.theliberatorfiles.com/