At the beginning of Douglass's life, his only knowledge was the world of slaves and their duties. He knows the land, the families and the brutal slave lifestyles. When Douglass is sent to Baltimore to babysit, Mrs. Auld, his mistress, teaches him the alphabets. Mr. Auld tells her that she can no longer teach a "nigger" because he thinks those they teach will be uncontrollable. This changes Douglass's entire perception of slavery. He realizes that the only thing that stands between the slave and freedom is education. After Mrs. Auld stops teaching him, Douglass begins reading newspapers and books to learn to read and write. The more Douglass learns, the more he begins to realize the uglier side of slavery. This helps Douglass be determined to end slavery and ultimately helps him escape. For Frederick Douglass, it was the knowledge that freed him and completely changed his life, and which he later uses to help other slaves. It was knowledge that gave Douglass a new life and the determination to achieve something instead of struggling all his life.