When Frederick Douglass arrives at Baltimore to meet his new master Thomas Auld and his lovely wife, Sophia Auld, he is astonished to finally interact with a kind, compassionate white woman, who is unlike any white person he has ever met before. Frederick Douglass mentions that he is "utterly astonished by her goodness" and is fortunate to have a caring, gentle female master. Sophia Auld was a weaver by trade and had never owned a slave before. She was unaccustomed to having a black slave under her control and is extraordinarily gracious towards Frederick. She initially treats him like a human and even prefers for Frederick to look her in the eye, which is something he was previously forbidden from doing. Sophia also attempts to educate Frederick and begins to teach him how to read. Tragically, her husband forbids her from teaching Frederick anything related to academics, which motivates him to learn how to read by his own means. As time passes, being a slave owner has a negative effect on Mrs. Auld and she develops into a callous, wretched woman.