As a young boy, Douglass begins learning the alphabet from his mistress, Sophia Auld. When her husband instructs her to stop teaching him, Douglass seeks out other means to continue his education by interacting with white individuals. Gaining literacy enables Douglass to see freedom as a reachable objective. For example, purchasing The Columbian Orator, a compilation of political speeches by ancient orators and Enlightenment thinkers, introduces him to public speaking. He later applies this skill in his role as an abolitionist advocate. Reading these works leads him to question why he is denied the rights his white master enjoys. ''The reading of these documents enabled me to utter my thoughts, and to meet the arguments brought forward to sustain slavery....’’ Douglass' education enhances his awareness of the injustices he and all slaves endure, intensifying his longing for freedom. This education creates a restlessness that cannot be subdued by physical beatings or hard labor. Ultimately, his education drives him to escape slavery.