Question

guided practice
think about the historical context of the story to answer this question.
why does mrs. auld follow her husband’s advice to stop teaching douglass to read?
a. wives were expected to obey their husbands.
b. douglass belongs to mr. auld, not to her.
c. she was afraid of her husband.
d. her husband agreed to teach douglass all he needed to know.

Explanation:

In the historical context of slavery-era America (the setting of Frederick Douglass's narrative), societal norms enforced strict patriarchal rules where wives were required to submit to their husbands' authority. Mr. Auld forbade his wife from teaching Douglass to read, and as a woman in that time, she was socially compelled to follow his order. While she may have feared her husband, the core, context-driven reason is the expected obedience of wives to their husbands.

Answer:

A. Wives were expected to obey their husbands.