Although the idea of ​​oppression is frowned upon today, it has not always been considered terrible. As oppressed people gain knowledge, the information gained accredits and provides an identity that an individual can become more than what society expects of them. Identity is one of the direct products of education, an essential part of life that determines character and provides opportunities; but at the same time it creates danger. This is the scary part. Authors Frederick Douglass, Maya Angelou, and Sherman Alexie demonstrate previously stated principles through similar appeals to logos and pathos, presented in different ways. These authors use logos to demonstrate that education is a form of exposure to different ways of thinking, creating danger in knowledge. “It would immediately become unmanageable and of no value to its owner. As for him, it could do him no good, but much harm. It would make him discontented and unhappy. (Douglass) Frederick Douglass wanted to learn; understand how things worked; and, above all, change his destiny and his identity. However, Mr Auld took a logical approach. When Mrs. Auld taught Douglass to read, she gave him an identity, a desire to learn. This expresses the danger of knowledge. He learned a new way of thinking that multitudes of people besides him could already do, and he wanted to devour the opportunity. Logically speaking “An intelligent Indian is a dangerous person, widely feared and ridiculed by both Indians and non-Indians.” (Alexie) Further connecting to Douglass and the general danger of knowledge, Alexie represents the other side of what Douglass was saying. Some races containing knowledge are considered dangerous by what are considered dominant races. The… middle of paper… only oneself, but also society. Many people would say that education is not important to who you are and that it does not shape you. Even if an infinite number of people believe otherwise, the determining factor is that personal knowledge will shape who a person becomes. A boy in the Philippines sends his report card to his American sponsors every year so they know that their money is being used to create his identity, so they know they are helping that little boy. Being part of something as profound as the creation of an identity is why teachers are so important and learning is so important. Helping a child become more than society expects them to be is a gift. We therefore thank the teachers because without them “we could not exist” (Angelou). Be grateful that there is a free education, a free identity, for all, it just needs to be found.