Douglass learns the white man's power comes from the ability to prevent education to the slaves. The excerpt expresses Douglass' understanding of how education empowers the literate person and by remaining illiterate, unable to read, the master keeps his power against the slave.
A provoking story, with darkness and sorrow intertwined with his own life. He was a poor sap, but he never lost sight of his stories.
The answer is that the verb matter doesn't work with the sibject type of chicken, it should be "matters"
