Frederick Douglass' escape into literature
The slave was represented as having run away from his master three times. The dialogue represented the conversation which took place between them, when the slave was retaken the third time. In this dialogue, the whole argument in behalf of slavery was brought forward by the master, all of which was disposed of by the slave. The slave was made to say some very smart as well as impressive things in reply to his master--things which had the desired though unexpected effect; for the conversation resulted in the voluntary emancipation of the slave on the part of the master. (Douglass, "Narrative of the Life of an American Slave," Writing Material 100)
How ironic, that Douglass' reading hobby led him to such a source, that his escape into the world of literature provided him with the hope for an escape in reality. I was a bit surprised to learn that a book like this was written at the time, but with the Civil War and the Emancipation came and went in his lifetime, so I guess it shouldn't have been such a shock.