Analysis Of Incidents In The Life Of A Slave Girl

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is an autobiography written by Harriet Jacobs to share what she experienced as a slave girl. Linda Brent, a pseudonym for Harriet Jacobs, undergoes several transitions due to unfavorable circumstances. However, Linda was not treated as common slave initially. She was the product of “Mulattoes” and was trusted upon them for safe keeping. Her father was valued for the many skills he had and as a result lived a life that was above that of a common slave, instead he lived similar to a freeman. He although never obtained full custody of his children, no matter how much he intended to pay for them. Upon first revelations, the readers learn that following the death of her mother, six year-old Linda Brent is

Linda Brent recalls desperately trying to act passive towards the foul words whispered to her by Dr. Flint. She went on to explain how Dr. Flint intensively tried to corrupt her young mind and how he tried to eradicate the teachings her grandmother had so heavily instilled in her. She says, “He peopled my young mind with unclean images, such as only a vile monster could think of. I turned from him with disgust and hatred.” Such treatment was typical of a slave girl. Linda encompasses this thought when she says, “No matter whether the slave girl be as black as ebony or as fair as her mistress. In either case, there is no shadow of law to protect her from insult, violence, or even death; all these are inflicted by fiends who bear the shape of men” (Jacobs 26). An issue that would also arise due to such practices was jealousy from the mistress. Often, if a man was fond of one of his slave girls he would not punish them, such was the case with Linda. In this society the theme of machismo holds, warranting men to do as they please. Their wives were not in position to pester the man for his aspirations and were as a result left to express their fury upon the slave girl, making life much more difficult for them. Being a mother changed Linda Brent’s life completely. She began to worry about how she would be viewed and what would happen to her children. She says, “Now how could I look them in the face? My self respect was gone” (Jacobs 49). Linda attempts to reveal her pregnancy to her grandmother, but is interrupted by Mrs. Flint, who accuses Linda in regards to her husband. Her grandmother believes the mistress and says to her, “You are a disgrace to your dead mother” (Jacobs 50). Linda’s pregnancy led to assumptions, which resulted in repudiation from the one who once treated her the best. In a desperate attempt to protect her children from being sent to the field house