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Comparing Douglas And Narrative Of The Life Of A Slave Girl

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Recommended: Comparative analysis of Frederick Douglas Autobiography and Incidents in the life of a slave girl by Harriet Jacobs

The Degradation of Beliefs
In the Bible book of Luke 12:47, “He that knoweth his master’s will, and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes.” One who reads this statement would conclude that violence towards another who is not following orders is alright in the eyes of God. Slaveholders often use the Bible as a way to right their wrongs. In their slave narratives, Frederick Douglass in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, and Harriet Jacobs in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, both describe the role of religion in their lives. Slavery overall is harmful towards the religion of slaves and slaveholders. Religion is a main outlet for the slaves, and many times it is shown how their faith is shaken by slaveholders actions. Jacobs tells of her friend Benjamin, and how he is placed in jail for escaping his master (7). Benjamin was asked if he ever thought of the presence of God, he replied with, “No, I did not think of him. When a man is hunted like a wild beast he forgets there is a God, a heaven. He forgets everything in his struggle to get beyond the reach of the bloodhounds” (8). During this feeling of being hunted, trusting in God would be the last idea in a slave’s mind, simply because if their God was on their side, he would not allow for this to …show more content…

In Jacobs’ narrative, one account of a young girl giving birth, and suffering great pain, she cries out, “O Lord, come and take me!” (3). While this is happening, her mistress stands by mocking the girl. After the birth of the child, the young girl’s mother hopes for her own baby to be in heaven soon because of the horridness of the world around them (3). The mistress then continues, “There is no such place for the like of her and her bastard” (4). Although under this mistress’ beliefs to encourage faith, she shows hypocrisy in humiliating the young girl’s devotion in a tough

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