Comparing Kindred And Incidents In The Life Of A Slave Girl

Slavery. Brutality. The snare of a snare. Injustice. The sex of the sex. Racism. Fate. The. And a lot of resilience. All of these elements are profoundly explored in the novels “Kindred” by Octavia Butler and “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” by Harriet Jacobs, which both offer engaging insights into the world of agonizing and harrowing ordeals endured by African American slaves in the 18th century. In Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, the protagonist, Linda Brent (under the pseudonym of Harriet Jacobs), describes her experiences as a slave, the abuse she was forced to endure, and her struggle to protect herself and her children, mostly from the relentless advances of Dr. Flint and his family. Her eventual escape to the North highlighted

In Kindred, Dana’s resilience is vividly portrayed in a scenario that will be discussed, which is both harrowing and pivotal. As Dana’s journey starts, she is quickly forced to adapt to the brutal environment on the Weylin plantation. “Please, Master,” the man begged. “For Godsake, Master, please.” I shut my eyes and tensed my muscles against an urge to vomit. I have seen people beaten on television and in the movies. I had seen the red blood substitute streak across their backs and heard their well-rehearsed screams. But I hadn’t lain nearby and smelled their sweat or heard them pleading and praying, shamed before their families and themselves. I was probably less prepared for the reality than the child crying not far from me. In fact, she and I were reacting very much alike. My face was wet with tears. And my mind was darting from one thought to another, trying to tune out the whipping.” (Butler 33). In this scene, Dana was seen inquired when she had to witness a slave being barbarically whipped over and over again. This event significantly affected Dana, which also shed light on her inner strength and resilience in the face of hardships. This event had a profound effect on Dana as she tried to maintain her strength and integrity despite having to witness an overwhelming beating and brutality. This

We will review how the books provide examples, events, and scenarios of the settings from Kindred and Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl and how they resemble. While the physical settings are not similar, the environments of both books clearly coincide. Similarly, both Kindred and Incidents explore the harsh realities of slavery during the 18th century in the Antebellum South. Both novels provide a vivid depiction of the daily brutalities, the systemic oppression, and the personal struggles of those enslaved. “I could recall walking along the narrow dirt road that ran past the Weylin house and seeing the house, shadowy in twilight, boxy and familiar, yellow light showing from some of the windows—Weylin was surprisingly extravagant with his candles and oil. I had heard that other people were not. I could recall feeling relief at seeing the house, feeling that I had come home. And having to stop and correct myself, remind myself that I was in an alien, dangerous place. I could recall being surprised that I would come to think of such a place as home. That was more than two months ago when I went to get help for Rufus. I had been home since 1976, to this house, and it hadn’t felt that homelike.”(Butler 190). It is inferred