Comparing Ruth And Incidents In The Life Of A Slave Girl

Becoming a mother monumentally changes one’s outlook on life, especially in the 19th century, when women were expected to give birth to and raise as many children as they could. Additionally, mothers in the 19th century were expected to push aside all their other silly hobbies to be the most successful mothers they could be. In Ruth Hall and Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, both Ruth and Linda’s lives are drastically changed when they become mothers. Furthermore, both women must overcome obstacles thrown at them while caring for their children. Ruth and Linda, when faced with great adversity, prevailed to provide better lives for their children. Despite the lackluster examples of nurturing mothers Ruth had been exposed to, she herself is a very caring, yet unconventional mother. While she spent much of her time “[rambling]… through the woods and fields” with Daisy, demonstrating her unorthodox approach to parenting (Fern 7). Conversely, Ruth still shows a sense of proper womanly behavior when Mis. Hall examines her entire house and, much to her chagrin, discovers that “nothing could be more faultless” than Ruth’s home,

After the birth of her children resulted in her fall from Dr. Flint’s favor, according to Linda, “there was no prospect of being able to lead a better life” (Jacobs 65). Additionally, an unforeseen consequence of Linda becoming a mother is the ever-present threat of her children being sold. With her strong will increased by the need to protect her children, Linda vows that Benny and Ellen “should never pass into [Dr. Flint’s] hands” (Jacobs 68). In addition to developing her motherly nature, Linda’s “helpless children” caused her to “[long] for freedom” (Jacobs 76). Trapped in the unrelenting clutches of slavery, Linda chooses to go into hiding to “save her [children] from it, or perish in the attempt” (Jacobs