Linda Brent's Incidents In The Life Of A Slave Girl

The autobiography "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself" written by Harriet A. Jacob and published in 1861, is a story following the life of Linda Brent, set in North Carolina. At age six, her parents and her mother's mistress died, and she was sold to a man named Dr.Flint, a cruel and abusive man. She tried to escape, but during this time, it was easier said than done. This book follows Linda Brent and her true stories during slavery, and readers can truly understand what life was like for female slaves. While following Linda through her experiences, the author can convey an array of emotions using ethos, juxtaposition, and syntax.

From the start of the book, Jacobs incorporates ethos to factually carry the message she

For example, she used personal experiences and historical facts in the story to introduce the audience to slavery. In chapter 8, she goes into telling the stories of how the southern slave owners mistook the stories of the north. It is said that in the north, slaves loved working for their masters and being property due to how "kindly" they were treated. Linda wrote, "She had never thought of such a thing as wishing to go back to slavery," mocking the lies spread by the northerners (chapter 8). During slavery times, southerners would repeatedly lie to trick slaves into thinking they were fortunate to be in their current circumstances. Not only did southerners lie about how the slaves were treated, but they would also excuse and sugarcoat what would happen if the slaves ran away. In the same chapter, Linda wrote, "This is the punishment she brought on herself for running away from a kind master." She even went to the length of saying that cruel and unjust punishments were seemingly justifiable and the right thing to do. Not only did the south lie about what the northerners did toward slaves, but the north

In the eyes of a slave, rights were unheard of, and freedom was imaginary. In numerous chapters, the author provides stories of sexual abuse and mistreatment. In chapter 3, it's stated, "Hiring day at the South takes place on the 1st of January." On the second, the slaves are expected to go to their new masters. (chapter 3). This demonstrates how, for slaves, the new year is not a cause for celebration. After all, they may be sold to someone worse, whereas for slave owners, it is cause for celebration because they were making money and claiming to be doing people a service. Another example is in Chapter 5, where Linda admitted how Dr. Flint sexually assaulted her. She even mentioned, "But he was my master." I was compelled to live under the same roof as him. (Chapter 5) to show how, even though it was wrong, there was not much she could do. During this time, people even told her how she should be thankful that her master was not making her work in the fields and how she should be thankful to be wanted and lusted after. Even the mistress, who lived in the same house, "who ought to protect the helpless victim, has no other feelings towards her but those of jealousy and rage." (chapter 5). This proves, even with the mistress in the