Master Slave Girl

The volatile institution of slavery saw the systematic oppression of those with melanin in their skin. This system raped those of a darker hue of their culture, history, and ultimately their humanity. The victims of this legal institution were viewed no more than chattel; a piece of property in which authoratative ownership was held by someone of European descent. Although this is how the system of slavery is generally percieved, one must take into account that within the system of slavery, slave treatment varied greatly from plantation to plantation, and from slave to slave. And though an inferiortiy complex to whites—exclding white trash—manifested itself in many slaves, not all were submissive to the will of the legal institution of

This is particularly true for the slave narrative titled, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, by Harriet Jacobs, written under the alias of Linda Brent, which will be used hereon. Solely using this narrative as a gateway to a past society, the intent of this paper is took look at the Master-Slave relationship as the overarching theme, but more specifically we will look to analyze the fatal attraction of Master to Slave Girl. To do so we will first look at the nature of the relationship between Linda Brent and her master in its earliest form; secondly, we will investigate the theme of “Love” in a slave society—can it be attained?; Third, we will analyze the means of defiance taken by Brent to avoid her masters advances; finally, this paper will conclude by explaining that this was a relationship of obsession and defiance til the very

When using the word “obsessive” there should be no commection made to the idea of “love.” In this slave society was unattainable, especially for our slave girl. Brent, in the chapter Love, begins her tale with the question “why does the slave ever love?” She recalls her first love being born a freeman(446). She asserts that her love for him was true, having loved him with all the “ador of a young girl 's first love(446). However, upon the reflection of her situation of servitude she knew that a union between the two could never happen, because she belonged to Mr. Flint—literally. Brent describes this love-dream having been her support through many trials, and was dreadfully fearful that this pleasure of her own making would fade. And just as any pleasure of a slave faded, so did this love. Having learned of Linda 's desire to be wedded to this free negro, Dr. Flint stomped out the flames of Love and Hope. If she were to marry, she “must take up with one of (his) slaves(448).” This was the stern reply Linda recieved from her master, whose obsessive nature would not let him do without her. When the subject of “love” is explicitly brough up through an honest answer of Linda 's, Dr. Flint unable to control his outrage at the truth exclaims, “how dare you tell me so,” as if his own heart was bleeding(448). With tiger like power, he sprung upon Linda, striking her like an abusive spouse, claiming she was the one who drove him to such an action. Following the lethal blow came