1. On page five, why does Harriet Ann Jacobs state a brief announcement before readers began reading and what readers did she most likely direct this too?
Numerous readers believed that African American slaves would exaggerate their treatment as slaves. They presumed that slaves degraded their masters and should be more grateful. Therefore, slaves have had to act in a ferocious manner for a white woman or man to beat them. The Caucasian race alleged that African American slaves were numb to pain and were passionless. “I am aware that some of my adventures may seem incredible; but they are, nevertheless, strictly true. I have not exaggerated the wrongs inflicted by Slavery; on the contrary, my descriptions fall far short of the facts (Jacobs,1860, Pg. 5).” Jacobs was speaking directly to her Caucasian readers. She wanted to enlighten the Northern Caucasian readers because Northerners never truly understood what slavery consisted of. In fact, Southerners would minimize the everyday struggle of a slavery causing this allusion.
2. How and why did Aunt Martha save up to three hundred dollars?
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As a result, her master allowed her to cook at night once her work was complete. Slaves that had something to offer to the white community, would have a better chance to more opportunities. “The business proved profitable; and each year she laid by a little, which was saved for a fund to purchase her children (Jacobs, 1860, Pg.13).” After her master died, Aunt Martha’s youngest child later was sold into another family for the property to be split equally with the master’s family. This gave Aunt Martha an abundance of motivation to raise money to buy her children’s