Summary Of Incidents In The Life Of A Slave Girl By Harriet Jacobs

In Harriet Jacobs' “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl,” there is a reoccurring theme of women in bondage. The author reflects on what slavery meant to her as well as all the women characters in bondage. Through the character Linda, the deep expression for her hatred of slavery, and all of its implications is portrayed. She dreads such an institution so much that she sometimes regards death as a better alternative than a life in bondage. Slave Women in Harriet Jacobs' Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl reflects a horrible institution that dehumanized the African American race as a whole. Female slaves in bondage was different from male slaves in bondage. It was not less severe, but it was simply different. The sexual abuse, child bearing,

The majority of the story in placed during her early adolescence years into her early adult hood. Linda had many endeavors that occurred during this time. Linda says, “Slavery is terrible for men; but it is far more terrible for women. Superadded to the burden common to all, they have wrongs, and sufferings, and mortifications peculiarly their own.” Most men during the slave period were continuously beaten, starved, or made to work in the fields. Jacobs emphasizes that even though woman did not continuously endure what the men continuously endured, all female slaves suffered horrible mental tortures such as sexual harassment and the loss of their children. This was emotional scaring. Linda’s slave master was very lustful for her. She had to emotionally deal with his words. She also had to deal with the mistreatment of her mistress because her master lusts after her. Many slave women had to deal with this same type of situation. Even though female slaves were in bondage, some owners allowed their slaves to marry and live with one another, but some slave masters did not think slaves should or could be married. Since there was not a strong legal sanction for marriage among slaves, owners could sell spouses and separate children from their parents. Linda’s grandmother was captured by a larger hotel owner and her children were sold

First, once you are in adult hood, some began to believe they would never be free of slavery. This brought, thoughts of suicide, murder, or escape. Celie in “The color Purple” by Alice Walker, contemplated about murdering her slave master many times. This book is based off of a true story. Many women who worked closely with their owners were fed up with abuse and dehumanization by their adult years. Many took murder or suicide as their last resort to freedom. On the other hand, some women took adulthood as a stance to remain strong for their children. Many of these women either continued to work or try to save money, or escape with hopes to return and buy their children. Incidents in the life of a slave girl, Linda decided that running away or escaping was her only way of freedom. Unlike most women, she was successful in her