What Was The Purpose Of The Autobiography Of Harriet Jacobs

246 Words1 Pages
Natalie Sturza
English 8S

Purpose of the introduction:
In the introduction, Harriet Jacobs explains why she is writing an autobiography. She would rather have kept her painful story private but believes that if it is public, it may bring more abolitionists to the antislavery movement and free her brothers and sisters back South.
Tone:
What is her purpose?
What is she trying to make us feel?
Guilty vs. Sad.
Lecture us vs. Make us cry.
Corrupted masters:
No good masters.
Slavery destroys every bit of morality.
Eg. Dr. Flint becomes a monster.
Masters like him view slaves as inhuman, and treat them no better than animals.
Eg. Mr. Sawyer is a liar.
He intends to free his children (at least, Jacobs wanted him to), but doesn’t. He sends his daughter