Incidents In Life Of A Slave Girl

Freedom can be defined and interpreted in many different ways according to different people based on their gender, culture, class, and how some may believe to be the most important factor: race. Race played a strong and compelling force within determining one’s future during the times of slavery. For Harriet Jacobs, her situation was one that some would have absolutely no desire to experience, while some envied her due to Jacob’s master’s admiration of her. Within the slave narrative, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Harriet Jacob’s idea of freedom meant she had full and total authority within her own life, indicating she had the right to choose what was best for herself as well as her family, specifically her children. Incidents that …show more content…
However, similar to modern times, some individuals tend to either misinterpret their specified religion or create a contradictory vision of the subject. Within the narrative, Jacobs stated “my mistress had taught me the precepts of God's Word: ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’ ‘Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto them.’ But I was her slave, and I suppose she did not recognize me as her neighbor.” Through this declaration, Jacobs is expressing how the white people vehemently believed a Christian ought to treat their “neighbor” how they wish to be treated. However, this only confirmed Jacobs’ belief that the slave owners utilized the Bible in order to hold authority over the slaves. It is also revealed in Jacob’s narrative that the slaves ask and continuously beg for their own church so they can worship to their liking. The slave owners despise this idea and ultimately destroy the church in which the slaves were attending out in the woods. However, the slave owners informed their slaves that they had the opportunity to attend the white people churches. Harriet Jacobs was indeed a devout, religious woman and completely withdrawing her of her religious rights helped to further develop her idea of …show more content…
From the time that slavery began until the time it was abolished, slavery primarily revolved around race. The Europeans whom discovered and eventually settled within the Americas became aware of slavery. Once they were surrounded with this terrible practice, the Europeans believed it could be of good use for their households, land and economy. The whites sought after Africans and due to the color of their skin, the whites believed they were far more superior. Even though most whites generally did not believe in interracial relationships, the white men often would take part sexual harassment acts towards the female slaves. Some would even rape the women who would later bear the white man’s child or