Harriet Jacobs was put into many difficult situations. In chapter X, she is only a fifteen-year-old girl who is put into a tight spot. In order to try and take some control of her own life she makes the decision to sleep with, and become pregnant, by a white man that was not her master. She gives many reasons for why she chooses to do this, and each of her reasons boil down to that of fear and hope.
In the start of chapter 10 has Jacobs writing about how Dr. Flint planned to “build a small house” (463) for her “in a secluded place, four miles from the town” (463). By isolating her, Flint was taking her away from the little bit of safety she had. Jacobs states that, “I had escaped my dreaded fate, by being in the midst of people” (463). Here …show more content…
While she has lived a difficult life, she does show signs of her age as well. Other than from her grandmother, she never sees kindness shown towards her so when she does get shown kindness she grasps onto it. Jacobs writes that she “felt grateful for his sympathy, and encouraged by his kind words” (464). This guy is showing her a kindness that she wasn’t use to receiving, which in a way warped into her thoughts that this was someone who could save her from the darkness that lurked ahead. She even says, “it seemed to me a great thing to have such a friend” (464). To add to her feelings of “flattered vanity and sincere gratitude for kindness” (465), Jacobs also thought that his would be a way to retaliate against her “tyrant” (465). While making her decision out of fear was reasonable, wanting to do it out of revenge gives off a sense of her being naïve to how things would actually play out. When Flint finally comes to tell her that her new home is ready, she takes a sense of joy in replying with “‘I will never go there. In a few months I shall be a mother’” (466). She “thought I would be happy in my triumph over him” (466), which shows her innocence at thinking she won. In this sense, Jacobs also held a sense of hope that by making this decision it would set her free. She saw this a way to escape her fate and to leave her master forever. Jacobs truly believed that Mr. Sands would buy her saying that
In the start of chapter 10 has Jacobs writing about how Dr. Flint planned to “build a small house” (463) for her “in a secluded place, four miles from the town” (463). By isolating her, Flint was taking her away from the little bit of safety she had. Jacobs states that, “I had escaped my dreaded fate, by being in the midst of people” (463). Here …show more content…
While she has lived a difficult life, she does show signs of her age as well. Other than from her grandmother, she never sees kindness shown towards her so when she does get shown kindness she grasps onto it. Jacobs writes that she “felt grateful for his sympathy, and encouraged by his kind words” (464). This guy is showing her a kindness that she wasn’t use to receiving, which in a way warped into her thoughts that this was someone who could save her from the darkness that lurked ahead. She even says, “it seemed to me a great thing to have such a friend” (464). To add to her feelings of “flattered vanity and sincere gratitude for kindness” (465), Jacobs also thought that his would be a way to retaliate against her “tyrant” (465). While making her decision out of fear was reasonable, wanting to do it out of revenge gives off a sense of her being naïve to how things would actually play out. When Flint finally comes to tell her that her new home is ready, she takes a sense of joy in replying with “‘I will never go there. In a few months I shall be a mother’” (466). She “thought I would be happy in my triumph over him” (466), which shows her innocence at thinking she won. In this sense, Jacobs also held a sense of hope that by making this decision it would set her free. She saw this a way to escape her fate and to leave her master forever. Jacobs truly believed that Mr. Sands would buy her saying that