Harriet Jacobs Incidents In The Life Of A Slave Girl

Harriet Jacobs’ book, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, was published anonymously in 1853. When she decided to publish her book, she used the pseudonym Linda Brent to tell everyone about her life while she was enslaved so that her and her children would not be harmed in any way. Jacobs’ story shows the pain and struggle that she went through for her entire life. For her whole life she is told by other people how she should live her life and when and what she should be doing at all times. Jacobs shows many strong personal characteristics in her book but some stand out more than others. Throughout her whole story she demonstrates her desire to control her own life with her perseverance to get her and her children out of slavery. Throughout Jacobs’ book she is determined to live her …show more content…
This hiding place ends up being the attic in her grandmother’s house. She had very little room to move around in. The highest part of the attic was only three feet high then it sloped down to the floor. There was no light or air that got let into the attic. She was able to get abed in the attic but the space was so small that when she rolled over she would hit the roof. There were mice and rats that ran across her bed and the floor. But that was made better because she got to hear the voices of her children under her and see them through a small hole in the wood. While she is in the attic, she suffers from different illnesses including fevers and frostbite. To keep herself sane she sews different things for her children and writes letters to Dr. Flint but postmarks them from New York so he cannot find her. Even though she was miserable living in the attic of her grandmother’s house she was comforted by the thought that her children were safe and that she could still hear their voices. She put herself in this position so that she could take control over her and her children’s’