Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs time period is set from 1813, when Harriet was born, to 1842, when Harriet (known as Linda in the book) finally becomes a free slave. For the most part, the actions that take place in the book occur in North Carolina, which at the time was a slave state. Harriet’s story accounts for the difficulties and struggles in the life of a female slave. During this time, no laws protected the rights of African Americans in the United States, and slaves were treated more as property than humans. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl depicts the cruelty and corruptness of slaveholders upon young African American women. When Harriet becomes a mother of two children, the narrative then reveals the
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After the birth of Harriet’s daughter, Ellen (pseudonym for Louisa), Harriet states: “Slavery is terrible for men; but it is far more terrible for women” (p.88). In addition,Harriet did not write the novel in order for the readers to pity upon her hardships, yet to encourage her readers to take part in fighting for inequalities that may still be prevalent. On page 36 Harriet writes: “Reader, it is not to awaken sympathy for myself that I am telling you truthfully what I suffered in slavery. I do it to kindle a flame of compassion in your hearts for my sisters who are still in bondage, suffering as I once …show more content…
It made me realize that the “struggles” that I encounter today, are nothing compared to what female slaves experienced. The brutal and unbelievable experiences that slaves had to endure truly broke my heart to know that America used to be that way. For example, “...he was terribly flogged… The back of his shirt was a clot of blood. By the means of lard, my friend loosened it from raw flesh..The master said he deserved a hundred more lashes” (pg. 56). To realize that used to inflict this punishment upon other humans is truly heart breaking. In addition, “...when I affirm that I lived in that dismal hole, almost deprived of light and air, and with no space to move my limbs, for nearly seven years” (pg. 163). To know that these are the conditions, and worse, that Americans had to go through in order to receive freedom sickens my
After the birth of Harriet’s daughter, Ellen (pseudonym for Louisa), Harriet states: “Slavery is terrible for men; but it is far more terrible for women” (p.88). In addition,Harriet did not write the novel in order for the readers to pity upon her hardships, yet to encourage her readers to take part in fighting for inequalities that may still be prevalent. On page 36 Harriet writes: “Reader, it is not to awaken sympathy for myself that I am telling you truthfully what I suffered in slavery. I do it to kindle a flame of compassion in your hearts for my sisters who are still in bondage, suffering as I once …show more content…
It made me realize that the “struggles” that I encounter today, are nothing compared to what female slaves experienced. The brutal and unbelievable experiences that slaves had to endure truly broke my heart to know that America used to be that way. For example, “...he was terribly flogged… The back of his shirt was a clot of blood. By the means of lard, my friend loosened it from raw flesh..The master said he deserved a hundred more lashes” (pg. 56). To realize that used to inflict this punishment upon other humans is truly heart breaking. In addition, “...when I affirm that I lived in that dismal hole, almost deprived of light and air, and with no space to move my limbs, for nearly seven years” (pg. 163). To know that these are the conditions, and worse, that Americans had to go through in order to receive freedom sickens my