Incident in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Harriet Jacobs
Name: Eugenie Joseph
Professor: Wesley Gilmer
Assignment: Essay on why Harriet did not complain about the cruelty of her master.
Date: 9/30/12
Although slavery is one of the very things that help build America, it is considered a very harsh punishment against human beings. Without a doubt, the conditions that the slaves lived under could be easily described as intolerable and inhumane. Even slaves have described slavery as cruel and horrible; instead of complaining and protesting against their masters some of them accepted the torture and wickedness from the white man. But the question is why despite all the cruelty inflicted toward the slaves they did not complain about the bad treatment received from their masters to people who could have helped them? The answer lies in the reading of Harriet Jacobs Incidents in the life of a slave girl, an interesting narrative which implies that fear and distrust caused them to hide behind their fear. To begin, the slaves in America or anywhere else were inferiors among equals, slaves were not allowed to be happy or live the life they wanted. Slaves were victimized and sexually abused, jealous and enraged mistresses were dismayed at the fact that their husbands were living a life of infidelity, and mistreated them. In some cases, they were deprived of their most prized possessions, their childrens, despite all that many of them were afraid to show their anti-slavery views in fear of what might happen to them or their family. To illustrate in the reading of Incident in the Life of a Slave Girl written by Harriet Jacobs page 31, 32; Harriet said:” I longed for someone to confide in, i would have given the world to have laid my head on my grandmother faithful bosom, and told her all my troubles. But Dr. Flint swore he would kill me, if I was not silent as the grave”. This passage shows that Harriet feared being hurt or killed by Dr. Flint therefore she did not try to
Professor: Wesley Gilmer
Assignment: Essay on why Harriet did not complain about the cruelty of her master.
Date: 9/30/12
Although slavery is one of the very things that help build America, it is considered a very harsh punishment against human beings. Without a doubt, the conditions that the slaves lived under could be easily described as intolerable and inhumane. Even slaves have described slavery as cruel and horrible; instead of complaining and protesting against their masters some of them accepted the torture and wickedness from the white man. But the question is why despite all the cruelty inflicted toward the slaves they did not complain about the bad treatment received from their masters to people who could have helped them? The answer lies in the reading of Harriet Jacobs Incidents in the life of a slave girl, an interesting narrative which implies that fear and distrust caused them to hide behind their fear. To begin, the slaves in America or anywhere else were inferiors among equals, slaves were not allowed to be happy or live the life they wanted. Slaves were victimized and sexually abused, jealous and enraged mistresses were dismayed at the fact that their husbands were living a life of infidelity, and mistreated them. In some cases, they were deprived of their most prized possessions, their childrens, despite all that many of them were afraid to show their anti-slavery views in fear of what might happen to them or their family. To illustrate in the reading of Incident in the Life of a Slave Girl written by Harriet Jacobs page 31, 32; Harriet said:” I longed for someone to confide in, i would have given the world to have laid my head on my grandmother faithful bosom, and told her all my troubles. But Dr. Flint swore he would kill me, if I was not silent as the grave”. This passage shows that Harriet feared being hurt or killed by Dr. Flint therefore she did not try to