Analysis Of The Book 'Incidents In The Life Of A Slave Girl'
Alan Flynn
Reading Response 1
1/28/10
“Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” is an autobiography written by Harriet Jacobs and narrated through her alter ego Linda Brent. Brent was a female born into slavery in a small southern town during the 1820’s. This was a time in the United States in which many white southerners bought into and exploited the lucrative business of slave trading and slave labor. Throughout her text Brent explains not only the hardships of growing up as a slave but specifically the awfulness of living as a female slave in America during the mid 1800’s. She wrote this story to inform female white northerners of the terrible situations female slaves were forced to endure in hopes to gain their support in the abolishment …show more content…
Her plan of getting impregnated by Mr. Sands is somewhat successful in the since that she has avoided carrying Dr. Flint’s children, however Dr. Flint is infuriated by the situation and refuses to sell the children. By becoming pregnant without the sanctity of marriage Brent has disgraced her grandmother whom was very close to her and is now forced to watch her daughter Ellen grow up as a slave. These are two emotionally devastating events for the young slave mother. Brent expresses the horrible emotional distress caused by raising a slave daughter by contemplating whether it is better for Ellen to live or die. “The great house was raised two feet above the ground. I looked under it, and saw her [Ellen] about midway, fast asleep. I crept under and drew her out. As I held her in my arms, I thought how well it would be for her if she never waked up” I believe that Brent uses her thoughts about her child’s death to speak to white northern mothers on a deep emotional level. The northern mothers can directly relate to Brent when it comes to the unconditional love a mother feels for her young daughter, and for Brent to wish death upon Ellen strongly illustrates the hardship of female
Reading Response 1
1/28/10
“Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” is an autobiography written by Harriet Jacobs and narrated through her alter ego Linda Brent. Brent was a female born into slavery in a small southern town during the 1820’s. This was a time in the United States in which many white southerners bought into and exploited the lucrative business of slave trading and slave labor. Throughout her text Brent explains not only the hardships of growing up as a slave but specifically the awfulness of living as a female slave in America during the mid 1800’s. She wrote this story to inform female white northerners of the terrible situations female slaves were forced to endure in hopes to gain their support in the abolishment …show more content…
Her plan of getting impregnated by Mr. Sands is somewhat successful in the since that she has avoided carrying Dr. Flint’s children, however Dr. Flint is infuriated by the situation and refuses to sell the children. By becoming pregnant without the sanctity of marriage Brent has disgraced her grandmother whom was very close to her and is now forced to watch her daughter Ellen grow up as a slave. These are two emotionally devastating events for the young slave mother. Brent expresses the horrible emotional distress caused by raising a slave daughter by contemplating whether it is better for Ellen to live or die. “The great house was raised two feet above the ground. I looked under it, and saw her [Ellen] about midway, fast asleep. I crept under and drew her out. As I held her in my arms, I thought how well it would be for her if she never waked up” I believe that Brent uses her thoughts about her child’s death to speak to white northern mothers on a deep emotional level. The northern mothers can directly relate to Brent when it comes to the unconditional love a mother feels for her young daughter, and for Brent to wish death upon Ellen strongly illustrates the hardship of female