Harriet Jacobs Research Paper

As a young girl, Harriet Jacobs was fortunate, or as fortunate as a child slave could be. Her first mistress was nicer than most common masters since she taught Harriet how to read and write until the age of 12, when her mistress died. She stated at one point that she was happy to work for her because, “No toilsome or disagreeable duties were imposed upon me. My mistress was so kind to me that I was always glad to do her bidding” (Jacobs 15). Literate slaves, though uncommon, did exist, however marginalized and suppressed their existence might have been. Harriet’s ability to articulate her experiences stemmed from her desire to have her story told. Harriet’s life was relatively easy-going compared to the lives of other slaves. She mentioned at the beginning of her autobiography how she didn’t know
Flint, her master, who persistently approached her with sexual advances. Harriet then made a decision to allow another man to approach her, Mr. Sands, she felt it was wrong but at least it was her choice. Dr. Flint initially wanted to rape Harriet but her sexual relationship with Mr. Sands angered Dr. Flint so much that he forced her to become a field hand. However, before she was sent to work in the field, she hid in a garret to convince Dr. Flint she ran away so that her children would not be sent to work in the fields either. Harriet hoped that her children would ultimately be sold instead of being sent to the fields to work. Harriet mentions she suffered for many years with a lack of both light and air, or any room to move at all. She preferred to live in that manner, then to live in the constant fear of working for Dr. Flint. (Jacobs 224) Harriet writes of her time in the garret, “[t]his continued darkness was oppressive. It seemed horrible to sit or lie in a cramped position day after day, without one gleam of light. Yet I would have chosen this, rather than my lot as a slave”