Moya 1

Brenna Moya

Professor Mountz

History 110

7 December 2020

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl: A Worthy Read

During a time when race is at the center of today’s issues, it’s never been more important

to look at the origins of slavery that led to current intolerance. Harriet Jacobs, writer of Incidents

in the Life of a Slave Girl, bears witness to the truthful depiction of the experience of slavery.

This novel takes any reader on an emotional journey and leaves them in thought provoking

discussions regarding race, privilege, and the implications of slavery. Jacobs vividly illustrates

the unthinkable atrocities, disgusting violence, uncertainty of life, and the hard trials of slavery.

Harriet Jacobs, or better known as Linda Brent in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, gives an

account of one female’s experience of slavery, by highlighting the sexual exploitation that

women faced. Jacobs portrays the power of corruption slavery holds, that family life is both a

piece of heaven and a prison, and the psychological abuse slaves endure in a heartrending piece

of literature.

An overwhelming theme in this book, is the corrupting power of slavery. The grand

strides that Jacobs takes to prove that there cannot be a morally good slave master is shocking.

Slaveholders such as Dr. Flint, who owns Linda Brent the main protagonist, is a barbaric villain

that has no checks on his behavior, and whose cruelty has no bounds in terms of punishments

doled out to his slaves. Majority of the slaveholders view their slaves as nothing more than

property and objects, never seeing them as human beings. Even the slaveowners who are seen as

kind masters such as Mr. Sands, who is the father of Linda Brent’s children, show that even the
 Moya 2

apparent good ones are able to betray slaves when it is most convenient. Mr. Sands made a

promise to Linda that when their children were sold he would buy and free them; however,

instead of giving the children their freedom, he gives the daughter to his cousin that lives in New

York and keeps the son with him. The power of corruption that slavery holds does not just

pertain to the slaveholders, but also to the slaves themself. Jacobs points out that a slave’s moral

development is also hurt in the system of slavery. Linda never condemns slaves for their awful

actions of adultery and theft because they have no choice except to act that way. Slaves are given

no reason to develop good morals since they have no ownership of themselves or their actions.

The loss of a strong ethical sense is a shared issue of both slaveowners and slaves and is the

result of the monstrous system that is called slavery.

In the Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Linda’s only wish is for herself and her

children to be have their own home where they have true freedom. Having a family as a slave

can be both a piece of heaven and a prison. The desire for domesticity runs throughout this book.

During this time women were supposedly finding enjoyment in taking care of the home and the

children. Women were housewives, nothing more and nothing less. So, it is not a shock when

Linda expresses her desire to be part of this domestic sphere that white women have that she and

black women are excluded from. Aunt Martha ,according to Linda’s knowledge, is the only

black woman that has true home to call her own. Her home becomes a safe place for Linda when

both of her parents died, but turns into a place of confinement when Linda comes there for help

on her journey to freedom. Aunt Martha discourages Linda when she expresses the want for

independence and reminds her of the need to put her own family first. Linda pushes away her

desire for a free life and stays in slavery, or in other words prison, so she can remain with her
 Moya 3

grandmother, uncle, brother, and children. While the value of family is important, in a time of

slavery one must learn how to balance it and personal freedom.

When one thinks of slavery, they most often picture the physical brutality of whipping,

beating, and lynching; however, slaves also go through emotional abuse. Incidents in the Life of

a Slave Girl has a focal point highlighting the psychological trauma each character endures,

especially Linda. As a slave Linda’s life is a relatively easier experience than most slaves . She

came from a well-respected slave family that did not have to suffer through countless beatings or

endure extremely hard labor day in and day out. Linda did not even realize she was a slave for

the first seven years of her life. Though like all slaves, she and her family were constantly denied

basic human rights and freedoms. One denied right that runs throughout this book is that men

and women in slavery cannot choose who they want to marry and are sometimes denied the right

to marry anyone at all. Women are forced to sleep with their master and overseers whom they are

quite often find disgusting. Families are torn apart because children and parents are sold to

different owners in various states with no consideration to how this emotional trauma affects

them. On top of being beaten and whipped, slaves are stripped bare of their humanity. Linda is

continually, mentally tormented by Dr. Flint, even when she falsely fabricates her escape to New

York, he won’t let her be free but goes looking for her to bring her back. Even during this time of

limited freedom, Dr. Flint’s constant hunting kept Linda in a perpetual state of anxiety. Linda

talks about how she would rather be a poor English farmer than a pampered slave because she

feels the mental pains of slavery is equal to the physical abuses.

Harriet Jacobs beautifully writes her own awe-inspiring narrative. Jacob’s story is unlike

any book about slavery, it brilliantly portrays the issues of race, and has the ability to enhance

and expand the world’s view on slavery. She sheds light on the powerful corrupting influence
 Moya 4

slavery has on slaveowners and slaves alike. Jacobs’s shows that having a family as a slave can

feel like a small piece of heaven, but is also a burden when trying gain personal freedom that

would lead to the ability to free one’s children. Lastly, Jacobs takes great pains to not only show

the physical brutality of slavery, but also the psychological trauma suffered by those that are

enslaved. This novel is no fairytale and for most of the book it seems that all hope is lost.

Atrocity after atrocity occurs and when it seems things cannot get worse for Linda. it actually

does. With every new chapter, I hoped that Linda’s situation would improve and that her dream

to be free and safe with her children would come true. I cherished the smallest of victories that

Linda had over Dr. Flint because is made me feel some type of justice was served, though none

actually occurred. Harriet Jacob’s story is both revolutionary and courageous, cutting no corners

when describing the barbarity of the slave system. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is a candid

illustration of not just slavery as a whole, but more exclusively the horrors that women in slavery

faced. Jacobs’s autobiography was overall a very rewarding read and a high recommendation for

anyone wanting a true depiction of slavery.

Though this book was written years ago, its relevancy is current with the concerns of

today. During a time when much of the unrest of this country is due to the issues of race,

reflecting on past mistakes, especially slavery, is very important. This is a book I would not

typically choose for myself, but I am grateful that I had the opportunity to read it. While the

horrors of slavery are no secret, sometime I forget just how awful it truly was. Living a life with

little to no hope is appalling and dreadful, a life I would wish no one. Slaves were completely

and utterly under their master’s control and had no say in any part of their lives. I was captivated

by every page; with every chapter my eyes were opened wider on the struggle of slavery. I give

this book high praise and recommend that anyone and everyone read it. Harriet Jacobs’s master
 Moya 5

piece, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, is exquisitely written and one of the best books I have

ever read.
 Moya 6

Works Cited

Jacobs, H. A., Foster, F. S., & Yarborough, R. (2019). Incidents in the life of a slave girl:

authoritative text, contexts, criticism. W. W. Norton & Company.