Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.
Although there are many books written on the subject of slavery, few have authors who experienced the brutality of slavery first-hand. This is attributed to the fact that slaves, in most instances, were not permitted to read or write. Luckily this was not the case of Harriet Jacobs who took her ability of writing and recorded the hardships that she endured having been born into slavery. Jacob's changes the names of both people and locations, even opting to refer to herself as Linda Brent. I had thought that this was done out of fear of retaliation by the people involved, particularly the whites. However, it was done out of courtesy, showing Jacob's good character in giving respect to those that had shown her none. The main purpose of this book is to give people an inside look at some of the atrocities that took place during slavery. Jacob's hope was to give thousands of White Northern women "a realizing sense of the condition of two millions of women at the South, still in bondage, suffering what I have suffered, and most of them far worse." This book does just that and much more. It will reach the heart of any person that reads it and will instill in them the idea that slavery is morally unjust. .
Jacobs began her slave life as a childhood companion to her mistress's daughter of the same age. She didn't even know that she was a slave because she was treated so well and was also taught to read and write. "I was born a slave, but I had never knew it till six years of happy childhood had passed away.(pg.1)" Her freedom was promised upon her mistress's death. However, that day came sooner then expected and, although it was stated in her mistresses will, Jacob's freedom was not granted. According to Southern laws, no promise or writing to a slave is legally binding. Now she would be under a new master, Dr. Flint, that would not show her the kindness she was given before.
