Something short and sweet to think about...
Jacobs reminds her readers numerous times that slaves were the property of slaveholders. Slaves were seen as any other piece of property that a master or mistress could do whatever they wanted with because they owned that slave. However, Jacobs provides several examples of how slaveholders mistreated and abused their slaves, flogging them relentlessly if they tried to steal food or even putting a gun to their head if they tried to run away from the plantation. But if slaves were regarded as property, like any other cow or pig that the slaveholder owned, why then would they treat them in such a way? Would a master whip or beat a cow for wandering too far into the fields? Would they put a gun to the pig's head if they started nibbling on something they weren't supposed to? This just makes no sense to me. These slaveholders treated their "property" in such a desctructive way, without a care about whether the slave died or not. Even the most valuable slaves received the death penalty for behaving unaccordingly, no matter how good of a worker they were. It makes no sense that slaveholders wouldn't take care of something they "owned."
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Overall Thoughts on Book
Overall, this book had a great impact on me. I felt as though it opened up my eyes to see the horrors of slavery for what they really were: horrors. Linda’s plight is not unlike many of theirs, and I feel it is extremely important to remember this time and remember these people. Linda’s story was not over with the end of this book; however her story was just beginning. She was still “owned,” but she could now work towards her dream. I feel as though this was a huge step for her. The reader leaves praying that Linda will someday realize her dream but knowing that part of her ordeal is over. She spent a lifetime running from men, but she also spent a lifetime trusting in God. I think that is what counts the most. Through it all, she never cursed God. I liken Linda to Job; she had every reason to be angry and bitter at the hands of her captors, but she remained consistently trusting in God. She comments on how she had “hard feelings” towards Dr. Flint, but she still puts God above it all. I think what struck me the most about this book was her unwavering faith and the faith of her grandmother. This book made me reconsider the plight of slaves; but more importantly, it reaffirmed my faith and compelled me to keep pushing forward even if all seems lost.
God's Faithfulness.
The joy that I felt soon diminished as I read the following chapter on the Fugitive Slave Law. As I read, I felt all of Linda’s hard work going down the drain, and I was scared for her. Then, while I was reading her escape letter, I felt that same feeling of hope that I had before. Linda was still optimistic even though she was not sure if she would see her children again. This was awesome to me, but I felt like I would feel so let down and scared. I would feel like the world had given up on me. Linda still faced this situation with the thought that “God will work all things out because we have been faithful.” What a statement to me. I feel as though she should have been angry and bitter, but she was not. I want to strive to have faith like Linda’s. I want to strive to have faith that, no matter what the circumstances, God will be faithful if I am faithful. And God was truly faithful to Linda, for in the end, her freedom was bought, and she was finally able to rest her head and know that she would never have to run again.
Linda's Daughter
I think that Linda’s whole life was about sacrifice. She sacrificed her freedom in order to escape safely; she sacrificed her innocence to become pregnant and regain her identity; and she sacrificed time with her child in order that her daughter have a better life in a better school. I believe that it all culminated to this point. She was free now, and her daughter had the options that she did not. This is so beautiful to me. When her daughter went to boarding school, I was excited and sad at the same time. I was sad because her daughter was not with her and she was alone, but I was excited because her daughter would be given a better life with a better future. And when her expenses were lessened because of her mother’s status, I felt like everything had come full circle. Instead of running because of her status, Linda was able to be proud that her daughter was going to have a great education, and she was going to pay less because Linda was brave and would not stand to just be a slave. This was one of the most beautiful parts of the book to me because I felt that, finally, Linda could be proud of herself and her family, and she could use her past to create a better future for those just like her.
Cruelty
I was going over the book in my mind, and I remembered something extremely important: the cruelty of some of the masters. We hear stories of kind slave owners, and we are surprised, but no one is surprised at cruel ones. However, Jacobs takes special pains to describe the cruelty of some of these men and women. She says "Cruelty is contagious in uncivilized societies."
Uncivilized? I thought this was America. We are civilized, we were civilized, but maybe we were not. This was a shocking statement for me to read, but I never thought about that era as uncivilized. That was the era of "Southern Gentlemen" and "Southern Bells." Society was all about impressions, but to the slaves, these men and women were brutish and mean. They would push the slaves until the point of death and then let them crawl back to their huts to regain enough life to be pushed again. What kind of society was this? We comment on the cruelty of the Nazis in WWII or the abominations in the Sudan, but have we ever stopped to think about what we have done? I haven't. Honestly, I really just ignored the cruelty and just accepted that slavery was wrong. Humanity was never meant to be this way, and it makes me wonder what drove these men and women to do these things. What do you guys think? What drives someone to be so cruel to other humans? Is it the sport of it? Is it the brute's own shortcomings or insecurities?
What makes a society uncivilized? Is it their economy or their governmental system? I believe that Jacobs is saying it is the way that humans treat each other. If humans are kind to their own--no matter the race--then that is "civilized." And, if that is the case, is America even civilized now? Are we even close?
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Perseverance
I'm certain that I could not do what Linda did. Hiding in a hole for years and years, imagining escape, thirsting for it and yearning for more. I'm not entirely sure what drove her there--I mean, we obviously say that it was the slavery and the harsh treatment--but could you do it? Could you survive such conditions on a glimmer of hope? I like to think that I could have the perseverance to do it. However, I think it was more than perseverance that drove Linda to do this. I think it was massive amounts of hope. I firmly believe that hope drove her. This seems like an elementary thought, but as I was reading a few of the parts about how she was in the hole, I thought about putting myself in that situation. This elementary revelation that I had was quite profound. This is less of a literary critique and more of a literal spiritual thought that I had while reading.
I believe that, sometimes, we are in situations that test all that we have. I believe that--figuratively--we are stuck for days and days and months and months and years and years in the same hole--waiting for the chance to escape, the glimmer hope, a breeze of change. Something inside of us drives us to persevere. The prospect of a better life away from the pain and inhumanity drove Linda to keep reaching and praying for hope, and sometimes that is all that we have. Sometimes, the only glimmer of hope that we have is a little hole in our situations that we can barely see through; however, we can see something. Light will pour through the hole, and we will remember that there is still light. I believe that Linda had a little tiny place that she could look and see the light and feel the breeze. Light will always pour into our dark places. Even if we can't see anything in the darkness and despair of a hole in the ground, we will be able to see enough to remember that Jesus doesn't forget that we are buried. We may not be able to see everything, but we can see him. Just as Linda could still hear her Grandmother's voice in that pit, we can still hear the voice of God and see His light.
God does interesting things through literature. I'm not a slave, and I've never face what Linda faced, but I understand the idea of being constricted by circumstances and waiting to be let out of them and being able to finally breathe.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
The Crux of the message of Harriet Jacobs "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl"
In her narrative, Jacobs recounts many "incidents" in her life before she finally obtains freedom. Although she may have left out some of the story, her mistreatment and the mistreatment of others of her race and gender is clear. In Chapter 14, she sums up the crux of her messages when she writes:
"Slavery is terrible for men; but it is far more terrible for women. Super added to the burden common to all, they have wrongs and sufferings and mortification's peculiarly their own."
The biggest obstacle that Jacobs had to triumph over in her life involved Dr. Flint and his merciless, undesirable sexual molestation of her. Jacobs' narrative centers on the sexual debasement that she as well as many other women slaves had to bear.
She is saying that whether of not they are whipped, starved or worked to death, all female slaves suffer the horrible mental anguish of rape and sexual harassment, as well as the loss of their children. The shame for young girls and women who have been sexually victimized by white men were as difficult to bear as any kind of physical torment and torture, and perhaps even more so. Her message is that the slavery of the American South was a true abomination....to God and to the human beings that He made....All of them.
"Slavery is terrible for men; but it is far more terrible for women. Super added to the burden common to all, they have wrongs and sufferings and mortification's peculiarly their own."
The biggest obstacle that Jacobs had to triumph over in her life involved Dr. Flint and his merciless, undesirable sexual molestation of her. Jacobs' narrative centers on the sexual debasement that she as well as many other women slaves had to bear.
She is saying that whether of not they are whipped, starved or worked to death, all female slaves suffer the horrible mental anguish of rape and sexual harassment, as well as the loss of their children. The shame for young girls and women who have been sexually victimized by white men were as difficult to bear as any kind of physical torment and torture, and perhaps even more so. Her message is that the slavery of the American South was a true abomination....to God and to the human beings that He made....All of them.
Motifs and Symbolism in "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl"
A motif is a recurrent thematic element in a literary work. Jacobs "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" is full of them.
In the slave narrative, there is an element included that is there to add excitement to the story. To drive home the plight of the slave, the story of the escape to the North is an important element. The trek to the North is fraught with hardships and narrow escapes. Clearly, Jacobs crosses mental and physical boundaries as she makes her escape from the plantation belonging to Nicholas Flint, the son of Dr. Flint. As Jacobs makes her escape to the North, she crosses many emotional and literal boundaries before her narrative ends.
Another recurring motif closely associated with the tale of escape is one of deception and disguise. When Jacobs pretends that she cannot read and does not understand Dr. Flint's notes, her pretended ignorance in its own way is an attempt to deceive. Later, Jacobs disguises herself as a sailor and then slips into the attic of her grandmother's shed. Eventually she makes her escape to the North. To do this, she once again uses a disguise and subterfuge to get away. Later, a white friend of Jacobs endangers her own child so that Jacobs can have the guise of being a slave caretaker of the child and is thus able to escape.
One of the most common motif's of a slave narrative is violence. Jacobs uses it when she recounts one of her earliest memories of Dr. Flint as he savagely beat one of his plantation slaves. She tells of seeing the blood and gore on the walls the next morning. She tells stories of slaves who were washed with brine after being beaten to torture them, and of slaves frozen, burned or whipped to death. These are just a few of the accounts of violence that Jacobs intersperses throughout her book.
Another recurring motif of the slave narrative is seen in "the exchange of money" that is threaded throughout the story. We can see it in the tale of Jacobs' grandmother as she loans her mistress $300 that she was saving to buy the freedom of her children. The money was never repaid. Jacobs' own freedom was bought by her close abolitionist friend. This was possible because of the greediness of Emily Flint's husband. The bottom line is this: Money was the big motivation for slavery. Large scale farming was the backbone of the economy of the South. A large, cheap work force was needed to produce this product. The Southern solution for years had been slavery. Without it there was a real fear of economic devastation.
Using that for comparison, how does the justification for the growing of coca and marijuana for the manufacture of Cocaine and other drugs in Columbia compare with the justification of southern plantation owners for the ownership of slaves? What is the bottom line? Is the motivation for both the same...money?
Symbolism is prolific throughout the slave narrative. Bloodhounds symbolize The Fugitive Slave Act and the hunters who carry it out. They are like bloodhounds, sniffing out the trails of the runaway slaves. Another strong symbol common in the slave narrative is the symbol of snakes. Snakes can stand for either life or death in the slave narrative. In Jacobs' "Incidents" snakes markedly appear on her escape to the North. As she sheds her old slave self, she is reborn....just like a snake sheds its skin. Still, the escape to freedom is fraught with danger and snakes are a reminder that death is never very far away.
In the slave narrative, there is an element included that is there to add excitement to the story. To drive home the plight of the slave, the story of the escape to the North is an important element. The trek to the North is fraught with hardships and narrow escapes. Clearly, Jacobs crosses mental and physical boundaries as she makes her escape from the plantation belonging to Nicholas Flint, the son of Dr. Flint. As Jacobs makes her escape to the North, she crosses many emotional and literal boundaries before her narrative ends.
Another recurring motif closely associated with the tale of escape is one of deception and disguise. When Jacobs pretends that she cannot read and does not understand Dr. Flint's notes, her pretended ignorance in its own way is an attempt to deceive. Later, Jacobs disguises herself as a sailor and then slips into the attic of her grandmother's shed. Eventually she makes her escape to the North. To do this, she once again uses a disguise and subterfuge to get away. Later, a white friend of Jacobs endangers her own child so that Jacobs can have the guise of being a slave caretaker of the child and is thus able to escape.
One of the most common motif's of a slave narrative is violence. Jacobs uses it when she recounts one of her earliest memories of Dr. Flint as he savagely beat one of his plantation slaves. She tells of seeing the blood and gore on the walls the next morning. She tells stories of slaves who were washed with brine after being beaten to torture them, and of slaves frozen, burned or whipped to death. These are just a few of the accounts of violence that Jacobs intersperses throughout her book.
Another recurring motif of the slave narrative is seen in "the exchange of money" that is threaded throughout the story. We can see it in the tale of Jacobs' grandmother as she loans her mistress $300 that she was saving to buy the freedom of her children. The money was never repaid. Jacobs' own freedom was bought by her close abolitionist friend. This was possible because of the greediness of Emily Flint's husband. The bottom line is this: Money was the big motivation for slavery. Large scale farming was the backbone of the economy of the South. A large, cheap work force was needed to produce this product. The Southern solution for years had been slavery. Without it there was a real fear of economic devastation.
Using that for comparison, how does the justification for the growing of coca and marijuana for the manufacture of Cocaine and other drugs in Columbia compare with the justification of southern plantation owners for the ownership of slaves? What is the bottom line? Is the motivation for both the same...money?
Symbolism is prolific throughout the slave narrative. Bloodhounds symbolize The Fugitive Slave Act and the hunters who carry it out. They are like bloodhounds, sniffing out the trails of the runaway slaves. Another strong symbol common in the slave narrative is the symbol of snakes. Snakes can stand for either life or death in the slave narrative. In Jacobs' "Incidents" snakes markedly appear on her escape to the North. As she sheds her old slave self, she is reborn....just like a snake sheds its skin. Still, the escape to freedom is fraught with danger and snakes are a reminder that death is never very far away.
Other Prevailing Themes in the Slave Narrative Seen in "Incidents"
In a previous post, I discussed the themes of family loyalty, a sense of community, and the strong instinct of motherhood. There are many themes in "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl." Another important one is the theme "Slavery is harmful to both slaves and slave owners." In her narrative, Jacobs relates the emotional pain that slavery causes both white and black women alike.
The infidelity and rapes that the institution of slavery encourages is painful to both. For the slave woman, it is an unwanted assault to her body. The mental anguish of rape and the unwarranted guilt that accompanies it is sometimes never overcome. For the white woman, it is the shame and sorrow that her husband would turn to another. No matter how wrong the assumption, it makes a woman feel as if she isn't enough. Somehow she feels as though she has failed her husband and herself. She is bound to her husband as surely as the female slave is bound to him. To deal with this, most turn their anger and low self-worth towards the slave woman. She takes out her angst and feelings of being powerless against the poor slave.
Jacobs also speaks of the detrimental affects of slavery for the men, white and black. She tells of instances where the white slave owner would have been a better man, if not for slavery. The pain of his wife would also have been nonexistent. The black man, also is emasculated by having to sneak out of his cabin so that the master can come in and have sex with the slave's own wife. There is nothing he can say or do without fear of brutal reprisal...not only to himself, but also to his wife and possibly other members of his family.
Another theme found in "Incidents" is the theme that "People often fail to recognize it when their moral choices are in conflict with the religion or philosophy they propose to uphold." Examples of this run throughout the book. Jacobs recalls how the pious Mrs. Flint was too delicate to do any work, but was fully capable of seeing someone beat until they bled, without a flinch. She also recounts seeing Mrs. Flint spit into each container of food if Sunday dinner was late. This was to keep the slaves from having anything to eat that night.
One of the most important elements in the slave narrative is a repeated theme in "Incidents." It is the theme that "A Focus on Education is an Important Key to Freedom." Even when Jacobs was hurt and angry at her mistress for not freeing Jacobs upon her death, she still spoke of being "thankful" to her mistress for teaching her to read and write. Jacobs also tells of trying to hide her ability to read and write from the vile Dr. Flint, as he is trying to use her 'gift' to demoralize and corrupt her. Still, she is ever thankful for the ability. It allows her to write to Dr. Flint and mislead him into thinking that she is in the North, when she actually is right down the street from him. Jacobs credits this ability as a real gift and thinks of it that way throughout her narrative.
What other themes can be seen in "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl?" Can you see other themes that are known to be a part of the slave narrative in her story?
The infidelity and rapes that the institution of slavery encourages is painful to both. For the slave woman, it is an unwanted assault to her body. The mental anguish of rape and the unwarranted guilt that accompanies it is sometimes never overcome. For the white woman, it is the shame and sorrow that her husband would turn to another. No matter how wrong the assumption, it makes a woman feel as if she isn't enough. Somehow she feels as though she has failed her husband and herself. She is bound to her husband as surely as the female slave is bound to him. To deal with this, most turn their anger and low self-worth towards the slave woman. She takes out her angst and feelings of being powerless against the poor slave.
Jacobs also speaks of the detrimental affects of slavery for the men, white and black. She tells of instances where the white slave owner would have been a better man, if not for slavery. The pain of his wife would also have been nonexistent. The black man, also is emasculated by having to sneak out of his cabin so that the master can come in and have sex with the slave's own wife. There is nothing he can say or do without fear of brutal reprisal...not only to himself, but also to his wife and possibly other members of his family.
Another theme found in "Incidents" is the theme that "People often fail to recognize it when their moral choices are in conflict with the religion or philosophy they propose to uphold." Examples of this run throughout the book. Jacobs recalls how the pious Mrs. Flint was too delicate to do any work, but was fully capable of seeing someone beat until they bled, without a flinch. She also recounts seeing Mrs. Flint spit into each container of food if Sunday dinner was late. This was to keep the slaves from having anything to eat that night.
One of the most important elements in the slave narrative is a repeated theme in "Incidents." It is the theme that "A Focus on Education is an Important Key to Freedom." Even when Jacobs was hurt and angry at her mistress for not freeing Jacobs upon her death, she still spoke of being "thankful" to her mistress for teaching her to read and write. Jacobs also tells of trying to hide her ability to read and write from the vile Dr. Flint, as he is trying to use her 'gift' to demoralize and corrupt her. Still, she is ever thankful for the ability. It allows her to write to Dr. Flint and mislead him into thinking that she is in the North, when she actually is right down the street from him. Jacobs credits this ability as a real gift and thinks of it that way throughout her narrative.
What other themes can be seen in "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl?" Can you see other themes that are known to be a part of the slave narrative in her story?
"Incidents": Written in the Style of the 'Domestic Novel'
Popular in the mid 1800s was a style known simply as the Domestic Novel. It was written by women for women and emphasized the home, family, female chastity and marriage. Although influenced by contemporary writers and friends Lydia Maria Child and Fanny Fern, her greatest influence was Harriet Beecher Stowe and her famous book "Uncle Tom's Cabin(1851)."
In an attempt to jump on the bandwagon of interest created by Beecher's novel, Jacobs used many of the literary contrivances of domestic fiction to draw the same audiences who were so taken with "Uncle Tom's Cabin": white female Northerners. Jacobs refuses, however to adopt the promotion of "true womanhood" that required that women be pure, submissive, modest and humble. She explains this by reiterating many times that "it is not possible for a black slave woman to maintain her chastity and virtue."
Something that Jacobs does take from the Domestic Novel genre and is prolific throughout "Incidents" are the themes of family loyalty, a sense of community and the strong instinct of motherhood. You see it potently portrayed, especially during times of extreme hardship. Jacob's relays the dread of New Year's Day (also known as hiring day to the slaves)for the slave mothers on page 16 of the book.
She says, "One of these sale days, I saw a mother lead seven children to the auction-block. She knew that some of them would be taken from her; but they took all. The children were sold to a slave-trader, and their mother was owned by a man in her own town. Before night her children were all far away. She begged the trader to tell her where he intended to take them; this he refused to do. How could he, when he knew he would sell them, one by one, wherever he could command the highest price? I met the mother in the street, and her wild, haggard face lives to-day in my mind. She wrong her hands in anguish,and exclaimed, 'Gone! All gone! Why don't God kill me?' I had no words wherewith to comfort her. Instances of this kind are of daily, yea, hourly occurrence."
She goes on to tell of her youngest brother being sold, and her fear that her own children would suffer the same consequences. This same fear prompted her to pretend to run away and instead hide in the attic of her mother's shed for seven years. She was permanently injured because of her incarceration. Do you think she really thought it through having children, with the knowledge that the vile Dr.Flint could use them against her? She was young and convinced herself that he would let her go, but in her heart, do you think this rung true for her?
In an attempt to jump on the bandwagon of interest created by Beecher's novel, Jacobs used many of the literary contrivances of domestic fiction to draw the same audiences who were so taken with "Uncle Tom's Cabin": white female Northerners. Jacobs refuses, however to adopt the promotion of "true womanhood" that required that women be pure, submissive, modest and humble. She explains this by reiterating many times that "it is not possible for a black slave woman to maintain her chastity and virtue."
Something that Jacobs does take from the Domestic Novel genre and is prolific throughout "Incidents" are the themes of family loyalty, a sense of community and the strong instinct of motherhood. You see it potently portrayed, especially during times of extreme hardship. Jacob's relays the dread of New Year's Day (also known as hiring day to the slaves)for the slave mothers on page 16 of the book.
She says, "One of these sale days, I saw a mother lead seven children to the auction-block. She knew that some of them would be taken from her; but they took all. The children were sold to a slave-trader, and their mother was owned by a man in her own town. Before night her children were all far away. She begged the trader to tell her where he intended to take them; this he refused to do. How could he, when he knew he would sell them, one by one, wherever he could command the highest price? I met the mother in the street, and her wild, haggard face lives to-day in my mind. She wrong her hands in anguish,and exclaimed, 'Gone! All gone! Why don't God kill me?' I had no words wherewith to comfort her. Instances of this kind are of daily, yea, hourly occurrence."
She goes on to tell of her youngest brother being sold, and her fear that her own children would suffer the same consequences. This same fear prompted her to pretend to run away and instead hide in the attic of her mother's shed for seven years. She was permanently injured because of her incarceration. Do you think she really thought it through having children, with the knowledge that the vile Dr.Flint could use them against her? She was young and convinced herself that he would let her go, but in her heart, do you think this rung true for her?
Other Aspects of a Slave Narrative found in "Incidents"
All slave narratives had the same basic motivation: an end to slavery. Slave writers were urged by white abolitionists to follow distinct guidelines so that they could produce what they considered to be their most powerful weapon against slavery. They were encouraged to give accurate and explicit details of their personal experiences as a slave, stressing the cruelty and suffering inflicted upon them by their brutal masters. In "Incidents" Jacobs does this and more. Not only did she accurately portray the physical and mental anguish of her own experience, she also shares many "incidents" that she witnessed of other slaves, male and female.
Pro-slave writers tried to discredit these autobiographical slave narratives by saying that it was impossible for the stories to be written by slaves because a slave could neither read nor write. This led to the need for another element to be included in the slave narrative; that of a sort of justification. An explanation of how/why the slave had become educated enough to relay their own experiences themselves in print. Jacobs does this in the Preface and in chapter one of "Incidents" when she explains that after her mother died, her mistress took her in and treated her with kindness. She taught her to read, write and sew. Jacobs also explained that she never really knew that she was a slave until her mother died when she was six, and was not really treated as a slave until her mistress died when Jacobs was 12.
Not only did the write of the slave narrative have to "explain" how it was that he/she could read and write; they also had to have a "white" benefactor to attest to the truth of the claim. The "editor" did this in the Introduction of the book.
Do you think that this was really necessary for anyone to believe the stories? Were the majority of the people in the North so gullible as to believe that the stories were made up by the abolitionists? Of course, the Southern slave owners try to pooh pooh the mistreatment of slaves away, but surely the people of the North knew better than that. It is the same question we ask of the German people during the Holocaust. "Were you really so blind?"
Perhaps they were. Maybe they are just like we humans tend to be today. If something doesn't touch us personally, we tend to ignore it until it is put in our face. Do you think that is what was going on then?
Pro-slave writers tried to discredit these autobiographical slave narratives by saying that it was impossible for the stories to be written by slaves because a slave could neither read nor write. This led to the need for another element to be included in the slave narrative; that of a sort of justification. An explanation of how/why the slave had become educated enough to relay their own experiences themselves in print. Jacobs does this in the Preface and in chapter one of "Incidents" when she explains that after her mother died, her mistress took her in and treated her with kindness. She taught her to read, write and sew. Jacobs also explained that she never really knew that she was a slave until her mother died when she was six, and was not really treated as a slave until her mistress died when Jacobs was 12.
Not only did the write of the slave narrative have to "explain" how it was that he/she could read and write; they also had to have a "white" benefactor to attest to the truth of the claim. The "editor" did this in the Introduction of the book.
Do you think that this was really necessary for anyone to believe the stories? Were the majority of the people in the North so gullible as to believe that the stories were made up by the abolitionists? Of course, the Southern slave owners try to pooh pooh the mistreatment of slaves away, but surely the people of the North knew better than that. It is the same question we ask of the German people during the Holocaust. "Were you really so blind?"
Perhaps they were. Maybe they are just like we humans tend to be today. If something doesn't touch us personally, we tend to ignore it until it is put in our face. Do you think that is what was going on then?
Thursday, April 7, 2011
What makes "Incidents" a slave narrative?
There seems to be a never ending need of the black writer to ingrave the existence of "self" on the world. This is probably due to the fact that the world has denied it historically. This seems to give the writing "intensity and focus." The commonality of American slavery is an experience that can teach us much when "treated narratively." "The Cambridge Companion to the African American Novel" says it is the only original form of American writing, and the slave narrative 'belongs' to African American novelists as no other literary form does. Jacobs' "Incidents" has the distinction of being the first slave narrative written/published by an African American woman. Up until her narrative, most of them were written by men. Men narratives basically stressed the bodily pain and physical fortitude of the slave. Vivdly described details of whippings and other tortures that destroyed an individual's manhood was its focus. To regain his masucalinity, the slave had to take back control of the master physically. This meant the slave had to physically fight the master. Consequently, he then had to flee to the North. The journey was filled with more injustices as well as narrow escapes before he victoriously made it to freedom. Jacobs' story is a new type of slave narrative given from the female slave's perspective. It begins with the autobiographical account of her life. It also includeds the endorsement by a white friend saying the work was authentic. She informs us in the Preface that she has changed the names to protect those innocent, and not so innocent.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
The Role of Linda's G-ma
Going through the first parts of the book, I am able to see something stable and constant: Linda's grandmother. I mean, I know later she tries to disown Linda when she becomes pregnant, but for the first portion of the book, she is so stable and consistent. She always reminds the children that God is in control, and she does not seem to hold bitterness or resentment.
She is also a source of stability because she brings humanity to Linda and her brother when they are in an inhuman situation. For me, this shows stability; the ability to remain consistent and maintain some sort of harmony in a dire situation. And, even though her grandmother is angry with Linda for getting pregnant later on, she still accepts her and loves her in the end. I think this shows remarkable courage. I'm certain that watching her grandchildren and children be dehumanized and demoralized in this way was almost impossible; however, from what the reader sees, Linda's grandmother takes every situation that comes their way with patience and faith. I think this is remarkable considering the circumstances.
For me, having this stability for Linda in the earlier parts of the book is good for her. It keeps her human and reminds her that family is the most important part of all of this. Do you think Linda's grandmother lessened the blows of the things that were occurring (as much as they could be)?
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Identity in the first portion of Ch. 1
Very early on the book, I noticed something interesting. The first chapter is entitled, “Childhood,” and when someone asks me about my childhood, my first and natural response is, “Well, I grew up in Pittsburgh . . .” This was not the case for Linda. The first thing that we learn about Linda is about her father. He was a skilled carpenter; she takes pride in this. I feel that she says this right from the start to show the readers that her father, grandmother, and family were not “just normal slaves.” I think she takes some type of identity in this; she finds her identity in her father’s skill. He was not just a slave; he had useful skills, and many slaves were not educated in this way. Linda has so much pride in the fact that her father did know a trade. It is interesting to me that she did not start out with “My name is Linda, and I was a slave growing up.” She does not primarily see herself as a slave but as a daughter, a granddaughter, and a member of her family. Because of this, there is so much love and protection between the members of her family, and I believe that this will bind her to something greater and something beyond herself. I found it incredible that she took to much pride and found her identity in her family and their skills because many slaves did not have this outlet. They did not have the chance to grow up with their families, but Linda’s grandmother tried as hard as she could to keep them all together.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Blog post #4 for Emily
I noticed in the chapter 'Trials of Girlhood', that Linda says that she treated Dr. Flint's filthy, degrading comments in her ear with contempt and indifference, and that he put up with her reactions toward them out of fear that Linda's grandmother would receive word of what was going on. Is Dr. Flint afraid of her grandmother? Is her grandmother's power as a free black woman, however uninfluencial it is, any reason for him to be careful with his conduct toward Linda? I guess, I'll attempt to answer my own questions. I think Dr. Flint could have been afraid that his reputation for corrupting young slave girls' minds would be revealed if Lindas grandmother found out. She was well-known in town for her freedom and good living as a black woman. She may have been able to turn people against him if she found out that Linda was being sexually abused. But then again, wasn't she Dr. Flint's property? What good would that do?
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Woman's Plight
Something I've noticed in my reading as well as in the notes that Cindy sent all of us is that this novel is very feminist in nature...Duh!! But I guess I want to point out what I see in the readings that support this idea.
First of all, Linda's grandmother always had something for her to eat while she was running errands for her master and mistress. Even when she couldn't stop for the sake of time, Linda got a morsel of food on her way back because her grandmother didn't know when her baby would eat again. This is not only supporting the theme of family unity, but also the idea of a woman's plight. We never see any male figure caring for Linda. It is always either her grandmother or a female friend that helps her.
I think this is significant to the plight of woman because women are always expected to be the caregivers, nurtures for children. In this book, the women in Linda's life are mostly safe figures for her, with the exception of Mrs. Flint.
What do you guys think? Do you think this book applies to the plight of woman because of the plot, or simply because it falls into the category of feminist writing due to the author being female. Remember, slaves narratives of the time usually only covered the lives of male slaves.
Happy writing!!
First of all, Linda's grandmother always had something for her to eat while she was running errands for her master and mistress. Even when she couldn't stop for the sake of time, Linda got a morsel of food on her way back because her grandmother didn't know when her baby would eat again. This is not only supporting the theme of family unity, but also the idea of a woman's plight. We never see any male figure caring for Linda. It is always either her grandmother or a female friend that helps her.
I think this is significant to the plight of woman because women are always expected to be the caregivers, nurtures for children. In this book, the women in Linda's life are mostly safe figures for her, with the exception of Mrs. Flint.
What do you guys think? Do you think this book applies to the plight of woman because of the plot, or simply because it falls into the category of feminist writing due to the author being female. Remember, slaves narratives of the time usually only covered the lives of male slaves.
Happy writing!!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Emerging Themes
In the first few chapters of this book, it is very apparent to me that the concept of a strong family unit is very important to Linda and other characters of the story. Interestingly, it is the gospel message that unites and bonds Linda (particularly to her grandmother) and her family. While they may be separated for a time, being sold all over the south, their hearts remain united to one another and there is always hope that they will be reunited with one another.
I find it interesting that today families are disintegrating. This logically doesn't make sense to me. During the slave era, in which Linda and her family lives, they had all reason to despair of life. Today, families live in luxury and opulence but are falling apart every moment. It seems that life should be easy-breezy for modern families and difficult for Linda's family, but the exact opposite is true.
So I pose the question...what is it about Linda and her family that keeps them so united in heart?
I think the answer is that Linda has put her hope in God, trusting that He will rescue ALL His children and one day they will be together again. Many families don't believe this today. So the only reason that Linda and her family were able to not lose hope is because of their faith in an Almighty God. No wonder so many gospel songs were written during this era. These people know in Whom true hope exists.
This teaches us that despite our circumstances, the Lord will see us through. So take heart! Do not despair! We have a lot to learn from Linda and her family. I'm excited to share with you as I trace the theme of hope and family dedication throughout the rest of the book.
I find it interesting that today families are disintegrating. This logically doesn't make sense to me. During the slave era, in which Linda and her family lives, they had all reason to despair of life. Today, families live in luxury and opulence but are falling apart every moment. It seems that life should be easy-breezy for modern families and difficult for Linda's family, but the exact opposite is true.
So I pose the question...what is it about Linda and her family that keeps them so united in heart?
I think the answer is that Linda has put her hope in God, trusting that He will rescue ALL His children and one day they will be together again. Many families don't believe this today. So the only reason that Linda and her family were able to not lose hope is because of their faith in an Almighty God. No wonder so many gospel songs were written during this era. These people know in Whom true hope exists.
This teaches us that despite our circumstances, the Lord will see us through. So take heart! Do not despair! We have a lot to learn from Linda and her family. I'm excited to share with you as I trace the theme of hope and family dedication throughout the rest of the book.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Preface, Introduction, and Chapter 1
Jacobs begins her story with a preface stating that she wrote this while slavery was still a major issue in the states. Although she had moved to the North and obtained freedom, she still had family who was still in bondage. Therefore, she changed her name to the psuedonym Linda Brent, as well as the names of other characters in order to the protect the people she wrote about.
Chapter 1, Childhoood, talks about Linda's upbringing as a slave under a kind mistress. She was privileged as a slave girl under the possession of this mistress, as she was taught how to read and spell, something not very many slaves had the opportunity to do. Even when her mistress died, she sat over her grave and let the tears fall. I'm curious as the whether this was because she sincerely cared about her, even though she was aware of her bondage, or if it was out of fear that her life was baout to take a turn for the worse.
I was deeply moved by the part when Linda talks about the biblical truths that her mistress taught her, such as loving your neighbor as yourself. Linda was aware even at a young age that her situation worked against this system, considering she was not treated equally to white people.
I'm curious to see where her life takes her.
Chapter 1, Childhoood, talks about Linda's upbringing as a slave under a kind mistress. She was privileged as a slave girl under the possession of this mistress, as she was taught how to read and spell, something not very many slaves had the opportunity to do. Even when her mistress died, she sat over her grave and let the tears fall. I'm curious as the whether this was because she sincerely cared about her, even though she was aware of her bondage, or if it was out of fear that her life was baout to take a turn for the worse.
I was deeply moved by the part when Linda talks about the biblical truths that her mistress taught her, such as loving your neighbor as yourself. Linda was aware even at a young age that her situation worked against this system, considering she was not treated equally to white people.
I'm curious to see where her life takes her.
Preface, Introduction and Chapters 1-4
"Incidents" begins with a Preface by the author that establishes that it fits the first criteria for a slave narrative: It proclaims that it is anautobiographical account of the life of Harriet Jacobs, although she has changed her name and the names of others to protect them. In the account she calls herself Linda. The next element is an endorsement by a white friend saying the work is authentic. This is written and included in the Introduction.
In the first chapter, "Linda" relates the story of the circumstances that allowed her to be unaware that she was a slave until her mother's death when Linda was only 6 years old. She then tells of her mother's mistress, who was raised and loved with her mother. The mistress took great care of Linda until her death when Linda was about 12. At this time, everything changed for Linda. Instead of freeing her, as had been expected, her mistress left Linda to her sister's daughter, and thus began Linda's true education into what it really meant to be a slave.
In chapters three and four we begin getting the detailed depictions of violence and degradation suffered by other members of her family, and a hint of what is to come for Linda herself. Even though Linda is upset with her former mistress for putting her in this dire situation, she is still thankful that the woman taught her to read, write and spell. She is also a bit scornful for her biblical teaching, however, because she doesn't feel that the mistress followed the scripture of treating their neighbor and they'd want to be treated, and made the comment that apparently her mistress did not consider her a neighbor. You can hear the bitterness as it begins to creep into Linda's life.
Much is said about how some slave owners would allow the slaves to make themselves money, even though it was against the law for a slave to "own" anything. Linda's grandmother is cheated out of money that her slave owner had "borrowed" to buy a candlelabra that she never was paid back for. It was $300.00, which was a small fortune in those days. This establishes two of the most commonly used motifs in slave narrative: the exchange of money and the gross deception of slave owners to their slaves.
Linda relays a story about her grandmother being freed and then recaptured and sold again. There is also much talk of saving money to buy freedom for the slaves themselves and other family members. Linda's grandmother represents another motiff common in slave narratives....that of family loyalty and a mother's love for her children.
In the first four chapters, we are already seeing the developement of a few underlying themes. The groundwork is being laid for the theme "Knowledge can be the key to both power and freedom." Linda sets the tone for this in her Preface, and then lays the first stones on the path by mentioning her mistress teaching her to read and write.
Another theme being developed is evident when Linda talks of her first mistress, and then of Dr. Flint's wife. It is the theme "Sometimes people don't recognize it when their moral choices conflict with their religious or philosophical ideas." This is alluded to when she talks about Mrs. Flint being so delicate that she cannot do any work, but she is fully capable of seeing someone beat until they bleed. Linda recounts the fact of Mrs. Flint spitting in each container if Sunday dinner was late so that the slaves wouldn't have anything to eat. Even her old mistress doesn't escape this when Linda says that she didn't consider Linda "her neighbor" because she didn't free Linda at her death.
The story thus far can be compared to "The Life and Adventures of Venture: Chapter III" that we read from the text. Unlike "Linda," Venture was not born into slavery. He actually had childhood memories of when he was not a slave. "Linda" only has memories of "not knowing" that she was a slave. We also really began to read about Venture after he obtained his freedom. So far, a big part of "Linda's" story concerns her journey to obtain freedom. Also, Venture originally wrote the Preface himself. However, he did have the Preface writer identified as Elisha Niles, and American revolution soldier and school teacher when it was reprinted in 1897.
The time of the writings is also very different. Smith lived between 1729-1805, where as Jacobs lived between 1813-1897. Attitudes towards slavery were a bit different as were the laws concerning slavery. Jacob's lived as the slavery issue was heating up and the first signs of Civil War were beginning to become very apparent. The longer slavery went on, the more evident the abuses of slavery.
In the first chapter, "Linda" relates the story of the circumstances that allowed her to be unaware that she was a slave until her mother's death when Linda was only 6 years old. She then tells of her mother's mistress, who was raised and loved with her mother. The mistress took great care of Linda until her death when Linda was about 12. At this time, everything changed for Linda. Instead of freeing her, as had been expected, her mistress left Linda to her sister's daughter, and thus began Linda's true education into what it really meant to be a slave.
In chapters three and four we begin getting the detailed depictions of violence and degradation suffered by other members of her family, and a hint of what is to come for Linda herself. Even though Linda is upset with her former mistress for putting her in this dire situation, she is still thankful that the woman taught her to read, write and spell. She is also a bit scornful for her biblical teaching, however, because she doesn't feel that the mistress followed the scripture of treating their neighbor and they'd want to be treated, and made the comment that apparently her mistress did not consider her a neighbor. You can hear the bitterness as it begins to creep into Linda's life.
Much is said about how some slave owners would allow the slaves to make themselves money, even though it was against the law for a slave to "own" anything. Linda's grandmother is cheated out of money that her slave owner had "borrowed" to buy a candlelabra that she never was paid back for. It was $300.00, which was a small fortune in those days. This establishes two of the most commonly used motifs in slave narrative: the exchange of money and the gross deception of slave owners to their slaves.
Linda relays a story about her grandmother being freed and then recaptured and sold again. There is also much talk of saving money to buy freedom for the slaves themselves and other family members. Linda's grandmother represents another motiff common in slave narratives....that of family loyalty and a mother's love for her children.
In the first four chapters, we are already seeing the developement of a few underlying themes. The groundwork is being laid for the theme "Knowledge can be the key to both power and freedom." Linda sets the tone for this in her Preface, and then lays the first stones on the path by mentioning her mistress teaching her to read and write.
Another theme being developed is evident when Linda talks of her first mistress, and then of Dr. Flint's wife. It is the theme "Sometimes people don't recognize it when their moral choices conflict with their religious or philosophical ideas." This is alluded to when she talks about Mrs. Flint being so delicate that she cannot do any work, but she is fully capable of seeing someone beat until they bleed. Linda recounts the fact of Mrs. Flint spitting in each container if Sunday dinner was late so that the slaves wouldn't have anything to eat. Even her old mistress doesn't escape this when Linda says that she didn't consider Linda "her neighbor" because she didn't free Linda at her death.
The story thus far can be compared to "The Life and Adventures of Venture: Chapter III" that we read from the text. Unlike "Linda," Venture was not born into slavery. He actually had childhood memories of when he was not a slave. "Linda" only has memories of "not knowing" that she was a slave. We also really began to read about Venture after he obtained his freedom. So far, a big part of "Linda's" story concerns her journey to obtain freedom. Also, Venture originally wrote the Preface himself. However, he did have the Preface writer identified as Elisha Niles, and American revolution soldier and school teacher when it was reprinted in 1897.
The time of the writings is also very different. Smith lived between 1729-1805, where as Jacobs lived between 1813-1897. Attitudes towards slavery were a bit different as were the laws concerning slavery. Jacob's lived as the slavery issue was heating up and the first signs of Civil War were beginning to become very apparent. The longer slavery went on, the more evident the abuses of slavery.
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