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?