relationship with him. For many years Linda fought against his power by refusing to have sexual relations with him as he threatens her time and time again. It appeared that the only time he ever offered any sort of kindness to her was in order to get her to have sex with him. Yet again, Linda refuses to allow Dr. Flint’s pressure to control her. This is when the reader starts to understand the impact that Linda’s parents made on her when teaching her the importance of self-worth. Linda never allowed Dr. Flint to degrade her, but instead uses it as a tool to move forward. Slave experiences read in class, such as “Memories of a Brutal Institution” were different, because instead of masters asking for consent as a way to control their slaves,
In the autobiographical writings Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Harriet Jacobs’ reflects on the times that her master Dr. Flint consistently tried to molest her sexually. In spite of her fears of horrible repercussions such as beatings or torture if she refuses to submit to him, Harriet always manages to evade his proposals to become his mistress by out-smarting him. She defends herself from his numerous attempts to seduce her, by the power of her mental strength and intelligence, and her Christian morality. While she fears him each time he secretly approaches her with his sexual propositions when he caught her alone, she could always think of ways to protect herself. For example she protects herself from the dangers of his sexual advances by removing herself from the master’s presence any opportunity she gets. She sometimes stays with her grandmother or aunt at night to protect herself from him. They are both Dr. Flint’s former slaves too who live on the plantation where she lives. Even though he threatens to kill her if she tells anyone, she tells his wife about his sexual advances, and Mrs. Flint invites Harriet to sl...
They were not capable of surviving on their own without white guidance (Boston). Dr. Flint, the master over the plantation where Harriet Jacobs lived showed a great example of paternalism. He cared for Harriet but in a possessive way to which he continuously sought the woman for his personal needs. For Dr. Flint, the slaves he owned should be grateful towards him and be willing to do what he asked with no rebuttal. This wasn’t the case with Harriet.
The greatest distress to a slave mother was realizing that her children would inevitably inherit her status as a slave. Jacobs writes of a mother who responded to the death of her infant by thanking "God for taking her away from the greatest bitterness of life (Jacobs 16). Furthermore, when Dr. Flint, her master, hurled her son Benjamin across a room Harriet experienced a fleeting moment of panic, believing that he could potentially dead; however, when she confirms that he is alive she could not determine whether she was happy that he son survived. Harriet experienced inadequacy and doubted her femininity in times that she could not protect her children from the harsh realities of the world in which they were born.
Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, the most flamboyant and outspoken member of the multi-platinum trio TLC, has died according to a spokesperson for the group's label, Arista Records. Lopes was 30.
Women who were enslaved during the slave period endured much suffrage. Not only were they the subject of chattel slavery, but some were also molested by their masters, for their own personal pleasure. In some cases, masters would pair “good breeders” together so their farm would benefit and they would have more slaves. This behavior would lead to force rape. The purpose of the book is to demonstrate how slavery crippled African American slaves from defending themselves due to oppression, particularly women. The trial of Celia, A Slave opens a gateway where people’s morals and actions were put into question after the death of her master. Themes such as gender oppression, chattel slavery, race, prejudice, revolt are some themes present in Celia,
The author focused on the historical event that took place to support how they affected Celia indirectly. I enjoyed reading the book but I felt angry toward Newsom, his family and the court. The fact that human beings can be bought and sold as an object, for the owner’s pleasure, is loathsome. I was angry toward Newsom for rapping Celia continuously for five years without getting any punishment for his actions. Newsom’s daughter, being aware of their father’s action wasn’t able to confront him, due to being a woman and the financial support Newsom provided. Celia was not approved any rights for she is an “object” that must obey the masters order. Celia’s life shows how slavery affected individuals of different color. The author presented the African-Americans history and the morality of slavery.
The history of slave women offered by Davis suggests that "compulsory labor overshadowed every other aspect of women's existence" (Davis 5). This is quite apparent through examination of the life of Harriet Jacobs. All slaves were forced to do hard labor and were subject to cruel remarks by whites, in this sense they were genderless, except women endured much more foul treatment. Harriet Jacobs was forced to listen to the sexual berating from her master, Dr. Flint, as well as receive jealous scorn from her mistress, Mrs. Flint. Yet worse than the verbal abuse was the physical, sexual abuse imposed on slave women. "Naming or not naming the father of a child, taking as a wife a woman who had children by unnamed fathers, [and] giving a newborn child the name of a father" were all considered by Herbert Gutman to be "everyday choices" in slave communities (Davis 15). Not being able to name a father must have made slave women feel great pain from being a "genderless" tool and great isolation by forcing them to take care of bastard children on their own. However, the worst comes when the child is old enough to work and, in most cases, is auctioned off. By auctioning off a slave woman's children slave masters not only dehumanized slave women but gave additional pain to slave women by taking their loved children away. Slave...
A recurring theme in, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, is Harriet Jacobs's reflections on what slavery meant to her as well as all women in bondage. Continuously, Jacobs expresses her deep hatred of slavery, and all of its implications. She dreads such an institution so much that she sometimes regards death as a better alternative than a life in bondage. For Harriet, slavery was different than many African Americans. She did not spend her life harvesting cotton on a large plantation. She was not flogged and beaten regularly like many slaves. She was not actively kept from illiteracy. Actually, Harriet always was treated relatively well. She performed most of her work inside and was rarely ever punished, at the request of her licentious master. Furthermore, she was taught to read and sew, and to perform other tasks associated with a ?ladies? work. Outwardly, it appeared that Harriet had it pretty good, in light of what many slaves had succumbed to. However, Ironically Harriet believes these fortunes were actually her curse. The fact that she was well kept and light skinned as well as being attractive lead to her victimization as a sexual object. Consequently, Harriet became a prospective concubine for Dr. Norcom. She points out that life under slavery was as bad as any slave could hope for. Harriet talks about her life as slave by saying, ?You never knew what it is to be a slave; to be entirely unprotected by law or custom; to have the laws reduce you to the condition of chattel, entirely subject to the will of another.? (Jacobs p. 55).
Linda Brent, Ms. Jacobs' pseudonym while writing "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl," became so entrenched in hatred of slaveholders and slavery that she lost sight of the possible good actions of slaveholders. When she "resolved never to be conquered" (p.17), she could no longer see any positive motivations or overtures made by slaveholders. Specifically, she could not see the good side of Mr. Flint, the father of her mistress. He showed his care for her in many ways, most notably in that he never allowed anyone to physically hurt her, he built a house for her, and he offered to take care of her and her bastard child even though it was not his.
Harriet was never considered a good slave. After her head injury, a neighbor wanted to hire her as a nurse-girl, and her owner was more than willing to let her go. (Taylor 8). Harriet was required to “do all the housework, milk the cows, as well as to be at the side of the cradle every time the little darling cried.” (Taylor 8). Because she wasn't able to be at all places at all times, she was beaten and sent back to her owner with the recommendation, “She don’t worth the salt that seasons her grub.” (Taylor 8). Once Harriet was returned, her owner greeted her with “I will break you in!” (Taylor 8). “From early morn till late at night she was made to work, beaten and cuffed upon the slightest provocation.” (Taylor 8).
Ultimately, I believe Linda Brent’s somatic rights was more important to her than anything. She grew up knowing full well that as a woman, her body automatically belonged to someone else; whether it be her master or whatever mate he chose for her. Linda continuously fought and rebelled against this notion. Although she could have had a nice and comfortable cottage to herself being Dr. Flint’s mistress, she chose the opposite and more challenging path because along with that cottage would come the constant torment of owing her body to him. Linda sacrificed everything to be free from this distress, including going into hiding and isolating herself for 7 years.
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl opens with an introduction in which, Harriet Jacobs, the author, explains her reasons for writing the autobiography. The story is dramatic and she initially wanted to keep it a secret, but in attempts to help the antislavery movement she proceeds with the story. Lydia Maria Child writes the preface to the book, and explains that all the stories are true. Linda Brent is the pseudonym that Harriet Jacobs used to narrate her book. Linda was born into slavery and her parents were considered “well-off” slaves. Linda’s mother dies when she is 6 and is sent away to her master’s mistress who teaches her to read and write. After a few years, this mistress dies and gives Linda to a relative. Her new masters are cruel unlike the previous owners. Dr. Flint, the father, soon begins pressuring Linda to have a sexual relationship with him. Linda refuses to give into his pressure and struggles for years. She thinks of a plan that is not pleasant but better than the option of being raped by Dr. Flint. Linda claims that a powerless slave girl cannot be held to the same standards of morality as a free woman. Knowing that Flint will eventually get his way, Linda agrees to a love affair with a white neighbor, Mr. Sands. Benny and Ellen are born to Linda with Mr. Sands. The affair and children were all in the carefully devised plan to make Dr. Flint angry and hopefully have him sell her and the children to Mr. Sands. In a turn of events Dr. Flint sends them to a rural plantation to be used as field hands. After finding out that Benny and Ellen were to receive the same treatment, Linda makes a plan out of desperation. She would never abandon her family, and running away would be nearly impossible, so Linda decides t...
Despite Flint’s overtures, Linda is able to avoid being by the grace of her own intellect. Although her actions may seem illicit and ill-advised, like her love affair with Mr. Sands to fend off Dr. Flint, so are the repercussions if she cooperates and does nothing. Jacobs predicates that slaves suffer from the influence of the slave system on their moral development. In the text, it is evident that Linda does not condemn slaves for illegal or immoral acts such as theft or adultery, but rather saying that they usually have no other option but to behave this way. However, she also points out that slaves have no reason to develop a strong ethical sense, as they are given no ownership of themselves or final control over their actions. This is not their fault, but the fault of the slavery system that dehumanizes them. “Pity me, and pardon me, O virtuous reader! You never knew what it is to be a slave; to be entirely unprotected by law or custom; to have the laws reduce you to the condition of a chattel, entirely subject to the will of another” (Jacobs 49). Slaves are not evil like their masters, but important parts of their personalities are left undeveloped. She argues that a powerless slave girl cannot be held to the same standards of morality as a free
Every novel that we’ve read always had a white male who got their power by abusing innocent black people for they weren’t never convicted for the crime. In Harriet Jacobs, Incidents of a Slave Girl, we see Dr. Flint abuse his power by keeping Linda as his slave stating “You are my daughter’s property, for that I cannot sell you”. We can see Dr. Flint is driven by power for he is able to treat his slaves anyway he wants to for there are no laws against him. By Linda continually denying Dr. Flint of sex he becomes obsessed in breaking her will. By using the law that slavery grants him, he gets angry every time she denies him, and tries to find new ways to make her submit to him. feeling that if she voluntarily sleeps with him, it makes her acknowledge his mastery as a slave master. Seeing that he was powerful only because he was able to punish a group of people and get away with it without any legal consequences, made him powerful to an
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails…” This declaration from 1 Corinthians provides a profound description of what love is, and in many ways, Linda Loman exhibits many of these characteristics. However, there is a time when love crosses a line and becomes blind devotion. From start to finish, Linda stands by and protects Willy out of her vain idea that she is helping him, but in all reality, she is causing him more issues than she is solving.