Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl By Harriet Jacobs

In the opening narrative Linda Brent talks about how she was fortunate and never fell like a slave during her early childhood till the age of 6. Here Linda introduces her father, though she does acknowledge that he is a slave she goes the great distance to point out all the qualities he possesses that were not the typical qualities in a slaved man, hence “…Was a carpenter and considered so intelligent and skilful in his trade, that when buildings out of the common line were to be erected, he was sent for from long distances, to be head workman”. In the opening of the narrative Linda also introduces her maternal grandmother whom later on we learn will become the center stone in Brent’s life. Her grandmother is given permission from her mistress to open a bakery shop and is able to make extra income which she is planning to save it and use it in the future to purchase the freedom of her grandchildren. Again here we see another quality not much seeing in other slaves. Though they were slaves I had the impression from the opening of the narrative that Brent and her Family were somewhat, if I dare say, fortunate in their lives as slaves. When Linda is 12 years old her mistress dies and Linda is sold to the daughter of her mistress sister whom is 5 years old. Dr. Flint had married the sister of Linda's mistress, and Linda is now the property of their young daughter.
Dr. Flint becomes obsess with Linda. He sexually and physically abuses her. When Linda falls in love with a free Negro man Linda asks Dr, Flint permission to marry him. Dr. Flint becomes violent and strikes at her. Fearing for the life of her lover, Linda tells the free Negro man to life town and forgets about her. Dr. Flint becomes Linda’s nightmare throughout the narrative. Dr. Flints tries countless times to try to win Linda’s Submission. He tries to plan a trip for him, Linda and other slaves to Louisiana but after sending his son to view the conditions of such place the son comes back with unfavorable news to Linda’s advantage. Linda comes up with her own scheme and become the mistress of Mr. Sands, an unmarried, white lawyer who has shown an interest in her. They have sexual relations and Linda becomes pregnant from him. Linda knew that by doing so Dr. Flint would remove her from his plantation. The first child was a boy. Later she bears another child, a girl, from Mr. Sands. She decides to escape the mall treatment of Dr. Flints and hides her self in her grandmothers house for seven years/ Later she lives the South with her children and finds hospitality with the Bruce family whom eventually buy her freedom from Dr. Flints daughter.


Summary Above






Analysis and thoughts below

I found the narrative fascinating. It was easy to read, though I have some difficulty following the family tree for both Linda’s family and their original owners.
Though I mentioned above that Linda and her family were “fortunate” in their lives as slave, it is a common theme in the narrative that there are no good masters. Many times throughout the narrative I kept waiting for one of the many masters or mistresses to grant them their freedom believing that their close ties to them would mean such thing.

The narrative was filled with many different human behavior and emotions, Mrs. Flint jealousy towards Linda due to her husband’s affixation with Linda. Dr. Flint’s animalistic and brute behavior towards Linda. He reminded me of a little boy who gets into a tantrum fit when they don’t get what they want. Linda’s grandmother was most beloved and supportive. Mrs. Bruce’s selflessness finally gave Linda and her children what her parents and grandmother so anxiously wanted for her.

Vanessa Martinez.