In her book, Harriet Jacobs presents the life of an African American woman in the era of slavery. The scholar describes the situations in two different homes to develop her ideas. One home presents an environment in which a woman is empowered while in the other, a woman has no authority of defining her welfare. In essence, Linda has some rights as a slave while in the other; she must completely comply with her Master’s wish. Through the contrasting experiences witnessed in the two homes, Jacobs creates a clear picture of the life of African American girls under slavery. Jacobs states that during this period, “young girls of all races and sexes were regarded as little more than prey” (Jacobs Xv). Her work highlights the determination of women in freeing their life to work independently and earn a decent living. However, besides their effort, their Masters and Mistresses can hardly offer them a chance of liberating themselves. Jacobs presents herself in the book as Linda and gives the true story of her life as a slave. The paper highlights Linda’s experiences in two different homes while focusing on social relationships and domestic labor that Linda is subjected.
Linda’s Experience in the First Home
Linda faces various challenges in her first home, in hands of chauvinist Masters. Initially, in her first home where she works under Mr. Flint, she is under pressure to have sex. African American slaves working in the plantations were subdued under pressure to engage in sex with their Masters. This was the only way of showing respect and dedication of serving their Masters. Jacobs account that her master Mr. Flint has a way of manipulating people around him to get what he wants. She explains her pitiful plight under her master’s hands by stating, “secure as I was in my retreat, I should have been terrified if I had known he was so near me.” (Jacobs 138). In order to rescue herself, Linda viewed that the only way out of an unwanted sexual relationship with her master is by having an affair with her master’s neighbor. This would make her master get dismayed and “sell” her to his neighbor, Mr. Sands. Pressure to have sex demoralizes and limits women’s freedoms.
Another challenged that faced Linda in her first home, included harsh treatment by her mistress. Linda`s mistress was cruel towards her as she forced her to take up hard and tormenting labor. Mistresses mistreated African American girl slaves because they were jealous and wanted to show dominance over African Americans. For example, Mrs. Flint is rude to Linda and always looked for a way of embarrassing her in the presence of her husband. Furthermore, Linda accounts, “another time I saw a woman rush wildly by, pursued by two men. She was a slave for some trifling offence her mistress ordered her to be stripped and whipped” (Jacobs 136). Though masters had control over their slaves by law, some of the treatment they received was inhuman.
African American girl slave were put in situations that forced them to sell their children. Linda while working at Mr. Flint`s son plantation wanted the best for her children. She never fancied her children to living like slaves. Neither did she want them to be under the ownership of their master. She wanted her children to know a different life, to go to school and have better treatment. African American girl slaves had to hide their children or send them far away so that they would not become slaves. Linda had to ask Mr. Sands to buy her children from Mr. Flint. Children were also involved in slavery when they were born by slave mothers. She also had to buy her daughters freedom from Mr. Flint’s daughter who claimed possession.
Furthermore, Linda had to be separated with her children in a bid to have her children living a better life than she does. As she went to hide from Mr. Flint, she was close to her children where she could watch them through a peephole yet too far. She had to watch her children from a distance, but she could not let them know that she was around. In some instance, she had to send her son to live with her brother so that he could not be put through slavery.
Linda finds herself in a situation where African American men consider her not fit for marriage. This was because she is a mother to children from a white father. African American girls who were impregnated by their white masters were considered as loose girls who were not fit for marriage (Jacobs 14). This was unfair since white men could not marry African American slave girls besides, impregnated them. Similarly, African American men could not marry these girls because they believed that they were unfit for marriage.
Linda’s Life in the Second Home
In Linda’s second home; Mr. Bruce home, she receives fair treatment as an African American girl slave. She has good relations with her master and mistress, and she is free from dictatorial commands. Mrs. Bruce is not possessive and asks her to continue working for him even after his wife’s death (Jacobs 13). Mrs. Bruce helps Linda free her daughters from Mr. Flint’s daughter. This kind of treatment is not offered to all African American female slaves. This treatment is a privilege for Linda, a girl who had been pressured to live a neglected life.
Throughout the book, Mrs. Bruce is presented as an understanding and loving mistress. Contrary to other mistresses under who Linda had suffered hard labor, Mrs. Bruce is considerate and caring. She says, “Linda, it is late, and you and baby had better come to the table with me." (Jacobs 195). At this home, Linda was able to get her dignity as a woman. Her master and mistress respected her (White 12). In this home, she was treated as part of the home.
African American girl slaves were very lucky to work in such a home where they were respected (White 16). Such an environment was accommodative for them and enabled them to grow as young women. In such a home, an African American girl slave was able to raise her family without having to hide her children. Young families and children were not forcefully separated from their parents in the second home. Though African American girl slaves preferred these homes, they were very few such homes. Linda’s children were allowed to live an independent life separate from their mother.
Conclusion
Jacobs work presents a comprehensive overview of the African American girl slaves’ plight under their exploitive masters and mistresses. She highlights that African American girls were subjected to harsh and exploitive treatment. They often went through rape and unwanted sexual relationships. They did not have any power over the relationships with their master and mistresses. African American girl slaves went through harsh times where they had to sell their children to protect them from living a life of slavery. They often also separated from their children so that their children would be safe from their masters. Jacobs strategically creates a clear picture of this situation by exploring a contrasting scenario in Mr. Bruce’s home where Linda is treated with dignity. This is essential in developing a clear knowledge of the social relationships and the nature of domestic labor that African American women had to undertake.
Works Cited
Jacobs, Harriet and Jennifer Fleischner. Incidents in the life of a slave girl: written by herself. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2010. Print.
White, Frances. Dark Continent of our bodies: black feminism and the politics of respectability. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2001. Print.
