Incidnts In Th Lif Of A Slav Girl Is A... Essay - 1,304 words

Incidnts in th Lif of a Slav Girl is a narrativ that dscribs a young girls trials and tribulations whil bing an involuntary mmbr of th institution of slavry. Jacobs, lik vry othr victim of th atrocity known as slavry, wishs that popl in th north would do mor to put a stop to this harmful practic. Slavry is an undrstood dishonor of th past. This is tru, not only bcaus of th injustics don to th slavs, but for th ngativ ffcts that th slav holdrs and thir wivs undrwnt. Whn thr ar basic rights of frdom bing dnid in a socity, no thical principls can b uphld. Th fact that this sinful tratmnt of othr human bings was prmittd had a morally crippling ffct not only on th principl victim, th slav, but on th ntir houshold in which th slav rsidd. Slavry corruptd th morals of vryon within its rach.


First and foremost, we must recognize that the primary and most directly affected victim due to slavery, is of course, the slave. Ranging from lashings, emotional struggles, and even death, slaves have felt the truest and most severe form of slavery. They are not allowed to own property because according to Southern laws, a slave, being property, can hold no property(6). Harriet Jacobs describes many of her misfortunes and happenings while under the thumb and close watch of Dr. Flint. She was degraded and insulted many times throughout her stay with him. For example, Jacobs recalls When he told me that I was made for his use, made to obey his command in every thing; that I was nothing but a slave, whose will must and should surrender to his, never before had my puny arm felt half so strong(18). This was only the beginning however, and pretty soon thereafter sexual advances were made by Dr. Flint in which he peopled my young mind with unclean images, such as only a vile monster could think of(27).


Linda (who in reality is author Harriet Jacobs) could find little protection being a slave because ....no matter whether the slave girl be as black as ebony or as fair as her mistress. In either case, there is no shadow of law to protect her from insult, from violences, or even from death; all these are inflicted by fiends who bear the shape of men(27). Harriet Jacobs also asks her readers to reflect on the existence of a double standard in considering her actions under slavery. After admitting to having sacrificed her purity for the sake of escaping Dr. Flints advance, she asks for understanding: "the condition of a slave confuses all principles of morality, and in fact renders the practice of them impossible" (55). Jacobs lives in a society that refuses to protect her with laws or customs, and she should therefore be judged with different precepts in mind.


If one cannot legally own their body, how can they be responsible for its actions? On an indirect level, there are other parties that suffer the consequences of slavery. The slave holders for example; slaverys strong power puts them in a situation where they are entirely in control of another human life. This can only ultimately lead to the downfall of their moral character, for they believe that these slaves are born to serve them in whatever way they see fit. In Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Dr. Flint was the perfect example. His control over Linda fuels his immoral practices and to the young slave girl she saw him a man forty years my senior daily violating the most sacred commandments of nature. He told me I was his property; that I must subject to his will in all things(27) The jealous wives of these slave holders also suffer from this abominable organization, ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Essay Tags: harriet jacobs, slave girl, flint, jacob, bing

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