Harriet Jacob’s Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl: Written by Herself is an epic slave narrative of a courageous woman’s struggle for freedom and personal autonomy. Published in 1861, the first year of the Civil War, the book came at a vital time in America’s history. Out of the anti-slavery movement emerged women’s rights, and the two causes fought against oppression hand-in-hand. Jacob’s autobiography is narrated by her alias Linda Brent. She explains how difficult it is to reveal her history, but that it is vital that people know the horrors that enslaved women are subjected to, particularly their s*xual exploitation. She appeals to the principles of the domestic beliefs, and asks women of the North not for their pity or hatred, but for sympathy for her and all the other powerless slave mothers in the South.
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is a wonderful read, and keeps you wanting to read more. The book is rich in historical content, yet is presented in a way that is easy to comprehend and keeps you entertained. Jacobs provides true insight to how the slavery institution was run. Everyone should read Harriet Jacob’s Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl; it is an eye-opener to the true struggle African-Americans had to overcome.
Posted By: Elaina Newbill
Tuesday, November 30th 2010 at 6:04AM
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