Who is the author of the story of a slave girl?
INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF A SLAVE GIRL. Written by Herself (Annotated): This is a Narrative of a Slave Girl, Harriet Jacobs. A Book About Slavery, Her Life as a Slave Girl, From Slavery to Freedom.
Is incidents in the life of a slave girl a true story?
Although generally ignored by critics, who often dismissed Jacobs' Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself as a fictionalized account of slavery, the work is heralded today as the first book-length narrative by an ex-slave that reveals the unique brutalities inflicted on enslaved women.
Who is Linda Brent in incidents in the life of a slave?
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself, autobiographical narrative by Harriet Jacobs, a former North Carolina slave, published in 1861. Jacobs's narrator and alter ego, Linda Brent, is a woman of mixed descent owned by sadistic Dr. Flint, a pious churchgoer who repeatedly beats and rapes Linda and also sells her children.
What is African American literature about slavery?
African American literature: Slave narratives. Harriet Jacobs’s Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (1861), the first autobiography by a formerly enslaved African American woman, candidly describes her experience of the sexual exploitation that made slavery especially oppressive for black women.
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Why did Yellin bring Incidents to the attention of readers, scholars, and critics who had long ignored?
In addition to her efforts to establish the authenticity of Jacobs' narrative, Yellin also brought Incidents to the attention of readers, scholars, and critics who had long ignored or dismissed the work because it failed to meet the standards of the male slave narrative, as defined by male critics such as Robert Stepto and James Olney.
What are the themes of incidents?
Key themes in Incidents include the economics of slavery (see the Critical Essay "The Feminist Perspective"); the quest for freedom; pain and suffering (physical and emotional); self-definition; self-assertion; community support and family loyalty (generally lacking in slave narratives by men); and writing as a means of freedom, ...
Why was the publication of incidents of the Civil War so important?
The primary goal of slave narratives was to arouse sympathy among whites and gain their support for the anti-slavery movement led by abolitionists. Because the publication of Incidents coincided with the beginning of the Civil War, it was seen as being published too late to have any social or political impact.
Why is literacy important in the story of the slaves?
Also significant is the issue of literacy, which was often used as a metaphor for freedom, because slaves who learned to read and write were often the ones who ran away. Note, for example, that the letters Linda writes while hiding in her grandmother's garret play an important part in her eventual escape.
What is Jacobs' story?
In contrast, Jacobs' story — which focused primarily on her family — was viewed as less important than the stories of her male counterparts . Male narratives generally followed a strictly chronological format, focusing on the narrator's life as he relates the story of his journey from slavery to freedom.
What is incident based on?
In many ways, the structure of Incidents is similar to that of Samuel Richardson's Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded, an epistolary novel (a novel written in the form of letters) published in 1740 and based on a story about a servant who avoided seduction and was rewarded by marriage. It also bears some similarities to Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, ...
How many parts are there in the incident?
As the Synopsis notes, Incidents can be divided into five distinctive parts each focusing on significant events in Linda's life.
What is the slave autobiography about?
The slave autobiography describes the cruelty of slavery, debunks the myth of the content or happy slave, and argues that a slave’s behavior must be judged by different standards than those applied to free people. Harriet Jacobs’s slave experiences in Edenton, North Carolina influenced her themes and rationalizations for her behavior. (Her judgmental grandmother denounced Jacob’s physical relationship with an unmarried white lawyer and held her grandaughter to moral standards that wavered not in trying times.)
Who wrote the book "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl"?
Nell Irvin Painter, ed., Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself by Harriet Jacobs (reprint, New York, 2000).
What was the significance of the Fugitive Slave Law in the 1850s?
At the same time, the 1850s were marked by advances for proponents of slavery, like the Fugitive Slave Law, which allowed the recapture of escaped slaves from states in which slavery was illegal , and the Supreme Court’s Dred Scott decision, which stated that no African American could have citizenship or legal rights in the US.
How did slavery affect the United States?
Slavery existed in America from the 17th to the mid-19th centuries. By facilitating the cheap production of cash crops like cotton and tobacco, slave labor allowed the United States to become economically successful. Although the vast majority of plantations using slave labor were situated in the South and slavery was banned in most Northern states by the beginning of the 1800s, much of the nation still depended on and benefited from slavery, as raw materials produced by slaves were manufactured in Northern factories, and industries from banking and insurance to shipbuilding profited by upholding the system of slavery. In the decades before the Civil War, movements for the abolition of slavery became increasingly popular in the North, especially as the United States began to expand westward and new states had to decide whether to ban or allow slavery. At the same time, the 1850s were marked by advances for proponents of slavery, like the Fugitive Slave Law, which allowed the recapture of escaped slaves from states in which slavery was illegal, and the Supreme Court’s Dred Scott decision, which stated that no African American could have citizenship or legal rights in the US. In 1861, the conflict erupted into the Civil War, leading to the abolition of slavery in 1865. Despite its official end, the legacy of slavery persists in the racism and discrimination experienced by African Americans today.
Why did incidents fall out of print?
After the Civil War, Incidents fell out of print; because it was written under a pseudonym, scholars believed it to be a novel. In the 1970s and 1980s, feminist historian Jean Fagan Yellin proved it was in fact a memoir and brought it and its author back into the public eye, making it one of the most well-known slave narratives.
What did Linda Brent do in 1861?
As the book became popular, Jacobs began to give lectures and returned to the South to organize food and housing for escaped slaves and black refugees from the war. By the end of the war, she had concentrated her efforts on building schools ...
Where was Harriet Jacobs born?
As described in her narrative, Harriet Jacobs was born a slave in South Carolina and eventually escaped to New York, where she was reunited with her two children. While working as a nurse in the Willis family (named the Bruces in this narrative) Harriet began to write about her life, encouraged by her friend Amy Post, a noted Quaker abolitionist.
Who created the LitCharts study guide?
Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Harriet Jacobs's Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.
When did slavery end?
In 1861, the conflict erupted into the Civil War, leading to the abolition of slavery in 1865. Despite its official end, the legacy of slavery persists in the racism and discrimination experienced by African Americans today.
What is the study guide for incidents in the life of a slave girl?
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics.
Why did Harriet and Mary travel to England?
Harriet soon realized that Mr. Sands would not help Ellen become free—he had made plans for Ellen to become a lifelong maid. After Mrs. Bruce died, Harriet traveled with Mary and Mr. Bruce to England, so that the little girl could see her mother’s relatives.
What was the first rare slave narrative?
Incidents, her only work, was one of the first rare slave narratives that explored the unique condition of enslaved Black women. Jacobs went on to become a teacher and an abolitionist, moving frequently to make ends meet.
How does Harriet end the story?
Harriet ends the narrative by telling the reader that she remained with Mrs. Bruce. Though she did not yet have a home of her own, she was free and close to her daughter.
What did Fanny and Harriet do in New York City?
In New York City, Fanny and Harriet parted ways. Harriet first worked as a seamstress. She then quickly found employment with Mrs. Bruce, an Englishwoman who needed a nurse for her infant daughter Mary.
Where did Harriet hide in the book?
Harriet hid in an unused pantry in the home of a slave owner. The slave owner’s wife had agreed to keep her there until it was safe to move her.
Where did Harriet and Fanny go?
A friendly ship’s captain and sailors took Harriet and her friend Fanny, also a fugitive slave, to Philadelphia. In Philadelphia, an African American clergyman and his wife took in Harriet, while one of his friends housed Fanny. Soon, the clergyman secured Fanny and Harriet second-class train tickets to New York.
Characters
See a complete list of the characters in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl and in-depth analyses of Linda Brent, Dr. Flint, and Aunt Martha.
Literary Devices
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Quotes
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Further Study
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