Harriet Jacobs Incidents In The Life Of A Slave Girl

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Critical Response: “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl”
In her book Harriet A. Jacobs did not only cast light on the impact of slavery on people’s life, activity and relationships but mostly focused on the feminist perspective on slavery, as women faced much suffering, pain and disrespect compared to male slaves during that period of time. Jacobs stated that “slavery is terrible for men; but it is far more terrible for women" (Jacobs 66). The problem was that women also had to work much same as men performing different tasks and being considered as property for their white masters. Both men and women were denied of their basic rights and freedoms, and nobody really cared about their problems, feelings and concerns. However, the burden of slavery was greater for women, because they were often raped by their masters and forced to give birth to several children multiplying the labor force. …show more content…
With the help of this book and of her personal story, the author wanted “to arouse the women of the North to a realizing sense of the condition of two millions of women at the South, still in bondage, suffering far worse that she had suffered” (Jacobs 2). The South was portrayed as a horrible, harsh and destructive place for a slave, while the North was linked to freedom and humanistic treatment enabling people to feel safe and secure rather than oppressed and mistreated. Slaves living in the South dreamed of moving to the North and observe the new life there, the life without masters and emotional pressure, the life in which they could be trusted and respected, treated equally and not discriminated due to their skin color, racial or ethnic background. All slaves wanted to leave the south, but women wanted not only saving themselves but also their children wishing a better life and future for
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