incidents in the life of a slave girl
Post on 14-May-2015
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BYJohn Holenda
ChildhoodBorn a slave in 1813 near Edenton, North
CarolinaMother died when she was sixDidn’t realize she was a slave until mother
diedTaken care of by mother’s mistress, Margaret
HorniblowMrs. Horniblow died and willed Linda to her
niece when Harriet was twelve
Life with her new mistressHer mistress’s father, Dr. Flint, sexually harassed
Harriet
“My master met me at every turn, reminding me that I belonged to him, and swearing by heaven and earth that he would compel me to submit to him. If I went out for a breath of fresh air, after a day of unwearied toil, his footsteps dogged me. If I knelt by my mother's grave, his dark shadow fell on me even there. The light heart which nature had given me became heavy with sad forebodings. The other slaves in my master's house noticed the change. Many of them pitied me; but none dared to ask the cause. They had no need to inquire. They knew too well the guilty practices under that roof; and they were aware that to speak of them was an offence that never went unpunished.”(p. 47)
Fearing rape from Dr. Flint led Harriet to start a relationship with a white neighbor, Mr. Sands
Harriet and Mr. Sands had two children while she was only a teenager herself, Benny and Ellen
Dr. Norcom’s ResponseLinda hoped that her relationship would
spark her sale from Dr. Flint to Mr. Sands
Instead Dr. Flint becomes angered by the relationship
Sent her to a plantation he owned to perform hard labor and plans to do the same with her children
Linda’s PlanTo protect her children from Dr. Flint’s
treatment Linda hides in a crawl space in her grandmother’s house
Hopes that Dr. Flint will think she escaped to the North and will sell her children instead of risking that they could escape too
Her plan eventually works and Benny and Ellen are sold to a slave trader representing Mr. Sands, their father
Effects of her planChildren were sold to their father who
promises to one day free them
Linda suffers physically in the tiny crawl space that she can neither sit or stand in
Her childrenEllen is taken to Washington, D.C. to watch
over Mr. Sands new child
Linda fears that Mr. Sands will not only not free her children, but may even sell them to slave traders
Fearing for her children she realizes she has to escape to the North with them
Linda’s escapeAfter 7 years, Linda finally escapes to the
North via boat while Benny stays with Aunt Martha
Linda and Ellen are reunited in Brooklyn where Ellen, 9 years old, works for Mr. Sand’s cousin, Mrs. Hobbs
Linda gets a job as a nursemaid for the Bruce’s in New York City
Living in the NorthThe Bruce’s are very kind to Linda
Dr. Flint still attempts to recapture Linda throughout the novel
Linda reunites with Benny in Boston while running from Dr. Flint
Mrs. Bruce dies and Linda spends some time in Boston with her children
A Year in EnglandLinda lives in England for a year while caring
for Mr. Bruce’s daughter
It is here where Linda says she was free from racial prejudice for the first time
“For the first time in my life I was in a place where I was treated according to my deportment, without reference to my complexion. I felt as if a great millstone had been lifted from my breast. Ensconced in a pleasant room, with my dear little charge, I laid my head on my pillow, for the first time, with the delightful consciousness of pure, unadulterated freedom.” (p. 276)
Returning to AmericaLinda returns to Boston
Ellen attends boarding school
Benny moves to California with Linda’s brother
Dr. Flint dies and his daughter, Emily, now attempts to recapture Linda
Fugitive Slave ActThis Act is passed by Congress making slaves
even more vulnerable to being recaptured and forced back into slavery in the South
Emily and Mr. Dodge, her husband, come to New York to capture Linda
“About the time that I reëntered the Bruce family, an event occurred of disastrous import to the colored people. The slave Hamlin, the first fugitive that came under the new law, was given up by the bloodhounds of the north to the bloodhounds of the south. It was the beginning of a reign of terror to the colored population.” (p. 287)
Another PurchaseMr. Bruce’s new wife offers to buy Linda’s
freedom from Emily
Linda is offended does not want to be bought and sold again, like a piece of property
“In a few days one came from Mrs. Bruce, informing me that my new master was still searching for me, and that she intended to put an end to this persecution by buying my freedom. I felt grateful for the kindness that prompted this offer, but the idea was not so pleasant to me as might have been expected. The more my mind had become enlightened, the more difficult it was for me to consider myself an article of property; and to pay money to those who had so grievously oppressed me seemed like taking from my sufferings the glory of triumph.” (p. 300)
Free At LastMrs. Bruce buys her freedom anyway
Linda remains upset about the slavery system in which people, such as herself, can be bought and sold
“My brain reeled as I read these lines. A gentleman near me said, "It's true; I have seen the bill of sale." "The bill of sale!" Those works struck me like a blow. So I was sold at last! A human being sold in the free city of New York! The bill of sale is on record, and future generations will learn from it that women were articles of traffic in New York, late in the nineteenth century of the Christian religion. It may hereafter prove a useful document to antiquaries, who are seeking to measure the progress of civilization in the United States.” (p. 301)
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