Christos Ferreira
English 202
Professor Shaun O’Connell
March 6, 2012
Harriet Jacobs’s Role in the Civil War
Harriet Jacobs’s Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl was written with the purpose to give the
reader a clear and heart-wrenching look into the struggles of slave in all aspects of their life. With the
Civil War looming and the morality of slavery being highly debated, Jacobs felt it was time to expose
some of her darkest memories, psychological hardships, and unspeakable sexual trauma. While
revealing her utmost personal experiences, it was absolutely necessary for Jacobs to protect herself
from the judgment of those who supported slavery as it would undoubtedly hinder her main objective:
to show the world of the inhumanity endured by slaves, and that they could not be judged by some of
their desperation fueled acts. By crediting her story as factual, with the help of Amy Post and George
W. Lowther, Jacobs not only ensures the trust of her reader, but enables her to trust the reader with her
truly ominous tale.
Although Jacobs’s life of slavery in her past seems at rest, there are still psychological
hardships as the fear of the Civil War leading to her recapture looms. By saying, “Pity me, and pardon
me, O virtuous reader! You never knew what it is to be a slave; to be entirely unprotected by law or
custom; to have the laws reduced you to the condition of a chattel, entirely subject to the will of
another (Chapter 10. Pg 67),” she is freeing herself from the confinement of her fears in hopes that the
“virtuous” reader will use the new found knowledge of her tale wisely. Her target audience includes all
who are willing and able to support not only her cause, but the cause of many suffering African
Americans. Jacobs also hopes to extinguish all belief systems that may downplay her claim.
Jacobs’s account of slavery is clearly stated when she submits to the idea of blacks being
“inferior” to whites. When she says, “I admit that the black man is inferior. But what is it that makes
him so? It is the ignorance in which white men compel him to live; it is the torturing whip that lashes
manhood out of him; it is the fierce bloodhounds of the South, and the scarcely less cruel human
bloodhounds of the north, who enforce the Fugitive Slave Law. They do the work (Chapter 8. Pg 53),”
she is outlining the vital role that northerners play in the situation. Although the southerners are the
primary culprits in the physical acts of slavery and trade, the northerners are no better. With the
Fugitive Slave Act, northerners are actively aiding the continuation of slavery, although they take a far
more passive approach. By contributing to the problem, the cycle of slavery will continue with no end.
By holding northerners accountable, Jacobs hopes they take an active approach to ending the
sufferings of the African American people. Jacobs is also bringing to light the “Catch 22” that comes
with suppressing a culture. By not allowing the black man to flourish, they will forever be inferior to
the white man.
Jacobs knows that some of the most dangerous people are those who hide behind Christianity.
Many slave owners, such as Dr. Flint, are well respected in their community. They are church goers by
day, and slave torturers by night. In order to spark change, the “Christian slave owner” must be seen in
a different and far darker light. When she quotes the preacher who says, “Tis the devil who tempts you.
God is angry with you, and will surely punish you, if you don’t forsake your wicked ways. You that
live in town are eyeservants behind your master’s back. Instead of serving your masters faithfully,
which is pleasing in the sight of your heavenly Master, you are idle, and shirk your work. God sees
you. You tell lies. God hears you (Chapter 13. Pg 84),” she enlightens the reader on some of the sins
committed by these highly touted people. Slave owners are not only taking away their freedom but
their spirituality as well. These sermons were aimed to break the slave’s sense of being and destroy any
sense of self. Their faith is stripped from them through their ignorance and they are left wondering how
God could be good to “such sinful creatures.”
The hypocrisy behind the so called “Christian” slave owners is best documented in the
character of Mrs. Flint. She valued herself as a woman who worshiped God. However, she was not
only quick tempered, but cruel. Jacobs accuses her of slowly killing Aunt Nancy through years of
abuse. Jacobs also uses Mrs. Flint’s hardships in her husband’s disgraced marriage vows as a
measuring tool for the reader to gage just how shameful a sexually abused slave feels when she says,
“She was incapable of feeling for the condition of shame and misery in which her unfortunate, helpless
slave was placed (Chapter 6. Pg 43).”
Although the likes of Frederick Douglass among many former slaves came forward with some
of their own personal hardships, Harriet Jacobs felt it was time to expose the darkest secrets behind
even the most “privileged” slave. Because the physical torture had been pretty well documented, she
felt it necessary to dig deeper into the inhumanity of slave owners in order to induce change. She
describes a slave being beautiful as being their “greatest curse (Chapter 5. Pg 37).” As a slave, there
was no protection from the sexual abuse that loomed daily. While free young girls greatest childhood
memories may include playing or other positive experiences, the slave girl’s strongest memory will
inevitably be of trembling “when she hears her master’s footfall.” What many take for granted is the
blessed act of a young child learning to read and write. However, Jacobs recalls Dr. Flint using this
“accomplishment” to further “advance his favorite scheme (Chapter 6. Pg 41),” and bring raising the
bar of his tortuous sexual abuse. It is through these traumatic experiences that a slave’s spirit is
continuously broken daily. At times, out of desperation, they are forced to choose the lesser of two
evils, and disobey their morals.
The character of Mr. Sands plays a vital role as the “kindlier” slave master. Jacobs is put into a
position where she has no choice but to succumb to her reality and by whatever means necessary, do
whatever she can to survive. She chooses to begin a relationship with Mr. Sands, although she does not
love him, in hopes of freeing herself from the wrath of Dr. Flint. Although she is ashamed for sleeping
with a man she does not love, she hopes the reader will understand her desperation. Although Mr.
Sands promises to free the children they share, whom he does not acknowledge as truly his own, he
fails his assurance on many occasions, most likely due to the financial security that comes with owning
slaves. Through his actions, or inactions, it is clear that even the sacredness of parenthood is severely
compromised by the tyranny of slavery.
Jacob’s travel to England plays a major role in allowing the reader to understand how desperate
African American’s are for a chance at a normal life. Prior to her visit, she had heard the terrible tales
of the oppressed poor in Europe. But when she finally witnessed this with her own eyes, she
concluded, “I felt that the condition of even the meanest and most ignorant among them was vastly
superior to the condition of the most favored slaves in America (Chapter 37. Pgs 205-06).” I found this
compelling because she again finds another comparison that the readers can use to fully understand her
previous hardships. The passage also enlightens the reader of just how desperately Jacobs longs for a
normal and free life.
It is clear that Harriet Jacobs uses her novel as a peaceful plea to the people who hold political
power. Knowing that many who favor slavery will read and dissect her story for the purpose of
discrediting it, she digs dip into her soul and reveals all of her darkest secrets. I strongly believe that if
she were able to sway only one person against slavery, she would have considered herself greatly
successful. Today, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, serves as a voice for an entire time period in
America’s history, and will continue to do so for years to come.