What Was More Significant in Shaping Harriet Jacob’s Experiences: Her Race or Her Gender?
Harriet Ann Brent Jacobs, the author of the book titled “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl,” was born in Edenton, North Carolina in the year 1813. Growing up in an enslaved family, she only came to realize that her family members were indeed slaves at the age of six. At an early age, she was sold off to Horniblow and from there, her journey as a slave started. While at her owner, Harriet learned how to read and write. Looking at all the turmoil the African-Americans were going through as slaves especially the women, Harriet narrated the occurrences in her book from 1853 to 1858. The book was later published in 1861(Jacobs 2). There were various motivation factors that led her to writing the book including her gender and race. This paper will discuss the most significant factor that shaped Harriet’s experiences.
Harriet Jacobs begins off her book by talking about the driving force behind her narration. “She used its difference to the woman’s advantage. “Her self -consciously gendered and thoroughly feminist narrative criticizes slavery for corrupting the morals” (8). She further says, “She lays the groundwork for the analysis of black womanhood” (8). In the introduction of the novel, the author declares that the narrative would be in favor of the woman especially the black woman.Gender significantly shaped Harriet Jacobs experiences and encouraged her to go ahead and put her story in to writing.
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During her early years as a slave, the lady she worked for was so kind to her. She allowed her learn how to knit clothes. On the other hand, she was treated so well. The duties assigned to her were simple and manageable. She would also sit with her owner as she did her sewing “no toilsome or disagreeable duties were imposed upon me. The mistress was so kind; “I was glad and proud to labor for her as much as my younger years would permit. I would sit by her side for hours sewing diligently with a heart free-born as that of the white child” (9). The lady owner was not cruel to her. Slaves at that time were treated badly but Harriet was compensated with kindness for the work she did.
Harriet’s father went out of his way to teach them the value of identity, of knowing oneself. It was illegal for a slave to feel as a human being but her father took the risk and taught them all they needed to know about one self “moreover, they thought he had spoiled his children, by teaching them to feel that they were human beings. This was blasphemous doctrine for a slave to teach; presumptuous in him and dangerous to the masters” (12). He took up his role as a man and a father to teach and guide his children despite the consequences attached to it. I believe his move encouraged the author. It taught her that you need to take up your roles no matter the consequences that await you, provided it is the right thing.
The author also displays the ignorance of the white women. They were willing to give up their daughters for marriage to the slave masters, who were white. The author was bitter on seeing this; she wondered how someone’s daughter would be able to live with such a cruel person, the master “Reader, I draw no imaginary pictures of southern homes, I am telling you the whole truth, back in to the den, full of men’s bones and all uncleanliness. Nay, more, they are not only willing, but proud, to give their daughters in marriage to slaveholders” (39). Harriet was interested in addressing the women, especially the white women to understand the cruelty the masters possessed and stop giving away their daughters for marriage because the white man was not interested in marrying an African-American.
The black people and especially the black woman fell valueless. The author brings out the issue 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 the white men compel him to live” (49). She refers to the African-American population as ‘black man’. The author wanted the black man to feel superior. She wanted them to take up their roles as human beings, to stop feeling inferior and be in a position where they are able to make their own decisions. She makes the whole system of slavery look undesirable. I believe the message she wanted people to get was that they are not inferior and nobody should make them feel that way.
The woman was also viewed as an object “the future generations will learn from it that women were articles of traffic in New York” (223). As the author was finally released from slavery, she had a mixture of feelings. She had seen how the woman was treated as an object in terms of being auctioned for sale, to the level of a very old woman (9). During slavery, the women were exchanged for money. She says a word of encouragement to the reader. Her book would be a point of reference to the future woman. She thinks her book would be of encouragement to the future generation, especially the woman.
Throughout the discussion, it can be seen that the whole book or the experiences of the author were based on gender. She talks about how the woman was treated and how the men took up their roles, especially her father. The book sheds some light and hope to mankind. Indeed it creates a foundation for the future generation. In conclusion, gender played a very significant role on shaping the experiences of the author.
Reference:
Jacobs, H. (2000). Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl . 1-312. Print.
