A Plight for Freedom

During a time of immense struggle for independence and abolition, women of the 1860’s like Linda, the main character in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, employed the power of voice and reason to spread the message of slavery across the Free States and Slave States alike. Although Linda was thrown into slavery at a young age, she chose to speak up to her master regardless of the beatings that ensued, and also chose to run away and fight for her freedom regardless of the search parties her master was gathering. “When separations come by the hand of death, the pious soul can bow in resignation...but when the ruthless hand of man strikes the blow, regardless of the misery he causes, it is hard to be submissive” (Jacobs, Pg. 772). Because Linda is an African American woman whose mother was also a slave, she is forced be sold into slavery and from then on she battled several social contexts. Starting with race and culture, her mixed racial skin tone, known as “mulatto,” contributed to the lack of prospects for her to “lead a better life.” The entire problem of slavery came about in the 1860’s because of the culture clash between African Americans and the social hierarchy and class structure of the White folks. For example, when Linda fell in love with a free black man, she mentioned she could never marry him or leave her slave because “the husband of a slave has no power to protect her.” Therefore, African American men were still considered lower in gender roles to the White man, and the African American slave woman was the lowest in social classes. Although society says that African American woman must be the housekeepers, the slaves, the cleaners, Linda resists those roles completely - which is why the reader connects so strongly to her plight for freedom. When her master hits her for the first time, Linda speaks her mind and says, “You have tried to kill me, and I wish you had; but you have no right to do as you like with me.” African American slave women speaking up in such a way at that time was nonexistent, which is one of the reasons why Jacobs was trying to teach women in her situation to escape. Also, Linda is willing to speak up about her race and her love with her husband, as her master calls them puppies and she responds, “If he is a puppy, I am a puppy, for we are both of the negro race. It is right and honorable for us to love each other. The man you call a puppy never insulted me, sir; and he would not love me if he did not believe me to be a virtuous woman” (Jacobs, Pg. 774). The painful memories of Linda’s past makes my heart ache in sadness for the hardships African American woman had to endure because of the color of their skin, yet it inspires me that we have a culture today that, for the most part, provides equal treatment and happiness for all.