Article Report On The Of A Slave Girl - 1169 Words

Ducharme 1 Hunter Ducharme Professor Robinson History 1301 15 April 2015 Incidents in The Life of a Slave Girl I. Theme: The Struggle for Freedom a. The struggle for freedom was one of extreme pain, misery, and constant stress. In chapters 17-20 Linda makes her first attempt at escaping from Dr. Flint’s chains and undergoes a grueling experience. She gets bit by a poisonous snake while hiding in some bushes, is under 24/7 stress by the thought of putting her family in danger, and also trying to remain concealed from her pursuers. The struggle for freedom usually entitled a very difficult position for the runaway slaves due to not knowing the conditions of their families after leaving, as well as their own personal struggles of fighting†¦show more content†¦For example, in chapter 32 Linda writes to Dr. Flint to discuss the possibility of her sale, and asked him â€Å"†¦ to state the lowest terms on which he would sell [her]† (153), because by law she still was the property of his daughter. In response to her request, Dr. Flint states she must return herself to her â€Å"†¦ rightful owners, then any request [she] might make would be granted† (153). II. Theme: The Preservation of the Family a. This self-narrative is as much about family bondage as it is about slavery. The theme of family is all throughout the book and is a major part of Linda’s life, as well as all slaves in general. Aunt Martha, Linda’s grandmother, has an astounding love for her children and grandchildren--so much so, that she was willing to open a baking business where each year she put some profits aside in order to â€Å"†¦ purchase her children† (Jacobs 7). The love and preservation of family can also be seen in chapters 26-29 when Linda faces many internal struggles after numerous events occur in her family. Accompanied by the death of Aunt Nancy, learning that she may not ever see her children again, hearing that William escaped from Mr. Sand’s captivity, and almost being discovered by Jenny, Linda decides to make a second attempt at securing her freedom. After being hidden in a shed attic for seven years, she decides she will not be able to endure it anymore if she doesn’t have the comforting nature of being able to see