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When Jacobs was transferred to the Norcoms, the reality of slavery suddenly hit the author hard because prior to her being sold to them she enjoyed a relatively happy childhood in a secure home environment. Dr. Norcom frequently made advances on Jacobs and she was forced to find solace in the arms of a white lawyer to help resist Dr. Norcom. She had two children by the lawyer, and was separated from them. Being separated from her parents and then from her children is a poignant dimension of slavery that Jacobs explicates in the narrative. Moreover, Jacobs describes the insidious psychological abuse that many domestic servants endured.
Jacobs also explains what might be new information for many readers: the different types of slavery and different ways slavery manifested. Not all slaves were field workers and not all slaves were treated poorly. Some, like her parents at the outset of the novel, were permitted to enjoy their home and family life. Others, like the narrator's grandmother, were emancipated. More importantly to the narrative, however, the Norcom family proves to be the quintessential slave owners: cruel and abusive. Slaves are treated as sub-humans and can suffer from physical, emotional, and sexual abuse without any protection from the law. In fact, Jacobs also explores an important historical corollary to slavery: the Fugitive Slave Law. Under that law, any escaped slaves would be returned to their owners and most likely would suffer severe abuse for their having ran away. Because the law was in place and Jacobs could...
In some ways that period was like imprisonment but her self-imposed confinement was still a taste of freedom.
Religion and spiritual salvation are ancillary themes in Jacobs' narrative too. Although she does not dwell overly much on religious issues the author makes it clear tht Christianity is a powerful force for the minds of slaves: offering hope in the worst of times. The fight for freedom and the need to pull through tough times is another core theme of Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Freedom is hard-fought, as Jacobs points out. Her willingness to live in an attic for seven years, her ability to endure seemingly endless suffering, and her subsequent struggle to have her voice heard are the inspiring themes that make Jacobs' narrative an enduring piece of literature. One of Jacobs' messages is that not even slavery can subdue the human spirit.
Harriet Jacobs' Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is an interesting, historically relevant book that is easy to read and accessible to all readers. The book has no significant flaws and integrates well into our course material about the antebellum years. Course material should include references to the specific experiences of female slaves, and Jacobs' work is essential in bringing those issues to light in the classroom.
Works Cited
Jacobs, Harriet. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. In Norton Anthology of American Literature, 7th Edition, Vol. B. pp. 1809.
Works Cited
Jacobs, Harriet. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. In Norton Anthology of American Literature, 7th Edition, Vol. B. pp. 1809.
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