The document discusses the perspectives of students about slavery and its implications through references to 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' by Harriet Beecher Stowe and 'Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl' by Harriet Jacobs. Key themes include the complicated relationship between slaves and their masters, the suffering of enslaved women, and the notion that slavery may have paradoxically benefited both parties involved. Additionally, it highlights the emotional and physical struggles faced by characters like Uncle Tom and Linda Brent, emphasizing the brutality and moral dilemmas within the institution of slavery.

1. Please also respond to the following classmates. initial posts
and bring together pieces of the discussion and take those ideas
further. These responses should be at least 150 words.
Student 1
Part I
Every nation has had its share of history that the people are not
proud of. Slavery was abolished over 100 years ago. At the time
of the trade it was very profitable for the traders and for
plantation owners. The American Civil War was partially
caused by slavery, as the war ended slavery was abolished by
the United States Congress on December 6, 1865. In “Uncle
Tom’s Cabin” Augustine St. Clare believed that slavery is worse
for the master because it had a negative impact on them. There
were some slave owners that actually took care of their slaves
but the human factor played in their minds. For the money and
profits the master were pro slavery but for the inhumane
treatment some were not too comfortable with it. There was a
concept of the slaves being better off with the masters, this
concept was made after slavery was abolished. After the passing
of the 13
th
Amendment the Emancipation Proclamation came about which
allowed slaves to be paid for their work. Many believed the
slaves should have stayed with the master because most of them
were uneducated, didn’t know what to do with money, starting a
life would have been difficult. Some former slaves stayed on
plantations and worked in exchange for food and clothes.
Part II
From the book “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” Harriet

2. Jacobs described life of a slave girl that dealt with real life
issues. Linda Brent faced issues concerning her children and
being sold off to other slave owners. Children that were born
into faced the possibility of being sold off because it was
profitable and they belong to the masters. As Linda Brent
gained freedom she faced the unknown of being in the world
with her children. The women in the North did not understand
the brutality for women in the South especially slaves, women
in the South constantly faced sexual abuse. Girls were forced to
commit sexual acts and becoming pregnant as a result of the
abuse. The physical abuse was sometimes unbearable for Dr.
Flint “When Dr. Flint learned that I was again to be a mother,
he was exasperated beyond measure. He rushed from the house,
and returned with a pair of shears. I had a fine head of hair; and
he often railed about my pride of arranging it nicely. He cut
every hair close to my head, storming and swearing all the time.
I replied to some of his abuse, and he struck me. Some months
before, he had pitched me down stairs in a fit of passion; and
the injury I received was so serious that I was unable to turn
myself in bed for many days. He then said, "Linda, I swear by
God I will never raise my hand against you again;" but I knew
that he would forget his promise.” Linda and the rest of the
slave girls showed strength in order to survive.
Work cite:
"Harriet Ann Jacobs.Incidents in the Life of a Slavegirl."
Harriet Ann Jacobs.Incidents in the Life of a Slavegirl. N.p.,
2003. Web. 14 June 2016.
Student 2
Professor and fellow classmates,
Part 1)
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
, authored by Harriet Beecher Stowe, was written during an era
in which slavery was both socially and politically accepted
although some did feel that it was unethical and not morally

3. right to own an individual as property. And some slave holders
believed that as long as their slaves were taken care of, fed,
housed, and not abused, that their conscious was clear. The
main character in
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
, Uncle Tom, is sold a few different times and the personal
connection between the slave holders and Uncle Tom is where
the notion that slavery is worse for the master than the slave
comes from. For example, in
Chapter VII
, when Mr. and Mrs. Shelby first sell Uncle Tom as a resolution
for debt, they both felt annoyed and degraded with the new
owner because although they realize that slavery breaks up the
home and family, it was a necessity that had to be done. Mr.
Shelby tells Tom to mind himself for the new master and Toms’
question of “now I jist ask you, Mas’r, have I ever broke word
to you, or gone contrary to you, ’specially since I was a
Christian?”, brought tears to Mr. Shelby’s eyes (385). Further
evidence to support this notion is in
Chapter XIX
of
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
. In this chapter, St. Clare and Miss Ophelia are discussing the
injustices of slavery yet offer no solutions to the problem.
Although St. Clare was raised to value the people that served
him as individuals rather than slaves (391), he did not let his
slaves go but instead, “[had] them to help spend money … [so
as to not] … look quite so ugly to [the owning of slaves] …
(393). Furthermore, St. Clare states that “we all know better”
(392) and that “[he finds] many men who, in their hearts, think
of it just as [he does]. The land groans under it; and, bad as it is
for the slave, it is worse, if anything, for the master” (394)
because the aristocrats and capitalist of England “do not mingle
with the class they degrade as we do. They are in our houses;
they are the associates of our children, and they form their
minds faster than we can; for they are a race that children

4. always will cling to and assimilate with”(394). “But it’s no
apology for slavery, to prove it is n’t worse than some other bad
thing” (392). Slave holders such as St. Clare and Miss Ophelia
are aware of the immoralities of the slave system, but still
practice owning other humans. Lastly, when Uncle Tom was
beaten by his master Legree in
Chapter XL
, there was only a small notion
that slavery is worse for the master than the slave and that was
in the moment before a “hesitating pause,—one irresolute,
relenting thrill,—and the spirit of evil came back, with
sevenfold vehemence; and Legree, foaming with rage, smote his
victim to the ground” (396). However right before that,
“Legree stood aghast, and looked at Tom; and there was such a
silence that the tick of the old clock could be heard, measuring,
with silent touch, the last moments of mercy and probation to
that hardened heart (396)” because Uncle Tom said “Do the
worst you can, my troubles’ll be over soon; but if ye don’t
repent yours won’t
never
end” (396)! Legree understands the immorality of beating
Uncle Tom but still continues to do it. In essence, the slave
holders, as well as the slave, are supported in Stowes’
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
as being both victims to the slave system.
Part 2)
There were quite a few struggles that Linda Brent faced within
“Incidents in a Life of a Slave Girl” written by Harriet Jacobs.
Although Linda was not severely beaten or worked to death,
she was often sexually harassed and verbally abused by her
master Dr. Flint, endured abuses from her masters jealous wife,
lost her virtues/purities while being held to a higher standard
than what she was allowed to live up to, and was in constant
fear concerning the wellbeing of her children. Linda’s situation
was (unfortunately) typical of young southern slave girls who

5. worked for masters in the 1800’s. For example, Linda’s master
reminded her at 15 that she “was his property … [and that she
was subjected] … to his will in all things” (Perkins 404). And
at times her master threaten her with death, she still had hopes
“of somehow getting out of his clutches” (Jacobs 406). Linda
Brent also has to deal with the abuses of a jealous wife in that
when Mrs. Flint cross-examined Linda about the sleeping
arrangements’ with Dr. Flint, not only did Mrs. Flint feel that
“her marriage vows were desecrated, her dignity insulted” …
[but] … she pitied herself as a martyr; but she was incapable of
feeling for the condition of shame and misery in which her
unfortunate, helpless slave was placed” (408). Furthermore,
Linda could not choose a love or better yet, marry for it.
Instead she had to enter into a sexual relationship with a white
attorney, who later fathered her two children, and promised
Linda to buy them from Dr. Flint (Perkins 404). Linda’s
statement that she “would ten thousand times rather that my
children should be the half-starved paupers of Ireland than to be
the most pampered among the slaves of America” (Jacobs 406)
shows her concern for her children. This comes from the hard
truths that children of slaves were considered to be the legal
property of their mothers’ masters (Perkins 404). Linda
eventually overcame the struggles she endured as a slave and
was once again reunited with her children when she escaped to
the North in 1842 (Perkins 405). While many slaves were
treated in ways beyond comparison, the prejudices of women is
often forgotten or over looked, especially in this era. “Give me
Liberty, or give me death” (Jacobs 413).
Works Cited
Jacobs, Harriet.
From
”Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl;
VI: The Jealous Mistress
.”
The American Tradition in Literature.

6. Vol. 2, 12
th
ed. Eds. George Perkins and Barbara Perkins. Boston: McGraw
Hill. Pgs. 406-410 Vital Bookshelf.
Jacobs, Harriet.
From
”Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl;
XVIII: Months of Peril
.”
The American Tradition in Literature.
Vol. 2, 12
th
ed. Eds. George Perkins and Barbara Perkins. Boston: McGraw
Hill. Pgs. 410-412 Vital Bookshelf.
Perkins, George, and Barbara Perkins.
The American Tradition in Literature, Volume 2
. 12th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill. Pgs. 404-05 Vital Bookshelf.
Stowe, Harriet Beecher.
From Uncle Tom’s Cabin; Chapter VII: The Mother’s Struggle.
The American Tradition in Literature.
Vol. 2, 12
th
ed. Eds. George Perkins and Barbara Perkins. Boston: McGraw
Hill. Pgs. 381-390 Vital Bookshelf.
Stowe, Harriet Beecher.
From Uncle Tom’s Cabin; Chapter XIX: Miss Opehlia’s
Experiences and Opinions, Continued. The American Tradition
in Literature.
Vol. 2, 12
th
ed. Eds. George Perkins and Barbara Perkins. Boston: McGraw
Hill. Pgs. 391-396 Vital Bookshelf.
Stowe, Harriet Beecher.
From Uncle Tom’s Cabin; Chapter XL: The Martyr. The
American Tradition in Literature.
Vol. 2, 12

7. th
ed. Eds. George Perkins and Barbara Perkins. Boston: McGraw
Hill. Pgs. 395-397 Vital Bookshelf.
Student 3
Part I
Augustine St Clare, shares his opinion about slavery based on
his status and history as a slave owner. He is able to draw a
comparison between slaves in America and workers in England.
He does not disagree that it is bad for the slave but in his
opinion he has the entire management cycle of his “property”.
This to him is most bothersome. I don’t doubt that he
appreciates the work that they do for him and the profit he
makes as a result of this. He has never had to work a hard day’s
labor ever in his life due to his status. At that time it would be
an acceptable notion to be bothered by having to manage your
working population on the farm, in the South. I think I would be
aligned to how the northerners at the time treated African
Americans. They are just as important to society and want to
make a valuable contribution.
Part II
“Sometimes I so openly expressed my contempt for him that he
would become violently enraged, and I wondered why he did
not strike me.”(Jacobs.406) Linda Brent faced many challenges
with both Mr. and Mrs. Flint. Mr. Flint was prone to fits of rage
at a moment’s notice. For a slave that could be absolutely
terrifying. Mrs. Flint was extremely jealous of the affection that
Mr. Flint showed towards Linda. “I had entered my sixteenth
year, and every day it became more apparent that my presence
was intolerable to Mrs. Flint. Angry words frequently passed
between her and her husband.”(Jacobs.407) She was constantly
subjected to public accusations of the crimes of her master. As
if she was the one fabricating lies. It seemed that a no point did
she have a consistent read on her masters. To me that would
have been the most unnerving thing.

8. Works Cited
Jacobs, Harriet. “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl”
American Lit before the Civil War
. Ed. George Perkins. Boston: McGraw Hill. McGraw-Hill
Learning
Solution
s, 10/2014. VitalSource Bookshelf Online
Student 4
Part 1
The notion that slavery benefits the slave more than the master
is a genius of a public relations gambit. If ever in a position
where I need to sell a product I want a marketing firm with the
same vigor and cunning as the person or persons who spawned
this idea. That being said, it certainly took at out of touch and
surely less than moral thinking to believe this to be true.
While he despises the practice of slavery for profit, Augustine
begins to show this odd notion of a positive side of slavery
being good for the slave. While speaking of his brother he
admits “his slaves are better off than a large class of the
population of England” (Stowe 393). In this we see him
essentially telling Miss Ophelia that while slavery is bad, it
could be worse for the slaves.
We see deeper evidence buried in Augustine’s talk of how “the

9. capitalist and aristocrat of England” (Stowe 394) “do not mingle
with the class they degrade as we do” (Stowe 394). Augustine
is essentially saying that because slaves are allowed to have
contact of all sorts with the masters their lives are being
bettered. This is to the detriment of the masters as it will
eventually lead to the slaves being freed or rising up to gain
their freedom.
Part 2
Our poor slave girl faces many perils and challenges in this
story. We are introduced in the very beginning to the
underlying and most sinister of them. Our heroine is forced to
walk a fine line with her master. She must keep him, and his
nefarious advances, at arms length without alienating him so
much as to fall completely out of favor. His advances are
evidenced by the notes that were “often slipped into my hand”
(Jacobs 406). She fends him off by saying “I can’t read them,
sir’ (Jacobs 406). While not strictly stated it is apparent these
notes contain somewhat suggestive topics. Playing the part of
the rock to the master’s hard place is the mistress. The mistress
presents another challenge as the young slave is seen as a
challenge to the Mr. and Mrs. Flint’s marriage. This precarious
position puts her in constant turmoil as she tries to please both
without giving either cause to punish or cast her out of the
house.

10. This brings us to the most obvious challenge our poor Slave
Girl faces. This is a choice of staying or escaping her master's
home and leaving her children behind, unable to protect them.
That she chooses to flee says a great deal about the severity of
the situation she is facing.
Works Cited
Stowe, Harriet. “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”
American Lit before the Civil War
. Ed. George Perkins. Boston: McGraw Hill. McGraw-Hill
Learning