The document is a summary of chapters from the book "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" by Harriet Jacobs. It discusses several themes related to slavery such as slaves being treated as property without emotions, slaves putting their faith in God for hope of freedom, the dangers faced by slave women, and Linda's eventual escape to the North and gaining of freedom for herself and her children with the help of Mrs. Bruce.

1. Leena Ketkar

2. The New Master and Mistress “ This was blasphemous doctrine for a slave to teach; presumptuous in him, and dangerous to the masters” (19). Having a slave who can think on their own and is capable of more then manual labor is a threat to their owners Once slaves become educate they have the mental capacity to cause a scene and become unfaithful in their duties

3. The Slave Who Dared to Feel Like a Man “ When he told me that I was made for his use, made to obey his command in every thing; that I was nothing but a slave, whose will must and should surrender to his, never before had my puny arm felt half so strong” (29). Cutting through the hope of the slaves, the owners are able to decrease the slave’s mental strength, making them even more valuable to the owner. A slave who thinks nothing and blindly does as he/she is told is indispensible.

4. "Put your trust in God. Be humble, my child, and your master will forgive you” (36). They must put their faith in God, because that is their only hope of being saved or freed.

5. The Lover “ Well, I'll soon convince you whether I am your master, or the nigger fellow you honor so highly. If you must have a husband, you may take up with one of my slaves”(61). To their owners, slaves could not have any emotions of feelings. They could only act and feel as they were told to.

6. A Perilous Passage in the Slave Girl’s Life “ The influences of slavery had had the same effect on me that they had on other young girls; they had made me prematurely knowing, concerning the evil ways of the world. I knew what I did, and I did it with deliberate calculations” (83). The slave owners unsuccessfully rid the slaves of emotion in feeling. Instead they mutated their thoughts to negative and harsh ones.

7. The Church and Slavery “ Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ” (106). Following the Nat Turner insurrection, the town thought it best to allow slaves a religious outlet to guide them. Ironically, the church service provided on behalf of the slaves was sided in that it promoted subservience.

8. Another Link to Life “ When they told me my new-born babe was a girl, my heart was heavier than it had ever been before. Slavery is terrible for men; but it is far more terrible for women” (119). Not only was Mr. Flint especially mean towards her and her decisions, but she knew that the child she bore would most likely lead a life of unfairness, similar to hers.

9. The Flight “ I was about to risk every thing on the throw of a die; and if I failed, to what would become of me and my poor children? They would be made to suffer for my fault” (146). Life as a slave was so bad that the risk of fleeing was worth it.

10. New Perils Linda’s uncle was jailed as she hid underneath the floorboards of her grandmother’s house Then she decided to flee from the vicinity, and to try and go north.

11. The Candidate for Congress “ My friends feared I should become a cripple for life; and I was so weary of my long imprisonment that, had it not been for the hope of serving my children, I should have been thankful to die; but, for their sake, I was willing to bear on” (192).

12. Competition in Cunning In order to keep Mr. Flint on nerves edge, Linda would write letters and have them mailed as if from New York City “ The mayor of Boston won't trouble himself to hunt niggers for Dr. Flint. The letters will do good in the end. I shall get out of this dark hole some time or other“(198).

13. Preparations for Escape She had lived in basically a hole for seven years while the white world thought she had run away She decides to finally run away before she too dies a slave, just as her aunt had

14. Incidents in Philadelphia "they could not be had for any money. They don't allow colored people to go in the first-class cars“ (247). This was Linda’s first taste of discrimination in Philadelphia, where she ended up after she got off the ship that helped her flee.

15. Fugitive Slave Law Linda learns that Mr. Flint is looking for her, so she decides to move to New England in the country. That lasts only a month until she learns that he has ceased search, so she returns to NYC

16. FREEDOM “ But God so orders circumstances as to keep me with my friend Mrs. Bruce. Love, duty, gratitude, also bind me to her side. It is a privilege to serve her who pities my oppressed people, and who has bestowed the inestimable boon of freedom on me and my children” (303). Mrs. Bruce buys freedom for Linda and her children, and she is forever grateful.