Harriet Jacobs Journal

Tanya Barragan
Scott Lankford
English 48A

Harriet Jacobs10/20/11

AUTHOR’S QUOTE

“I come to a period in my unhappy life, which I would gladly forget if I could. The remembrance fills me with sorrow and shame. It pains me to tell you of it; but I have promised to tell you the truth, and I will do it honestly, let it cost me what it may.” (1816)

INTERNET QUOTE

“Male narratives generally followed a strictly chronological format, focusing on the narrator’s life as he relates the story of his journey from slavery to freedom. In contrast, Jacobs’ narrative focuses on “Incidents” in her life. Moreover, instead of following a strictly chronological pattern, Jacobs often interrupts her narrative to address social or political issues such as the church and slavery or the impact of the Fugitive Slave Law in runaways. Consequently, her narrative did not fit the pattern of the “authentic” (male) narrative.”

 http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/Incidents-in-the-Life-of-a-Slave-Girl-About-Incidents-in-the-Life-of-a-Slave-Girl.id-31.html

SUMMARY

Incidents in Life of a Slave Girl, by Jacobs is a story of a young girl living a wonderful life not knowing of any cruelty and the fact that she will one day that she will be a slave. As life changes for her; as she becomes a slave, a life is taken away through cruel and harsh times for her. Regardless of what she is going through she sees more in the world and dreams of better life. Her life came with ups and downs. As good is the beginning of her life, the bad takes it’s toll for many years, to only awaken to the reality of a better life; which would be her freedom.

YOUR IDEAS/REACTIONS/RESPONSES TO THE AUTHOR’S IDEAS

The ideas that I got from the story, was the fact the the author wanted to get out the truth of her life and what she had been through; if they were happy, sad, and even hard times for her. All that what she had been through was a meaning of her life and what would become of it. My reactions to the story were sadden by the truth of what happened to this young girl. Coming from a happy life, from her mother and the mistress, she ends up in a life that was unknown to her. But not only was I sad ,I was mad because of how she was treated and what many slave women went through in those times. Having a life taken from you, to only help out those who get to live a life of freedom. Not being able to fall love, or going out somewhere because it wasn't allowed and always having to get permission to do something. This was not fair and pissed me off because that is someone’ life that you are messing with. I know that this was how those times were, but that doe’t mean I have to like it. My response to author’s ideas is that she just wanted to share her life with the “Reader” as she kept referring to thr reader in her story. I really think that she wanted us to get an understanding of her life and what she had to go through. She wanted us to see the best of her life; as to the things that made her smile and happy and the hard times, which broke her and she was not proud of, but would make her life in the end. I think that she did a great job at telling her story because I could hear what she was saying.