Harriet Jacobs and Linda Brent - Book Report/Review Example

Harriet Jacobs and Linda Brent The character analysis 2007 Harriet Jacobs wrote her narration under the pseudonym of Linda Brent. The whole novel isa polemic autobiography, which has an aim of describing “the depth of degradation involved in that word, SLAVERY”, in order to make northerners, who “know nothing at all about slavery”, become aware of its horrors. Jacobs appeals to the “careless daughters” of the North, who, she believes, “would never cease their efforts until so horrible a system was overthrown”. The character of Linda Brent (that is the author herself) cannot be analyzed the same way one would analyze a character in a play. Yet, the polemic of the novel often distorts our perception of the heroine, driving the focuses from the multidimensional nature of a really existing human being to her reactions to the conditions of her slave life. It is preferable to analyze Harriet Jacobs’ (Linda Brent’) personality with the help of psychology. Linda’s childhood was happy and serene till she was six. Born in a family of beautiful and intelligent mulattoes, she “was so fondly shielded” that she never dreamed she was “a piece of merchandise, trusted to them for safe keeping, and liable to be demanded of them at any moment” (11-12). The death of her mother was the first blow. Then she learnt she was a slave. Yet, Linda did not realize the entire sense of the word for the following six years. She was taken to the house of her mistress, the foster sister of her mother, who treated the girl well and taught her to read and write, though it was forbidden by law. Though the mistress tried to replace the girl’s dead mother, she did not keep her promise to give freedom to the girl and her brother. This was a bitter truth poisoning the girl’s perception of the mistress. I would give much to blot out from my memory that one great wrong. As a child, I loved my mistress; and, looking back on the happy days I spent with her, I try to think with less bitterness of this act of injustice. While I was with her, she taught me to read and spell; and for this privilege, which so rarely falls to the lot of a slave, I bless her memory (16). These lines convey the inner conflict, which Linda continued experiencing even as a grown-up. On the one hand, she understood that that her mistress behaved like most of whites, that she, Linda, was only a kind of a doll for the woman, who played with her without really caring of her. On the other hand, the mistress was Linda’s substitution of the dead mother, and Linda strove for happy recollections of her childhood, not desiring to remember the bad. The circumstances of early years of Linda’s life, so unusual for slaves, contributed much to the independent character of a girl, who felt a lady, equal to the white. Though an orphan and betrayed by the woman she loved, the girl had enough time to adopt the sensation of the free life. All the family members had strong independent characters, feeling of self pride and dignity. Uncle Benjamin served as an example of how a slave should feel and behave. Linda’s ability to read and write gave her another advantage over the rest of the black community: she knew the truth about the state of affairs in the country, reading papers. Later, her ability to write gave her a possibility to ‘compete in cunning’ with Dr. Flint. Thus Linda’s background and childhood became the basis for her free-loving nature. However, the same unusual circumstances made Linda psychologically weak and vulnerable. In comparison with most of slaves the girl learnt little woe, yet she felt deeply wounded by the wrongs caused to her. The girl was romantic and sentimental. She cared much for the mistrust and jealous escapades of Mrs. Flint and suffered Dr. Flint’s persecution, though the man did nothing but whispered into her ear and followed her everywhere, as if he was her shadow. She was timid to tell everything to her grandmother, who would have certainly stopped Dr. Flint’s importunity. As Jacobs wrote about herself: “If the girl is of a sensitive nature, timidity keeps her from answering truthfully, and this well-meant course has a tendency to drive her from maternal counsels” (87). Perceiving herself as sensitive and timid, Linda had an additional opportunity to justify her actions that contradicted the moral values she was taught. In fact, Linda continues to be weak till the end of the novel. She is constantly hiding behind other people’s backs and is in need of support. She is very indecisive and always needs some stressful impulse to venture any risky step. She is emotionally unstable and often makes a mountain out of a hill, led by her fantasies, fears and anticipations. Linda is striving for love. She tries to find it in all the children, her own or the white ones who she takes care of. She always looks for the substitutions of her early dead mother. The mistress, Linda’s grandmother, Aunt Betty, Mrs. Bruce – they all become surrogate mothers to the girl. She is afraid of staying alone. At the same time the girl was not that innocent. Her choice of Mr. Sands as her lover was dictated by reason. The young man was not married. He was intelligent, kind and noble. Linda hoped that in case she gave birth to his children he would buy them out of slavery. As usual Linda blamed the ‘peculiar institution’ for her own problems: 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 know what I did, and I did it with deliberate calculation (83). This passage reveals the real state of things: it was Linda’s choice to lose her virginity, nobody made her to. The act was a result of ‘deliberate calculation’. Harriet Jacobs believed that slavery was the origin of all her troubles. Whatever foolish things she committed, violating her own Christian beliefs and moral norms, she always had this wonderful defense – I was born a slave. “I feel that the slave woman ought not to be judged by the same standard as others” (86) – she stated. And the reader really believes it, and feels pity on her. The book itself is a reproach to all the northern women, who lived happily in their homes until millions of black girls suffered in slavery. O, ye happy women, whose purity has been sheltered from childhood, who have been free to choose the objects of your affection, whose homes are protected by law, do not judge the poor desolate slave girl too severely! (84) These polemic lines, quoted by all critics, hit their target – the reader’s heart. They are quite fair as to the condition of the majority of black women. At the same time they say much of Linda’s character. She cared much of what people might say about her, but she was still not going to bear response for her life and decisions. This approach to things is a bit childish. Linda considered herself a martyr. Harriet Jacobs was able to see herself in real light. She had an image of how she was to behave and think, and at the moments she remembered this role she acted according to it. So she perceived herself as a brave and decisive woman, able to withstand any horrors and troubles. When after the flight, she hid herself in bushes and was bitten by a reptile, she felt proud that she did not return back to masters even though her leg ached awfully and they didn’t have any medicines. “When I started upon this hazardous undertaking, I had resolved that, come what would, there should be no turning back. "Give me liberty, or give me death," was my motto” (151). Then she hid herself in swamps, swarmed with mosquitoes and snakes, thinking much about her stubbornness and firmness of character. “I had a womans pride, and a mothers love for my children; and I resolved that out of the darkness of this hour a brighter dawn should rise for them... I had a determined will” (130). Jacobs also believed that those feature of hers helped her to survive in the tiny garret, where she spent seven years (unbelievable but the fact). In fact, she seems sooner indecisive and weak, fearful and passive. As a result of this discrepancy between the inner image and real nature, Linda Brent appears before the reader as a mixture of indecisiveness and pride, uncertainty and self-confidence, timidity and hot temper. Since twelve years she was constantly experiencing the psychological conflict of whether she was a free or a slave woman. She spent seven years hidden from her masters, who were sure she was in New York, but continued feeling a slave. When at last she arrived in Philadelphia “the noise of the great city confused” her, but to confirm her freedom she committed her first purchase (the slaves being a possession had no possessions): I found the shops, and bought some double veils and gloves for Fanny and myself. The shopman told me they were so many levies. I had never heard the word before, but I did not tell him so. I thought if he knew I was a stranger he might ask me where I came from. I gave him a gold piece, and when he returned the change, I counted it, and found out how much a levy was (243). That night she “verily believed” herself to be a free woman. Yet, at night she was raised by fire-bells, and led by her slave instincts she jumped up, and hurried on her clothes, while it was usual practice in the places she lived before. Where I came from, every body hastened to dress themselves on such occasions. The white people thought a great fire might be used as a good opportunity for insurrection, and that it was best to be in readiness; and the colored people were ordered out to labor in extinguishing the flames. There was but one engine in our town, and colored women and children were often required to drag it to the rivers edge and fill it (246). Jacobs really felt free only after she was told that $300 had been paid for her freedom. I had objected to having my freedom bought, yet I must confess that when it was done I felt as if a heavy load had been lifted from my weary shoulders. When I rode home in the cars I was no longer afraid to unveil my face and look at people as they passed (301). It is strange, indeed, that a woman, brought up as a lady, in the conditions close to those of free people, a woman, whose parents and uncle felt free human beings, so quickly learnt her role of a slave and could not get rid of it for so long. The novel being a polemic, you’ve got a strange feeling of incongruity between what is stated and what is done by Linda Brent. Jacobs was not a competent writer enough to create a generalized type of a slave girl, and simply narrated of herself and her experiences. Our attempts to analyze Jacobs’ character as a purely fictional one do not provide the full picture of the woman’s character. In this case Linda’s personality seems flat and incomplete, which is not the usual way about fictional characters. Besides, one may find numerous contradictions in her acts and beliefs that are usually interpreted as inner “conflicts”. The focus of the narration on slavery makes us view everything that happened to the girl as a result of her being a slave. Her giving birth to the children from a white man, her flight to freedom and seven years spent in the garret seem to be the events conditioned by slavery. There are detailed explanations to everything from Linda’s position and her argumentation seems firm and serious. Yet, a pensive reader has doubts. Here are some of them. Linda’s position allowed her to remain a virgin, whatever she said about the situation herself. Dr. Flint could simply rape her, but he never dared; he was waiting for her content. Linda could turn to her grandma for help at once. Didn’t she know that sexual relationships cause childbirth? It was obvious that in case of pregnancy she would have to tell the truth to her grandmother anyway, yet she chose this dubious way out of her circumstances. Further, she claimed to be determined to escape to freedom, but stayed in the garret for seven years, almost became a cripple, and all on pretence of impossibility to flight earlier (other slaves managed to do it quicker) or leaving her children (though she couldn’t care of them staying in her concealment). Yet, when given a wonderful chance to escape, Linda suddenly rejected this opportunity, so that her grandmother had to think of a trick with the unlocked door (it was a trick, while how could a woman forget about the door after so much time of being on guard!). For many years Linda dreamt of becoming a real mother to her children and taking care of them. Yet, when united with Ben and Ellen in Boston, Linda suddenly left for England, accompanying a white gentleman and a white child. Certainly, Linda gave reasonable explanations to these acts of hers. However, psychologists of the twentieth century have proved that human brain is always able to find argumentations to support any actions and any world pictures that are convenient and comfortable for us (Adler 1994). A transactional psychoanalytic would predict all the stages of Linda’s life story. She was to repeat the history of her family. The life scenarios are created early in childhood, states Eric Bern. As a rule, children repeat the routes of their grandparents of the same sex, often resisting to them simultaneously (Bern 1975). This is what happened to Linda and this is what causes numerous contradictions in Linda’s views and actions. On the other hand, Linda’s up-brining and education and Dr. Flints prosecutions changed the flow of her life in comparison with the rest of women in her family. Being a beautiful girl, she had all chances to lead a calm life near her masters. Though her grandmother condemned the granddaughter for having lost her virginity with a white man, the family’s history proves that it was a tradition. The grandmother was “a daughter of a South planter”, Linda’s parents, as well as uncles, were mulattoes, which indicates that the grandmother had had them from a white man either. Grandmother’s father granted them freedom; grandmother’s children, though were not free, led a good life till the death of the mistress. Be it not for the Flints, the family could learn almost no troubles of slavery. It must have happened that Linda would give birth to the next generation of mulattoes, and live in a nice little home like those of her grandmother and parents. Though Linda’s fate differed from her grandmother’s one, thee old woman determined the direction of Linda’s actions and decisions. The first influence of hers was Linda’s religious views. “Most earnestly did she strive to make us feel that it was the will of God” (28). She explained to her rebellious son Benjamin: “He had seen fit to place us under such circumstances; and though it seemed hard, we ought to pray for contentment” (28). “It was a beautiful faith, coming from a mother who could not call her children her own”, wrote Jacobs. – “But I, and Benjamin, her youngest boy, condemned it. We reasoned that it was much more the will of God that we should be situated as she was” (28). Linda admits the contradiction herself, when several pages later she tells of how she soothed her brother William. “We must be good; perhaps that would bring us contentment” (29). “While I advised him to be good and forgiving I was not unconscious of the beam in my own eye. It was the very knowledge of my own shortcomings that urged me to retain, if possible, some sparks of my brothers God-given nature” (31). Thus Linda followed and rejected the religious views of her grandmother, often her words contradicting her feelings. The girl could not reconcile with the thought that she was a slave. When Dr. Flint told her that she was “made for his use, made to obey his command in every thing”, and that she was “nothing but a slave, whose will must and should surrender to his” (29), the girl was outraged. Besides, being a bright child, she early learnt the life and could read in human hearts. Numerous psychological portraits and commentaries demonstrate the author’s deep insight into people’s psychology. She was conscious enough to analyze her own attitudes and feelings. “I had not lived fourteen years in slavery for nothing. I had felt, seen, and heard enough, to read the characters, and question the motives, of those around me. The war of my life had begun; and though one of Gods most powerless creatures, I resolved never to be conquered. Alas, for me!” (31). Notwithstanding this strive for freedom and readiness to fight against the unfair social system, it took Linda more than fifteen years to go to the Free States, leaving the land, where the “peculiar institute” was considered normal. We may suggest that it also was the consequence of her grandmother’s influence. Linda’s grandmother persuaded the girl that it was ingratitude and selfishness to think only of one’s own fate even in the conditions of slavery. Fearing of loneliness, she wanted her family to keep together. Pretending to do everything for her children’s good, she was not willing to let them go to the north, leaving her alone. Jacobs describes the scene of Benjamin’s parting with his mother. The lines indicate that the men in the family (this time represented by Benjamin) were less dependent on their female views, yet the bondage was very strong and influenced every step of theirs: Mother and son talked together. He had asked her pardon for the suffering he had caused her. She said she had nothing to forgive; she could not blame his desire for freedom. He told her that when he was captured, he broke away, and was about casting himself into the river, when thoughts of her came over him, and he desisted. She asked if he did not also think of God. I fancied I saw his face grow fierce in the moonlight. He answered, "No, I did not think of him. When a man is hunted like a wild beast he forgets there is a God, a heaven. He forgets every thing in his struggle to get beyond the reach of the bloodhounds" (36). Grandmother was a caring and loving mother, but her love was selfish – she wanted her children to pay back and be attached to her. This often rescued them, but also restrained from acting. Further Linda vividly narrates about her grandmother’s feelings as Ben left. “Benjamin, her youngest, her pet, was forever gone! She could not realize it” (38). The scene obviously left deep trace in the girl’s mind. Since then she was sure that all the relations between mothers and their children should go this way, with much emotions and great suffering. The fact that it was an individual, and not common perception of things, is proved by the utterances of other slave women. So when Linda’s children were taken to jail after her flight, a friend of hers visited them and reported that they were all right. Yet Linda continued worrying and then Old Betty would exclaim, "Lors, chile! whats you crying bout? Dem young uns vil kill you dead. Dont be so chickn hearted! If you does, you vil nebber git thro dis world." (155). When William left Mr. Sands in New York to become free the grandmother was much upset, instead of feeling joy. But her neighbor, who had all her children sold to different places and masters without even knowing their fate, could not understand her reaction:         "O Aggie," she replied, "it seems as if I shouldnt have any of my children or grandchildren left to hand me a drink when Im dying, and lay my old body in the ground. My boy didnt come back with Mr. Sands. He staid at the north."         Poor old Aggie clapped her hands for joy. "Is dat what yous crying fur?" she exclaimed. "Git down on your knees and bress de Lord! I dont know whar my poor chillern is, and I nebber spect to know. You dont know whar poor Lindas gone to; but you do know whar her brudder is. Hes in free parts; and dats de right place. Dont murmur at de Lords doings, but git down on your knees and tank him for his goodness." This incident made Linda and her grandmother realize their selfishness. It was also one of the many impulses preparing both grandmother and Linda for Linda’s final flight to freedom. These are only some of the incongruities one may find without special knowledge in psychology. Yet, the brief analysis that can be done within the format of this paper already indicates that the character of Harriet Jacobs as represented in the narration was not that simple. The polemic character of the novel tends to turn the reader’s attention away from the woman’s personality to the issues of slavery and look for the reasons of all her misfortunes only in the “peculiar institute”. We do not want to diminish the deteriorating impact of slavery on people of both races. What we tried to demonstrate by this paper is that the character of Harriet Jacobs should be analyzed from a bit different standpoint. She was a victim of slavery. However, her individual history also contributed much to the troubles she faced. References: Adler, Harry (1994). NLP: The new art and science of getting what you want. Piatkus Books (February 1997), 224p Bern, Eric (1975). What do you say after you say hello? The Psychology of Human Destiny. Corgi Adult; New Ed edition (30 April 1975), 475p. Jacobs, Ann Harriet (1860). Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Written by Herself. Edited by L. Maria Child, Boston, 306 p. Text scanned (OCR) by Carlene Hempel Second edition, 2003, ca. 550K, Academic Affairs Library, UNC-CH, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2003.Retrieved September 15, 2007 from www.gutenberg.org/etext/11030 - 11k Read More