The Story of the Slave Girl
The story of the slave girl episode was told by a girl by the name of Harriet Jacobs. She wrote about herself as Linda Brent in her tales out of caution. Harriet first learned about enslavement when she was six years old, following the death of her mother. She didn't encounter any unpleasant behaviors in her early years, but as she got older, she began to witness the horrors of enslavement. Harriet's owner, Dr. Flint, was a wealthy and vindictive man who tormented her constantly. (Jacobs, Harriet, 2015, 62). She lends herself to Mr. Sand in order to stop him from raping her, which results in pregnancy. This diverts his attention for a while, but after he learns of her second pregnancy, he gets furious hence beating and insulting her. Her first born was a boy any second a girl. She becomes anxious about their future when she overhears that they were to be sent to work on a plantation to experience full slavery. The only way to save them from the doctor was to run away.
Escape and Hiding
After she runs away she hides at her hides at a white woman’s house who was her grandmother’s friend. Dr. Flint thinking she was in New York went there to try and locate her but failed. When Harriet’s children and her brother were purchased from the doctor and brought to their grandmother’s place, the doctor was very angry and renewed the search for her. As a result, Harriet had to escape again and when to hide at her grandmother’s place where she hid in a small triangular section where she stayed for years despite being extremely uncomfortable. She couldn’t stand and her limbs almost became crippled. After some time her daughter is taken to Brooklyn where she later visits her. She is pleased that her son is taken to the North and his brother William takes him in. After several years Dr. Flint dies and leaves his family financially unstable. Due to their situation Mrs. Flint accepted she was given by Mrs. Bruce to purchase Harriet’s freedom. Finally, was free and continues to work for Mrs. Bruce as a duty and devotion.
Olaudah Equiano's Journey
In chapter eleven of the life of Olaudah Equiano, he is asked by his friend Dr. Lrving to accompany him to Jamaica where he wanted to start a plantation. After insisting for a while, Equiano finally agreed as he knew being with the doctor they could convert new souls to Christianity. In Jamaica, Equiano was made overseer a role he hated especially since it went against his fight towards the abolition of slavery (Equiano Olaudah, 2012, 87). He tried as much as he could to be fair to all workers well. After a while he got tired as there were a lot of mosquitos in the area and requested to take a leave, the doctor reluctantly accepted and gave him a letter of commendation for his service. Equiano needed a ship, so he asked a captain to help him. The captain refused as he wanted him to man another ship. When Equiano refused, the captain he got angry and strung him by his feet for several hours.
Challenges of Freedom
From this chapter, we are clearly shown that Equiano's statement that free blacks had more challenges than those who were still in slavery. To back his argument after he had gained freedom he talks about how Captain Hudges strung him by his feet and left him hanging for some hours. On top of that, he had sworn to sell him to Spaniards in Cartegena. This was after he refused the captain's offer to man a ship where its destination wasn't his. After a carpenter had revealed Equiano's relation to Dr. Lrving, he was given a canoe, but this did not please the captain. He tried to shoot Equiano as he sought to paddle away and could have succeeded if the ship hadn't been pushed the opposite direction by wind. A similar situation happened twice when captains lied that they were headed towards his destination but instead went elsewhere. When he confronted them, he was beaten.
Similar Experiences
Equiano Olaudah's story fit in with other readings such as the incidents of the slave girl and the narrative of Fredrick Douglas. All of them were introduced to slavery at very tender ages. The all suffer a great deal and were discriminated by their masters. In their narrative, they all struggled to attain their freedom. Eventually, they all managed to purchase their freedom and wrote about their story about slavery. After Olaudah Equiano gained his freed, he tried to see that slavery and slave trade was abolished.
Work cited
Equiano, Olaudah. Interesting narrative of the life of olaudah equiano, or gustavus vassa, the. Place of publication not identified: Gale, Sabin Americana, 2012. Print.
Jacobs, Harriet A. Incidents in the life of a slave girl : an autobiographical account of an escaped slave and abolitionist. New York: Skyhorse Publishing, 2015. Print.
