"Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" Analytical Essay by Peter Pen

This paper explains that Harriet Jacob, born in 1813 into the life of slavery, had a relatively easy childhood until about the age six. She was taught to read at a relatively early age, which was most unusual for a slave. The author points out that Jacob wrote, "Slavery is terrible for men; but it is far more terrible for women," because women had to see their children sold and were forced to have sexual relations with white men. The paper relates that Jacob escaped to New York, later writing this book, which was self-published in 1861 and is considered the most comprehensive slave narrative written by a woman.