Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Summary and Analysis

Harriett Jacobs writes her story using the name Linda Brent. She says that she had an extraordinarily happy childhood and did not know she was a slave until she was seven and her mother died. Harriett's mistress promises Harriett's mother - on her deathbed - that she will set the children free, but fails to keep that promise. In chapter two, Harriett is moved to the home of Dr. Flint - brother-in-law of Harriett's mistress. She is sad to be away from her father, a kind carpenter who has permission to get work for himself and pays his mistress two hundred dollars each year. When he dies, Mrs. Flint refuses to allow Harriet to leave, saying that her father's notion that his children are "human" is dangerous...