Harriet Jacobs Attains her Freedom...

I take my freedom for granted every day I am alive. I do not walk around and consciously enjoy not wearing chains on my wrists and ankles. I do not lie in my bed at night, stretch out, and take a minute to truly enjoy the luxury of space. I am not always grateful for the fact that I have my parents to come home to every night. I do not notice these things because they have never been taken away from me. I have never spent seven years of my life in a coffin-like “garret”. I have never been chained against my will. I have never lost my parents. Harriet Jacobs has survived these horrors and many more. In “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” Harriet Jacobs makes a perilous escape to the Northern States after a life of slavery only to be disillusioned. Linda (Jacobs name in the book) believes the North she will be considered human and therefore free. Upon reaching the North Linda manages to gain a job with Mrs. Bruce, an English woman needing a nurse for her child. During this time the Fugitive Slave Law is passed basically making it much easier to obtain African American people for the purposes of slavery. Linda is then sought after by her old mistress and husband. Linda decides she must go into hiding once again, but Mrs. Bruce (the second) opposes the idea. Mrs. Bruce believes in order to end the trouble she will buy Linda and give Linda her freedom. Linda is troubled with the fact that in order to gain her freedom….she must be bought. Even in the northern states there could be legal documents produced proving her sale. In the end, Linda is bought by Mrs. Bruce (the second) and given her freedom.