March 1, 2002
An Autoethnographic Twist
In Mary Louise Pratt’s terms, an autoethnography is “…a text in which people undertake to describe themselves in ways that engage with representations others have made of them (Pratt 585).” In other words, this sort of text is written by a marginalized group challenging the dominant culture’s view of their faction. Pratt’s idea is exemplified in Harriet Jacobs essay, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Jacobs tends to challenge the women in power through an autoethnographic text, therefore in this essay we will use Pratt’s definition of an autoethnographic text to analyze Jacobs piece.
Sometimes in life the one person whom you respect the most is the one whom you have to learn how to talk back to. In Harriet Jacobs essay such is the case. Linda is a young slave girl who is brought up by her grandmother. The morals that Linda has, have been embedded through the work of her grandmother. Linda’s grandmother has had a significant part in her life, but at the end of the essay she, in a sense, banishes Linda from the family.
In Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Linda speaks of her grandmother by stating, “I had also a great treasure in my maternal grandmother, who was a remarkable woman in many respects” (Jacobs 461). To women in slavery it is a treasure to have one to whom you can trust and confide in. This idea of Linda respecting her grandmother is inevitable throughout the first half of Harriet Jacobs’ essay. Numerous times, Linda speaks of the intelligence and respect people found in her grandmother. For example, Linda speaks encouraging words about her grandmother when she says, “as she grew older she evinced so much intelligence and was so faithful,” and “to this good grandmother I was indebted for many comforts” (Jacobs 461). These passages show how respected Linda’s grandmother was, and also how much Linda respected her.
Though there is an unconditional love and respect between Linda and her grandmother, there is also much friction during the periods of grievance in their lives. Linda finds it necessary to speak out to the authority of her grandmother at times of trouble. She feels it is important that her grandmother knows the struggles and triumphs that she goes through in life. This idea is made clear when Linda is faced with great depression while living the life of a slave. The depression Linda faces comes about mainly because of the prejudice slave owner and Linda’s unexpected pregnancy.
During the time of pregnancy Linda faces much trouble when telling her grandmother. Though her grandmother has planted such high morals and values in Linda’s life, she does not seem to portray these feelings during Linda’s time of grievance. Her grandmother tells Linda, “Has it come to this? I had rather see you dead than to see you as you are now! You are a disgrace to your dead mother…Go away” (491)! At this point Linda’s grandmother had cast her out of the family. This was the time that Linda needed her family the most, and she had no one to turn to.
I believe that by including these ideas of Linda being cast out, she exemplified the ability to speak out to the higher authority of her grandma. Harriet Jacobs then speaks out to the higher power of her readers through her writing. This idea is made clear when Jacobs states, “Reader, did you ever hate? I hope not. I never did but once; and I trust I never shall again.” Though this statement is not spoken in obscene terms to the readers, Jacobs writes these questions to make the reader feel insignificant, due to the fact that mostly everyone has hated sometime in their life.
Through her writing, Jacobs also expresses her wrath for the mistresses she had throughout her slave life. She had a diversity of accounts with mistresses during her time as a young slave girl. At the age of six, her mother died and her mistress vowed to protect the children. Jacobs describes this mistress as being, “… so kind to me that I was happy to do her bidding, and proud to labor for her as much as my young years would permit. I would sit by her side for hours, sewing diligently, with a heart as free from care as that of any free-born white child” (Jacobs 462). As a young child, here, Jacobs describes her experiences with this mistress as positive and enjoyable. The reader gets the sense that she was almost the “mother figure” in Jacobs’ young life. But, if this mistress hated to see her and the other children suffer, why didn’t she try and set them free instead of accepting the fact that they’d be doomed to a life of slavery and hardship? “When she thought I was tired, she would send me out to run and jump; and away I bounded, to gather berries or flowers to decorate her room. Those were happy days—too happy to last” (Jacobs 463). With this statement, Jacobs makes the transition into her life of hardship and despair with Mrs. Flint, upon the death of her good-hearted mistress.
“I had entered my sixteenth year, and every day it became more apparent that my presence was intolerable to Mrs. Flint” (Jacobs 480). Jacobs continually describes her experiences as lacking in affection and positive remarks. Mrs. Flint seemed to always place accusations on other people and degrade the esteem of Jacobs. The irony in this situation is that Jacobs never struck back with degrading remarks that were hurtful or insulting. In fact on page 482 she states, “I pitied Mrs. Flint.” How could this young girl who was badgered daily and stricken constantly with callous remarks find compassion in her heart for this bitter mistress?
Jacobs challenges Mrs. Flint’s power and the expectancy of those in the upper class by exerting this compassionate attitude. Despite her hardships as a young lady who was taken advantage of on a regular basis and denied many educational opportunities, she began to also challenge all free women.
Jacobs spends part of her essay in a one way conversation with women in general. She focuses her attention on women who are not slaves, and how their lives differ from her own. Because of their different lifestyles Jacobs becomes outraged due to their ignorance towards slavery. How they felt about their precious children compared to how a slave was supposed to feel about her offspring. Jacobs went even farther to question these women as to why they had done nothing. She asked them at every turn to put themselves in her shoes, to imagine not being able to choose who you would marry or be able to keep one’s own children.
In Jacobs’ essay she discussed times when slaves where traded off, and compares it to feelings of the free people. She focused mainly on women and New Years Day, when slaves would either be sold, bought, or rented again. She firsts tells of the white women’s New Years when she states,
“O, you happy free women, contrast your New Year’s day with that of a poor-bond women! With you it is a pleasant season, and the light of the day is blessed. Friendly wishes meet you every where, and gifts are showered upon you. Even hearts that have been estranged from you soften at this season, and lips that have been silent echo back, “I wish you a Happy New Year.” Children bring their little offerings, and raise their rosy lips for a caress. They are your own and no hand but that of death can take them from you.” (Jacobs 468).
Jacobs then goes on to share the New Years experience of slave women,
“But to the slave mother New Year’s Day comes laden with peculiar sorrows. She sits on her cold cabin floor, watching the children who may all be torn from her the next morning; and often does she wish that she and they might die before the day dawns. She may be an ignorant creature, degraded by the system that has brutalized her since childhood; but she has a mother’s instincts, and is capable of feeling a mother’s agonies.” (Jacobs 468).
Jacobs bluntly stated that on the day other women rejoice, slave women endure great sorrow. In the beginning she challenged free women to contrast their New Year’s Day with that of a bond woman.
Jacobs analyzes important questions later on in her essay. First, why are free women sheltered? And, do they understand what their life could have been like if born into slavery? She focuses much of her attention on these ideas that most bond women are not allowed to choose their futures.
“But, 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! If slavery had been abolished, I, also, could have married the man of my choice; I could have had a home shielded by the laws; and I should have been spared the painful task of confessing what I am now about to relate.” (Jacobs, 489).
Jacobs speaks out and shares her life with those women who hold a “higher” power than her own, even the power to chose who one was to marry. She speaks to them in terms that they would understand, but at the same time, not much attention is paid to these slave women. Pratt’s definition of an autoethnographic text combines the minority group speaking out against those who are dominant. This was Jacobs’ whole focus when discussing women who were not bondwomen. She wanted them to see where a slave woman was coming from.
Jacobs spends most of her essay explaining the life of a slave girl and comparing it to the life of women who are free. Just like an autoethnographic text, Jacobs writes the truth about slavery and writes it towards the dominant group. Towards the end of her essay she writes,
“In view of these things, why are ye silent, ye free men and women of the north? Why do your tongues falter in maintenance of the right? Would that I had more ability! But my heart is so full, and my pen is so weak! There are noble men and women who plead for us, striving to help those who cannot help themselves. God bless them! God give them strength and courage to go on! God bless those, every where, who are laboring to advance the cause of humanity” (Jacobs 479).
The question then becomes, did any change come about because of Jacobs writing? Did more people speak out for the cause or was her piece just a waste of words? Once these questions have been addressed, one can then be able to understand the importance of an autoethnography.