Slavery In Harriet Jacobs 12 Years A Slave

Over the course of Harriet’s life, she lived in constant fear of every white person alive. In other stories, like the film “12 Years A Slave”, we watch an African American slowly capitulate to the power of white supremacy. Nevertheless, we do not see or hear how Solomon Northup, a free black man forced into slavery, fears all the white people around him. Yes, Solomon expresses signs of defeat through his facial expressions and limp gait, but we cannot fully understand how insecure he feels. In contrast, Harriet Jacobs’ story places the reader right in the mindset of a slave. We as readers can comprehend her anxiety because of the clear descriptions she provides. For example, when Jacobs is returning to America after her visit in England she says, “It is a sad feeling to be afraid of one’s own native country” (598). From this instance, we perceive that Harriet is uncomfortable in America due to the incessant oppression that takes place there. Unlike Solomon Northup, the vivid illustrations Jacobs makes gives us a new perspective that can only be found in
Upon escaping from servitude, Harriet began to receive letters from her old owners begging her to come back home. While Harriet saw slavery as a terrible activity, her masters could not comprehend why she had run away. They would write to her saying how shocked they were, and that they would treat Harriet fairly if she returned home. However, Harriet knew that all these promises were lies. Nonetheless, white people in America continued to tell themselves that slavery was a normal, fair way of life. From reading Harriet Jacobs book, we learn about how white slaveholders would go to church on Sunday, and then beat their slave on Monday without understanding that that was an act against Christian values. After reading her story, the immoral qualities of American society became so