blog #6

In "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" Jacobs was unaware of her social standing as a Mullato until the death of her father. Her life radically changed, in terms of her class standing and racial standing, but her gender remained the same. Although it had not inhibited her life before, the fact that she was a female slave made her life that much harder. Her master constantly reminded her of her place as a slave and as his female slave. He struck her when he was frustrated with her and then would remind her it was her fault. This would not happen with male slaves; she was treated this way as woman. She was unable to be open about her relationship with her lover and her children were constantly used as a weapon against her. Their existence was constantly a tool used to threaten her, as a mother having the lives and well being of your children put in jeopardy is such a hard way to live. Jacobs seems to constantly resist her gender role, the kind of work she has to do gets done but she never accepts it. Other slave women accepted what they had to do and even dealt with sexual passes made by their master as a part of life. They accepted they had no choice, in the matter they had no political rights or in the matter they had no physical rights as a woman. Even their bodies were not in their control, and Jacobs fights this aspect of her life every step of the way. The fact that she is a woman does not stop her from seeking her freedom, even when separated from  her children. To her, the fact that she is female does not mean she needs to take an easier route to get her freedom. She refuses to buy something that is rightfully hers, this headstrong thinking would most likely be seen as masculine at this time, but then again women are known for being quite stubborn when it comes to their beliefs. Throughout her entire story she fights, fights for her rights as a slave and fights for her rights as a woman. Most would look at her unfortunate situation as a female slave and pity the life she had, but being such a strong woman I believe she truly lived.