Topic > The Realization of Slavery

During her early life Harriet did not realize she was a slave and lived with her father and mother in a relatively safe and comfortable life. They lived together with his extended family. This was uncommon for a number of reasons, the first of which was that Harriet came from an unclear family and had never been treated badly as a child. “They lived together in a comfortable house; and, though we were all slaves, I was so fondly protected that I never imagined myself to be a commodity, entrusted to them for safe keeping, and liable to be called upon by them at any moment. Harriet Jacobs, p. 7. Although her parents died when she was young, her grandmother was the central figure in her life and she was able to provide her with security, comfort, unceasing love, and moral guidance. When Harriet realized she was a slave she was surprised, and when she learned she would never undo this information she was stuck in the psychological trauma of knowing she was just a piece of property. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayJustification of SlaveryOne of the methods by which slave owners justified slavery was through the claim that slaves were not actually human beings. They were barbaric, inferior and savage in every way. The slave who thought he represented the values ​​of tried to inoculate similar values ​​in other slaves was considered dangerous and very oppressed. Harriet's father tried to teach his children that they had their own worth but this went against the slave owner's desire to be able to keep the slaves mute and docile. Benjamin, Harriet's uncle, also proclaimed his self-government and, refusing to obey his master, was severely punished. He later runs away to escape the situation. Harriet was able to mention in the incident show how Mrs. Flint was shocked that a slave would want to worship, cry, maintain social bonds, and read. Unfortunately, some slaves were able to internalize this mindset and thus this made it difficult for slaves to rebel against the meaning of life or be able to find meaning in their lives. Unfeeling, they were able to cope with slavery without having to feel inferior about their status in society. The lover who was supposed to assist the defenseless victim had no feelings for her but only anger and jealousy. One of the common myths articulated by slave owners to provide justification for their slavery was that slaves were intellectually inferior. “I admit that the black man is inferior. But what makes it so? It is the ignorance in which white men force him to live; it is the torture whip that tears away his manhood; they are the ferocious hounds of the South, and the no less cruel human hounds of the North, who enforce the Fugitive Slave Law. They do the job. Harriet Jacobs, p. 49. Jacob did not accept this hypothesis and refuted it by telling readers that blacks were inferior because of slavery and what the white man had done to them. The fact that the black man has been denied education, religion and lives in a scared and paranoid state, it is no wonder that he may be able to develop his mind intellectually. The fact that Harriet and others like Douglas may be able to write books is an indication that black people have capabilities if they are to be provided with the right opportunities to learn and cultivate their minds. Harriet's work seeks to combat the stereotypes that lead white people to see slaves as less than human beings and if they can achieve the.