Textual Background and Context

          I chose to analyze the essay “The Trials of Girlhood” by Harriet Jacobs. This essay has many different points to it: rape, sexism, and a call “of compassion in your hearts for my sistes who are still in bondage, suffering as I once suffered.” (441).

        The main point of this essay is how Harriet Jacobs’ master, Dr. Flint, sexually assaulted her at the age of 15, “He peopled my young mind with unclean images, such as only a vile monster could think of.” (439). Not only was this young girl born into slavery, but also sexually assaulted at such a young age. This was a reality for many slave women. “If I knelt by my mother’s grave, his dark shadow fell on me even there.” (440). Stalking, and even threatening her, “But Dr. Flint swore he would kill me, if I was not as silent as the grave.” (440). What kind of life is it to forcefully work for the man that threatens your life, every day, with absolutely no kindness.

        Harriet Jacobs also touches on the topic of the North in this situation, “Surely, if you credited one half the truths that are told you concerning the helpless millions suffering in this cruel bondage, you at the north would not help to tighten the yoke. You surely would refuse to do for the master, on your own soil, the mean and cruel work which trained bloodhounds and the lowest class of whites do for him at the south.” (439).  This is a very powerful part to the essay because Jacobs accuses the North of turning a blind eye to the South and slavery all together. In my opinion, she takes it a step further though, and says that if they were told they had to do slave work for the South, they would refuse, and she’s right.

       The revelation of the essay though is when Jacobs writes, “I do it to kindle a flame of compassion in your hearts for my sisters who are still in bondage, suffering as I once suffered.” (441). She didn’t care about herself, and what had been done to her. She knew it was in the past and there was nothing to do to make up for it, but she wrote the letter instead for the sake of other women in slavery, to prevent it from happening anymore.

       Harriet Jacobs’ “The Trails of Girlhood”, perfectly captures the trials a young woman in slavery would have to endure, eluding on the points of rape, sexism, and the North.