Differing Versions of Slavery: Washington and Jacobs
For my first blog post of AFAM Lit, I will be writing about the second prompt, with the contrasting element being Jacobs’s and Washington’s differing experiences/opinions on slavery, such as the experiences they had through it, their liberation from it, and finally, unpacking how their wildly different lives under slavery play into their beliefs in the future. This could also explain why maybe Jacob’s seems to be so opposed to being bought represents a continued resistance to slavery while Washinton’s “casting down your bucket” mantra speaks to his more idealized view of slavery. First, we will be discussing Harriet Jacobs from her narration in "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Seven Years Concealed''. Originally, she did not know she was a slave, only finding out at the age of six. Her family lived in their own home, with a carpenter father who worked hard in order to buy her freedom. Even though he never does, she believes that when her mistress dies, Jacob’s wi...