in American history is Harriet Jacob’s autobiographical story of “Incidents in the Life of A Slavegirl.” This work shows yet again the miseducation of both the white masses into thinking that slavery driven force and treatment was justifiable and the miseducation of the African Americans at that time who didn’t know any better than to accept that lifestyle as the norm. This chronicle in the life of a slave girl with the pen name of “Linda” takes the reader on a fascinating, yet horrifying, journey of someone trapped into believing that she must live her life as a slave and run away from being “owned” by another human being. However, Ms. Jacob’s rebels and escapes a life of direct servitude to the ferocious Dr. Flynt and to a life not much better, living in a garage roof for over 7 years. The African-Americans she encounters along the way show their brainwashed “miseducation” in the way they implore her not to run away and stay with the Flynts because it will just be easier and better for her. They adopt the white man’s view that this is the black girl’s place, and what she must live with. They have no choice, however, because they live in constant fear of even the littlest form of self-defense or indignation. In addition, the whites in Ms. Jacob’s story are miseducated as well into thinking that Linda’s only place in life is with them as a servant to the family. They are completely ignorant of the girls actual needs or feelings, and cannot understand how she could ever actually desire or expect to live on her own with her own family. They show little sincere compassion, and offer no compassion towards Linda that wasn’t calculated or planned for their personal benefit in some form or another. The children did as they saw their elder relatives did, and Linda’s search got passed down from generation to generation as the miseducat...
