The Bible is a “roadmap” that shows how one ought to live their life. It contains the mind of God and gives Christians moral guidelines and examples of which to abide by. Although the oppressors in both “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” written by Harriet Jacobs and “Our Nig” written by Harriet E. Wilson, claim to be of the Christian faith, there is a disparity between their religious values and how they actually treat their “slaves”. Jacobs and Wilson show how this hypocrisy leads to physical abuse, limitations, and mental anguish. Both “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” and “Our Nig” are replete with an insubordination of Christian values and the authors use this to exemplify the wrong doings towards slaves.
The word of the Lord says, “Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them.”(Matthew 7:12) This scripture, however, was not one of the Christian values that Dr. Flint and Mrs. Flint abided by in “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.” Throughout her story, Harriet Jacobs describes the many hardships that Linda Brent went through. “Dr. Flint had sworn that he would make me suffer, to my last day…”(223). These are not the words that would come out a Christian mouth, for
. . .
B and Mary commenced beating [Frado] inhumanly; then propping her mouth open with a piece of wood, shut her up in a dark room, without any supper” (451). Rather than teach Frado about God, Mrs. They should be preaching the word of the Lord to her, rather than depriving her of it. God is the only true master and no one else can own another human being. However in both “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” and “Our Nig,” Jacobs and Wilson demonstrate how there is a disparity between religious values and actions bestowed upon their slaves. The Bellmonts had not allowed Frado to go to church and this made her ponder, “Is there a heaven for the blacks?” (452). Flint forbade the christening of Brent’s sons, thereby not allowing her children the opportunity to be cleansed by God. Bellmont was very much aware of this. The indentured servant, Frado, is forced into servitude of the Bellmont family at the age of six. This attitude towards the disallowance of Frado to go to church is in complete contrast with all that Christians believe in. “Frado pondered; her mistress was a professor of religion; was she going to heaven? Then she did not wish to go” (455).
Harriet Wilson also includes countless instances of physical abuse in her story about a young girl growing up.
Approximate Word count =
1151
Approximate Pages =
5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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