Blog #5

Blog #5

Part I

1. The lives of white women varied from place to place. In the South white women who were from wealthy families, never performed heavy labor. They had slaves who worked for them. The elite white women managed their slaves. Additionally, as wives of masters, they punished slaves who misbehaved. On the other hand, in the North women from poor families had to perform hard works. Women from families who weren’t slave owners became nurses for black women. Some others also worked in the fields to help their families. Black women, however, had to work in fields because they were ordered so. They worked as hard as black men did. These women were mistreated and beaten. Nevertheless, the hardest thing for black women was to bring a child into the world, for the child was going to be another slave.

2. Harriet Jacob’s story is significant because it confirms once more that there was no law or authority in the 1800s that protected women, specially slaves. Harriet was a black girl. She was a slave. Therefore she was her masters property. She had lost the her childhood innocence when she was twelve years old. Her master constantly abused her in every possible way. While Harriet Jacob had to work for her master, she also had to satisfy his sexual needs. Many black women lived under the same circumstances. Not only they were sexually abused by their masters but these women were also mistreated by their masters’ wives, who acted out of jealousy.

Part II

1. Slaves were properties of their owners, masters. The masters didn’t think that slave marriages could be beneficial for their wealth. Additionally, they didn’t think that black people could have same kind of emotions as they did. The owners didn’t allow slave marriages. However, the characters in the two accounts proved it otherwise. They proved that their relationships were full of emotions. More importantly, they proved that they could do anything for love. Their loyalty for one another had made them stronger. Above all the difficulties, two people who loved each other were ready to risk their lives. While the woman, who had to dress like a man to be able to travel with a slave, was risking her live, her lover, her slave, would also be in danger if caught.

2. These writings were first recorded on paper after years of the actual events. William Craft’s explanation is detail oriented. Not only he talk about the happening but also about his thought at the moment. I think he remembered all the details because William wanted to learn to write so that he could write his own story. All those years he probably played the events in his head to keep his memory fresh. On the other hand, Polly Shine’s story was more general. However, even though she was very old when her story was finally recorded, she remembered some important events. Finally, I think people react differently even when in the same situation. While the story is still the same, the individual experience may vary form person to person. Therefore, every individual’s memory is personalized.