is my chapter 4 ok with everyone? i tried to tie it into the ending of Divyas chapters...

Chapter 4: “Christian” Masters

Once I decided to leave, I gathered my things, grabbed a tiny parcel of my monthly ration of food to bribe past the plantation bloodhounds, wrote a letter to my masters explaining what I was doing, and then was off. I snuck past the main plantation house, everything going as planned, but then I heard the sniffing sound of a bloodhound right on my tail. Fearing that Mr. Hopkins had seen me, I bolted for the fence on the opposite side of the field; however, before I got there, the dog pounced on me. I rolled over, covering my face, and realized that it was merely the playful housedog, Toby. Big, old Toby was a twelve year old Beagle who had been one of my dearest friends during my time as a slave. I quickly shushed the dog with a bite out of the pork I had taken from my food supply and was over the fence before you could say persnickety! I was off into the woods in the direction that I thought was towards Charlotte, East.

It was on this tiresome trek back to Charlotte that I encountered the real edicts of Christianity. Along the backwoods roads between Kentucky and North Carolina, the many churches of almost every denomination would preach not of the Negroes’ work as slaves as “God’s will”, but more on the love and peace that God wanted for all humans, no matter the color of their skin. The trek took me at least a good month or so; it would have taken less time had I not been so worrisome about all the slave catchers, causing me to need to hide during the day, so as not to get captured. This was usually near a food store, allowing me to pilfer from the leftover trash for my meals. During the night, I would follow the trickling and sometimes roaring sounds of the Ohio River. I followed this for about two weeks, and then, when I noticed that I was in Virginia, I veered south towards North Carolina, guiding myself by traveling the opposite way from the North Star. Then, before I knew it, I was at the Charlotte Plantation once more.

Upon sighting the plantation, I quickly sprinted to the house walls, where I found an entrance to a cellar, in which I hid until nightfall. At this time, I quickly and quietly moved into the house and into the attic, from whence I could see and hear many of the happenings of the Scott Plantation. It was here that I witnessed Mr. Scott’s most horrific atrocities. It baffles me to this day, years after that day when I was a mere 16 years old how a man who considered himself a good and holy “Christian” could commit such heinous crimes against humanity. He started off the whole chain of events the next morning when his house slave was two and a half minutes late bringing him his breakfast. He leaped up, exclaimed a long series of racial slurs and expletives, and beat the woman over the head with his gold-plated cane, causing blood to drain from the poor lass’s left ear. After leaving and returning from Church, Scott next went out to the fields and, feeling rather sporty this day, asked his Overseer if he needed any help. Scott took the man’s whip and brought living Hell upon all the slaves who did not completely and immediately answer to every demand given him by anyone. The screams of the men, women, and even children could probably be heard for miles around.

The next night, I crept over to the slave huts across the field, somehow not alarming the hounds. I reached the meager homesteads and quickly opened the doors of all of them, looking eagerly for my brother, Peter. I found him sleeping on his stomach by the distinctive lash marks on his back. I quietly woke him and brought him and the rest of the slaves to the outskirts of the field. It was just then that we all heard the ear-splitting explosion of a rifle and the barking of the hounds. We immediately scrambled for the protection of the woods. I gave all the runaways a piece of the meat I had procured from a local eatery’s trash, and everyone except for two of the slaves were allowed to leave by the dogs after they were fed the meat. To all of our horror, two rifle blasts reverberated around the forest, tragically cutting short the lives of those two poor souls.

My Chapter 2-3

Okay so here are the chapters. I underlined two ages which I made up, but you can definitely change based on the age of our main character. I was little confused about the two plantations, but hopefully these two chapters follow along the storyline pretty well:

Chapter 2: Family and Plantation Life

After the dreadful slave auction in which I was sold, I frequently found myself wondering about my mother and father. I had barely received enough time to spend with my mother before my old master, William Scott, sold me off for a decent price along with Martha when I was only ten years old. While I considered Martha as my second-mother, a part of me always remembered that my lovely mother was back on the plantation in pain from losing me. As far as my father goes, I was always fully aware of that fact that Master Scott was my one and only father. My skin is much farer than most of the slaves on my old plantation and many of the older female slaves would sneakily talk in hushed voices around me. I can still hear the voices in my head repeating the words, “Lucky Clara’s mamma’s kept her mouth shut, or who knows what will happen to her and that poor bastard [Peter]”. However, if the father of a slave’s child is indeed the slave’s master, they are not allowed to discuss the father of their baby. Usually, many of the illegitamate children were sold off to new plantations, like me, separated from their families. I always wished that one day, I could relive my childhood and get to know my parents all over again, but then I’d have to live with that awful William Scott.

Food allowance under William Scott meant almost no food to live with for the whole year. We received a small allowance of food every month, consisting of a bushel of corn meal and a few pounds of meat, usualy pork. This was barely enough food to survive through the frezing winters and the scorching-hot summers, along with the endless tasks we had every day. Many times, I would divide my food in half and give the share of food to my brother, Peter, since as an older sister, my duty was to protect my younger sibling in all situations possible. He used to thank me for every ounce of meat I gave him and paid me back by singing to me in his lovely voice. At least his voice made up for the hunger and starvation I felt under Master Scott’s control. At least his voice helped to remind me of why I was still alive: to protect my family.

William Scott gave us a few forms of clothing every year, with about two shirts, one pair of pants, a jacket, some underwear, and a pair of shoes, but my new masters made sure that their slaves were well-clothed. Martha and I, along with other slaves on the Lexington Plantation, were provided with three shirts, pants for the summer and another pair of trousers for the winter, a jacket, stockings, and two pairs of shoes to work in the fields. These clothes usually fit the purpose of keeping us warm in the early fall and cool in the spring, but again, they were not enough for the extreme seasons. I lost many of my friends because they were not able to handle to abrupt weather changes with their clothes.

On the new plantation with John and Sarah Hopkins, we were given a corn meal every week and lots of meat. The Hopkins would always leave us with leftover bread rolls and would even give us pudding or pie for desert when we worked extra hard. If we followed all of their rules, we were allowed a 5-6 day holiday for Christmas and another holiday for Easter. In order to receive our holidays, we [the slaves] would work very hard and finish our tasks of picking cotton and managing the grains on time. We would sing and tell stories during our chores to make the day at least a little interesting, and then at night, we would all gather in our hut to sleep well in preparation for the next day’s chores.

During the holidays, free time was mainly spent with family, although the closest thing I had to family was Martha. Martha and I would make pots out of mud and she would help me dream about seeing my brother and mother again. Even though we knew that this was a hopeless thing to want, knowing as runaway slaves are greatly punished, I couldn’t help but imagine my life with a family for the holidays. But of course, life with the new master and mistress wasn’t too bad after all, especially compared to the horrible conditions under Master William Scott.

Chapter 3: Master and Mistress

William Scott. Those two words will haunt me forever. He is my father, and he was the most violent and immoral slave master I have ever encountered. His plantation was a torture chamber, and his slaves were his torturees. Every day, whippings were witnessed, but the worst whipping by far was given to my brother, Peter. I have had so many gruesome nightmares as a result of that one night, that it is impossible for me to relieve myself of this memory.

One summer day, when Peter was helping me clean out the chicken coop, with our bare hands of course, Peter became dizzy because of the heat. We had finished our month’s supply of food a few days before, and we were swallowing our spit to help keep ourselves dehydrated. All of a sudden, he grabbed my arm very tightly and then passed out. I had no idea what to do, as I was only eight years old at the time, and so I decided to go call upon the master to help my helpless brother. I never repeated this action again because it ended up being one of the worst decisions of my entire life.

Scott feigned concern for my brother up until he entered the coop. He saw my brother lying on the floor, confused and slowly opening his eyes. Before my brother could even utter a word, the master had Peter’s hands tied to the door with no shirt on. Our master pulled out a long whip and began slashing lines across my brother back; ten whips soon turned into forty, after which my brother passed out again. The sad thing is, William Scott probably felt no regret from the excruciating pain my brother encountered that day and for the event that scarred my brother’s life forever.

William Scott’s plantation was filled with whippings and beatings, every form of physical punishment you could imagine. Lucky for the slaves, William Scott’s children greatly abhorred him. Katherine Scott, his oldest daughter, always appeared to help heal our wounds and burns, and would secretly insult her father behind his back. She was an absolute sweetheart and proved very helpful later in my journey as a slave. Even when her father was selling me at an auction, she was right there by my side, begging for me to stay.

While Katherine’s wishes were ignored, I found happiness with my new master and mistress, John and Sarah. While they were strict and required all of their work done on time, the slaves were treated well with a sufficient amount of food and clothes, as mentioned earlier. At their Lexington Plantation, slaves were not sold unless the masters were in desperate need of financial aid, but families almost always remained together. This was the one thing I loved about Lexington Plantation. I did not have to witness my friend’s families being split apart as mine was at William Scott’s plantation.

Sarah Hopkins favored me greatly, and out of all of the slaves, I was one of the few slaves who got to work inside the house, taking care of her children and helping her bake. She even taught me how to read and write. These skills were forbidden to be taught to slaves, but I am grateful that she took the time to teach me. Soon enough, I was taking every free moment I had to read the books in Mrs. Hopkins’ house. (I know literacy is another chapter, but I thought we could add a little bit here too?)

John Hopkins, on the other hand, paid little attention to interacting with the slaves. He was kind when needed, but otherwise, he spent most of his time watching over our work and making sure everything was done correctly. A typical day for slaves under his eyes was spent plowing the cotton, but with many breaks, and then helping manage their vegetable gardens. I can still remember watching the slaves eagerly waiting for their breaks while I happily baked bread in the kitchen.

Their plantation was a big change from the arduous tasks we performed under Master Scott’s control, but it also gave me a false insight into slavery. Yes, the slaves were given warnings if they failed to follow the Hopkins’ assignments, but they were not whipped or beaten as on the Scott plantation. Soon enough, I began to realize that I needed to go back to the old plantation to save my family and bring them to this safer location.

New PPT Assignments

Lisaaaaa :) ~~~ will be back tomorrow so just a little change of plan for which characteristics each person should know (the numbers are the ones included in E.) :

Divya~ B,C, and F.. and ones not included w Sara
John~ 1,3
Sara~5,6, 7 and ones not included w me (A, D, 2, 4, 11)
Sabrina~ 8,9
Lisa~10,12

Sammie~ rep. passage and analysis :)

We will do awesome tomorrow!

Representative Passage

 “When they told me my new-born babe was a girl, my heart was heavier than it had ever been before. Slavery is terrible for men; but it is far more terrible for women. Superadded to the burden common to all, they have wrongs, and sufferings, and mortifications peculiarly their own.”

Page 119

Chapter XIV

Explantation:

            This passage is the reason why she wrote the narrative. It shows her contribution to slavery literature, the emotional abuse and problems of slave women. It shows how she stands out among the other narratives out there, written by men. She shows it from a woman’s perspective and she shows how much more they suffered. That was her purpose for the narrative, to show that pain: the pain of mothers losing their children and of slave girls getting sexually abused. This quote sums it all up. She talks about how slavery was worse for women. Throughout the story, she explains the abuse and mental pain women of slavery went through. While a man’s narrative shows how physical strength gets him through it, Jacobs shows how a woman dealt with slavery.  Within the quote, Jacobs shows that the pain slave women went through was far more difficult than any physical punishment a slave man might have gone through. 

Presentation!

Hey guys, remember that we have to present tomorrow!

Divya - A, B, C, D, F (If we didn't have one for any one of those, then don't worry about it.
John- 1, 3, 4, 5
Sabrina- 8, 9, 10, 11
Sara - 6, 7, 12
Sam - Representative Passage

Since Lisa won't be there tomorrow, she can't present :( , but if we end up presenting on Wednesday, I'll change who presents what and whatnot.

Character Sketch Whattupppp

Clara is the main character, who tells the story. She is the daughter of her master and one of his slaves, but he denies her existence and sells her as soon as he can, therefore she does not really have much time with her mother. She does not officially know her parents and assumes she is half-white because she is so much lighter than the other slaves on the plantation in South Carolina. After some years on the plantation, she attempts to run away, but finds herself in her birthplace, where she then gets into a bit of trouble. Finally, Clara runs away to the north and creates her own family. Clara is strong and faithful, a bit naïve as a child, but determined to do whatever she sees to be just. Clara means “clear” or “bright,” and as a slave, she is uncharacteristically optimistic.

Peter is Clara’s younger brother—though he is also the illegitimate son of his master, his skin is a bit darker and he bares more resemblance of his mother than his father, and so the master decided to keep him (also since he is a boy = more manpower). Peter stays on the plantation and gets a bit caught up in Clara’s drama when she finds herself back there. Peter is a bit less outgoing than Clara and though he is mistreated, he would never dream of running away from slavery.

Martha is Clara’s only mother/parent figure. She was sold at the same auction as Clara to the same plantation and was once close friends with Clara’s mother. Martha really guides Clara and explains as much of her past as she can when she is old enough to explain. Like Peter, Martha is reserved and would not dare question the status quo of slavery in the south.

William Scott is Clara’s father and original master. He owns a relatively large plantation in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is cruel and horrible with no respect for human life. The only reason he even has a family is because he is very rich and his wife was money-hungry—even his own children hate him.

Katherine Scott is the daughter of William Scott. And out of her hatred for her father and his cruelty, as well as her own love for human life, rebels against him by aiding Clara and any other slaves or runaway slaves that she can. She is about 18 years old when Clara is back in Charlotte, which is very old for a single woman at that time, and it is believed that she never did marry because no man could match her big and beautiful heart.

Abraham is a slave on the plantation in Lexington. He is very strong and brave and a hard worker. But he is also very sensitive, hence the reason he and Clara fall in love. Unlike Clara, he is a bit more passive in his punishments and takes them without question. He resents slavery, but he will not take action—which is why it takes a great amount of convincing on Clara’s part to get him to run away with her.

John & Sarah Hopkins are the owners of the plantation in Lexington. They are a couple of about 30 years old. They are definitely kinder than William Scott and many other slave-owners, but they are very strict. They make many demands of their slaves and expect them to be followed. The most benevolent thing about the Hopkins is their attempts to keep slave families together—they only sell their slaves if they are in desperate financial need or as the most severe punishment.

Quaker Family!

Sam _(needs last name)___ is a free black man in the North. He was born free, the child of a runaway slave father and a free black mother. He works as a fisherman in Boston, and though the treatment is sometimes rough, he appreciates his home. He meets Clara at the market where he sometimes sells his fish and they fall in love.

Beth & Charles are the children of Sam & Clara. They are very happy and energetic children, each with unusual intelligence and curiosity. 

VERY ROUGH VERSION of Plot Summary & Character Sketch

1. I was born in this place but I grew up here and the first thing I remember is the podium.

-slave auction

-other older slave went with

-sibling stays behind

2.  family and plantation life

3.  master/mistress

4. Christian family & torture

5. CHRISTMAS

-compare white people Christmas to their Christmas (little food and clothes and shoes)

6. literacy

-(thinking maybe the friendly parent-ish person could help? Or master’s nice daughter?)

7.  pure African strong refuse whipping slave fall in love

8. run away (failed attempt)

-guy dies

-blood hounds

-she runs to old plantation

9. sibling! I take you with me! uh oh master catches us

rape

10. hide in the attic

-bad conditions

-stillbirth

11. successful escape

-north star

12. Quaker family & change last name yay friendly white people :D

13.  life in the north

-what is freedom?

-job?

14. northern people! Marry free guy. Babies!

15. check up on old masters/mistresses

16.  reflection on slavery and life

Characters:

-Main character—Clara

-Parenting character—Martha

-sibling—Peter

-African—Abraham

-original master/father—William Scott

-original master’s daughter—Katherine

-new master/mistress—The Hopkins Family (John & Sarah)

-husband—Sam

--chilluns—Beth & Charles

-Quaker Family (forgot to name them....suggestions?!)

Our Chart!!

So the pic is kinda blurry, but you'll get the idea :) The columns are color-coded by title (convention, where it's found, quote), and then each row corresponds to a convention. Pics are on the side and so is a list of the characteristics that were not in the narrative. Hope you like it! Thank you for all of the characteristic contributions :)

Our Story

Okay, guys, so here we can post our ideas and everything for our slave narrative that we actually have to write.
Post any ideas/opinions in the comment section! :D

Characteristics 7-12

Slave Narrative Characteristic 7-12

7.       description of the amounts and kinds of food and clothing given to slaves, the work required of them, the pattern of a day, a week, a year;

“My grandmother had taken my old shoes, and replaced them with a new pair.” “As his food was of the coarsest kind…. He was now confined in an apartment with other prisoners, who were covered with filthy rags.” Chapter IV, THE SLAVE WHO DARED TO FEEL LIKE A MAN.

“A freshet once bore his wine cellar and meat house miles away from the plantation. Some slaves followed, and secured bits of meat and bottles of wine... A rough box was their coffin….” Chapter IX, SKETCHES OF NEIGHBORING SLAVEHOLDERS.

 “I divided my little parcel of food with my guide, knowing that he had lost the chance of grinding his corn, and must toil all day in the field.” Chapter XVI, SCENES AT THE PLANTATION.

^^not sure these this is it, but it’s all that I could find.

OH JK HERE IT IS… I think “Little attention was paid to the slaves' meals in Dr. Flint's house. If they could catch a bit of food while it was going, well and good…. I passed my grandmother's house, where there was always something to spare for me…. I was indebted to her for all my comforts, spiritual or temporal. It was her labor that supplied my scanty wardrobe. I have a vivid recollection of the linsey-woolsey dress given me every winter by Mrs. Flint. How I hated it! It was one of the badges of slavery.” Chapter II, THE NEW MASTER AND MISTRESS.

8.       account of a slave auction, of families being separated and destroyed, of distraught mothers clinging to their children as they are torn from them, of slave coffles being driven South;

“Hiring-day at the south takes place on the 1st of January. On the 2d, the slaves are expected to go to their new masters…. Then comes New Year's eve; and they gather together their little alls, or more properly speaking, their little nothings, and wait anxiously for the dawning of day. At the appointed hour the grounds are thronged with men, women, and children, waiting, like criminals, to hear their doom pronounced. The slave is sure to know who is the most humane, or cruel master, within forty miles of him.”

“It is easy to find out, on that day, who clothes and feeds his slaves well; for he is surrounded by a crowd, begging, "Please, massa, hire me this year. I will work very hard, massa."”

“If a slave is unwilling to go with his new master, he is whipped, or locked up in jail, until he consents to go, and promises not to run away during the year.”

“But to the slave mother New Year's day comes laden with peculiar sorrows. She sits on her cold cabin floor, watching the children who may all be torn from her the next morning; and often does she wish that she and they might die before the day dawns. She may be an ignorant creature, degraded by the system that has brutalized her from childhood; but she has a mother's instincts, and is capable of feeling a mother's agonies.”

“On one of these sale days, I saw a mother lead seven children to the auction-block. She knew that some of them would be taken from her; but they took all. The children were sold to a slave-trader, and their mother was bought by a man in her own town. Before night her children were all far away. She begged the trader to tell her where he intended to take them; this he refused to do. How could he, when he knew he would sell them, one by one, wherever he could command the highest price? I met that mother in the street, and her wild, haggard face lives to-day in my mind. She wrung her hands in anguish, and exclaimed, "Gone! All gone! Why don't God kill me?" I had no words wherewith to comfort her. Instances of this kind are of daily, yea, of hourly occurrence.”
Chapter III, THE SLAVES’ NEW YEARS DAY.

9.       descriptions of patrols, of failed attempt(s) to escape, of pursuit by men and dogs;

“Luckily we heard their horse's hoofs before they came in sight, and we had time to hide behind a large tree. They passed, hallooing and shouting in a manner that indicated a recent carousal. How thankful we were that they had not their dogs with them!” XVI, SCENES AT THE PLANTATION.

“The slave Hamlin, the first fugitive that came under the new law, was given up by the bloodhounds of the north to the bloodhounds of the south.” Chapter XL, THE FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW.

“It is not necessary to state how he made his escape. Suffice it to say, he was on his way to New York when a violent storm overtook the vessel. The captain said he must put into the nearest port. This alarmed Benjamin, who was aware that he would be advertised in every port near his own town. His embarrassment was noticed by the captain. To port they went. There the advertisement met the captain's eye. Benjamin so exactly answered its description, that the captain laid hold on him, and bound him in chains. The storm passed, and they proceeded to New York. Before reaching that port Benjamin managed to get off his chains and throw them overboard. He escaped from the vessel, but was pursued, captured, and carried back to his master.” Chapter IV, THE SLAVE WHO DARED TO FEEL LIKE A MAN.

10.   description of successful attempt(s) to escape, lying by during the day, travelling by night guided by the North Star, reception in a free state by Quakers who offer a lavish breakfast and much genial thee/thou conversation

“We made haste to enter the boat, and were rowed back to the vessel. I passed a wretched night; for the heat of the swamp, the mosquitos, and the constant terror of snakes, had brought on a burning fever.” Chapter XX, NEW PERILS.

“It seemed horrible to sit or lie in a cramped position day after day, without one gleam of light.”Chapter XXI, THE LOOPHOLE RETREAT.

“…and I determined to steer for the North Star at all hazards.”  “I made all my arrangements to go on board as soon as it was dusk.” Chapter XXIX, PREPARATIONS FOR ESCAPE.

11.   taking of a new last name (frequently one suggested by a white abolitionist) to accord with new social identity as a free man, but retention of first name as a mark of continuity of individual identity;

You guys said to skip this one, but I don’t know, maybe this quote would be good for this one?

“Fanny, not dreaming I was any where about in that region, had assumed my name, though she called herself Johnson.” Chapter XXIX PREPARATIONS FOR ESCAPE

12.   reflections on slavery.

“Yet there was no place, where slavery existed, that could have afforded me so good a place of concealment.” Chapter XXI, THE LOOPHOLE OF RETREAT.

“Much as I despise and detest the class of slave-traders, whom I regard as the vilest wretches on earth” Chapter XIX, THE CHILDREN SOLD.

Characteristics 1-6

1. " I was born and reared in Slavery; and I remained in a Slave State twenty-seven years"

"I WAS born a slave; but I never knew it till six years of happy childhood had passed away."

3. "Dr. Flint was an epicure. The cook never sent a dinner to his table without fear and trembling; for if there happened to be a dish not to his liking, he would either order her to be whipped, or compel her to eat every mouthful of it in his presence. The poor, hungry creature might not have objected to eating it; but she did object to having her master cram it down her throat till she choked.'

"The cook was ordered to make some Indian mush for him. He refused to eat, and when his head was held over it, the froth flowed from his mouth into the basin. He died a few minutes after. When Dr. Flint came in, he said the mush had not been well cooked, and that was the reason the animal would not eat it. He sent for the cook, and compelled her to eat it. He thought that the woman's stomach was stronger than the dog's; but her sufferings afterwards proved that he was mistaken. This poor woman endured many cruelties from her master and mistress; sometimes she was locked up, away from her nursing baby, for a whole day and night."

"When I had been in the family a few weeks, one of the plantation slaves was brought to town, by order of his master. It was near night when he arrived, and Dr. Flint ordered him to be taken to the work house, and tied up to the joist, so that his feet would just escape the ground. In that situation he was to wait till the doctor had taken his tea. I shall never forget that night. Never before, in my life, had I heard hundreds of blows fall, in succession, on a human being. His piteous groans, and his "O, pray don't, massa," rang in my ear for months afterwards"

4. Uncle Ben kinda fits the description, he's definitely hardworking and strong, and he resists his master's whipping and throws him (Ch. 4)

5. "she taught me to read and spell; and for this privilege, which so rarely falls to the lot of a slave, I bless her memory."

"One day he caught me teaching myself to write. He frowned, as if he was not well pleased, but I suppose he came to the conclusion that such an accomplishment might help to advance his favorite scheme"

"He thought he should know how to serve God better if he could only read the Bible. He came to me, and begged me to teach him. He said he could not pay me, for he hadno money, but he would bring me nice fruit when the season for it came. I asked him if he didn't know it was contrary to law; and that slaves were whipped and imprisoned for teaching each other to read. This brought the tears into his eyes. "Don't be troubled uncle Fred," said I. "I have no thoughts of refusing to teach you. I only told you of the law, that you might know the danger, and be on your guard."

6. "No one called him to account for it. If a slave resisted being whipped, the bloodhounds were unpacked, and set upon him, to tear his flesh from his bones. The master who did these things was highly educated, and styled a perfect gentleman. He also boasted the name and standing of a Christian, though Satan never had a truer follower."

"When I was told that Dr. Flint had joined the Episcopal church, I was much surprised. I supposed that religion had a purifying effect on the character of men; but the worst persecutions I endured from him were after he was a communicant. The conversation of the doctor, the day after he had been confirmed, certainly gave me no indication that he had "renounced the devil and all his works." In answer to some of his usual talk, I reminded him that he had just joined the church. "Yes, Linda," said he. "It was proper for me to do so. I am getting in years, and my position in society requires it, and it puts an end to all the damned slang. You would do well to join the church, too, Linda."

a-f

A.

im not exactly sure if this is the right thing...i found it online, not in the book, so its probly not what we r looking for, but just in case,...

B. Title page says "Written by Herself"

C. "Northerners know nothing at all about Slavery. They think it is perpetual

bondage only. They have no conception of the depth of degradation involved

in that word, SLAVERY; if they had, they would never cease their efforts until

so horrible a system was overthrown."

A WOMAN OF NORTH CAROLINA.

"Rise up, ye women that are at ease! Hear my voice, ye careless daughters!

Give ear unto my speech."

ISAIAH xxxii. 9.

William Nell:"a handsome volume of 306 pages that presents features more attractive than many of its predecessors purporting to be histories of slave life in America"

Lydia Maria Child (editor):THE author of the following autobiography is personally known to me, and her conversation and manners inspire me with confidence. During the last seventeen years, she has lived the greater part of the time with a distinguished family in New York, and has so deported herself as to be highly esteemed by them.

D. AHHHHHH I CANT FIND OUT HOW TO DO THIS ONE!!!

F. appendix comprised of quotes by Amy Post, page 304-306. example: "The author of this book is my highly-esteemed friend. If its readers knew her as I know her, they could not fail to be deeply interested in her story. She was a beloved inmate of our family nearly the whole of the year 1849. She was introduced to us by her affectionate and conscientious brother, who had previously related to us some of the almost incredible events in his sister's life. I immediately became much interested in Linda, for her appearance was prepossessing, and her deportment indicated remarkable delicacy of feeling and purity of thought.

Thanksgiving Week Assignments

Hey guysss!!! Here are the assignments for the week.. Lisa and John, send your part by Saturday night please!!!! And Sabrina and Sammie, please send it before Tuesday

Characteristics of a Slave Narrative:
-find a quote/ paragraph, and include a quick sentence of analysis.. be sure to include what chapter it was found in
John: A-F (F is at the bottom of the worksheet)
Lisa: 1-6 (do not include 2 or 4-- check on Uncle Benjamin, he might fit the description for 4)
Sabrina: 7-12 (do not include 11)

Sammie: Find the representative passage (read the instructions on the front of the slave narrative assignment packet).. include analysis

Sara: Start on a sketch of our narrative (chapters we should include etc)

Me: As soon as I have all of the info I will format and create a beautiful chart. Also, I will try to add on as much information and examples as possible. Hopefully we can try to start our narrative this week! Have a lovelyyy break :)

baby daddy

so does anyone know the actual name of linda's baby daddy?

idk if i misread that part or if it actually didnt say anything about that...

ok failed attempts:
-creates a plan to escape but Grandma dissuades her (her plan was to go and hide w/ a friend and wait and see if her children would be sold); when she realizes that the children will be brought to work on the plantation, she tries to execute the plan again
-Linda runs to her neighbor (Sally's) house and asks her to pack all of Linda's clothes.. then Linda runs to her friend's house of concealment; it is a failed attempt, bc Linda can no longer escape to the North due to all of the "searches" (she might get caught!)
- After a week, she goes to her grandma's friends house (a nice white mistress) -- Betty the cook also knows that Linda will be staying in the room above the mistress's aptment (during this time, William, grandma, and the kids are put in jail)
- Uncle Phillip helps Linda go to her grandma's house and live in her grandma's shed (lives here for 7 years--but Peter physically guides her there that night)... and thennnn one day, Peter (friend) asks Linda to come w him bc he can help her escape
-Linda can't leave Ben behind, so says that Fanny can go.. later Ben is about to leave.. Fanny and Linda reunite on the vessel.. next morning= sunshine= FREEDOM!

Quiz Questions

Discuss answers to the possible quiz questions here in the comments.

1) How did Linda/Harriet learn how to read?

2) What happens on New Year's Day?

3) Describe her failed escape(s).

4) How did she have a successful escape?

5) What was her life like in hiding?

6) Once she gets up North, does she travel out of the country? Describe her travel out of the country.

7) Does she have a family? What happens to her family?

Questions for the Quiz

NOTE: You guys can just edit the post to add stuff to it (I think) -- please don't delete the information please. This way we can have it all in one spot.
1. What happens on New Years Day?
New Years day is hiring day, when all of the slaves get sold. Then on the second the slaves are expected to go -- one could tell which masters where the ones that fed and clothed the slaves by which men were surrounded by the slaves, who were begging to be bought by him. The slaves couldn't enjoy Christmas because New Years Day was so close, which meant that they were going to be separated from their families. If a slave didn't go to their master they were whipped and put in jail.

2. How did she learn how to read?
Her mistress taught her how to spell and read, and then Linda began to teach herself after that.

3. What were her failed escapes? How many did she have?
From Divs:
-creates a plan to escape but Grandma dissuades her (her plan was to go and hide w/ a friend and wait and see if her children would be sold); when she realizes that the children will be brought to work on the plantation, she tries to execute the plan again
-Linda runs to her neighbor (Sally's) house and asks her to pack all of Linda's clothes.. then Linda runs to her friend's house of concealment; it is a failed attempt, bc Linda can no longer escape to the North due to all of the "searches" (she might get caught!)
- After a week, she goes to her grandma's friends house (a nice white mistress) -- Betty the cook also knows that Linda will be staying in the room above the mistress's aptment (during this time, William, grandma, and the kids are put in jail)
- Uncle Phillip helps Linda go to her grandma's house and live in her grandma's shed (lives here for 7 years)... and thennnn one day, Peter (friend) asks Linda to come w him bc he can help her escape
-Linda can't leave Ben behind, so says that Fanny can go.. later Ben is about to leave.. Fanny and Linda reunite on the vessel.. next morning= sunshine= FREEDOM!

4. How did she find a way to successfully escape?
After hiding in A SHED ATTACHED TO HER GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE for 7 years, she escapes on a boat with Fanny (I believe) to the north

5.Hiding: where did she hide? how long did she hide? Who helped her?
She hid in the attic of a white lady's house. After that Peter helped get her to her "loophole of retreat" (the shed) where she was for 7 years.

6. Does she travel out of the country? Where? How is life different?
She goes to England with Mrs. Bruce, where she learns that black people are treated better. While they aren't paid well, they are semi respected. No prejudice. Stayed 10 months


7. Does she have a family? What happens to them? (mostly just need children--according to Hajduk)
Aunt Martha: loves family very much, but doesn't want to be separated from them (urged Linda not to run away), and tries to free her children/grandchildren.
Uncle Benjamin: Linda's uncle, defied and beat his master and ran away. His successful escape inspired Linda to escape, but showed her that freedom sometimes came at a price (losing your family)

Benny and Ellen: Linda's children with Mr. Sands. Mr. Sands bought them from Linda (he said that he'd take care of them) and then he gave her away.

Uncle Phillip: Important for her escape. Remained in the south after Aunt Martha bought his freedom
William: Linda's brother, escaped from Mr. Sands. freedom > everything else
Aunt Nancy: Killed by Mrs. Flints abuse? I think?
From Sara, "Benny is in Cali with William. Ellen is at school. Linda is living with the Bruces--she is finally a free woman. And Phillip, Flint, and grandmother DIE...Linda first goes to the Hobbes' (in Brooklyn or Boston--not sure!) and stays with them. They originally said she would be cared for extremely well and sent to school to be educated. But then Mrs. Hobbes says that Mr. Sands gave Ellen to them as a maid for their daughter and Linda is pretty mad. At some point later, Linda gets "custody" of Ellen, they live together for a while, but then Ellen is sent to boarding school where she does extremely well. Linda also writes to her grandmother to send Benny up to Boston with Uncle Phillip and so that happens. Benny "gets a job" but when they find out his background they harass him a bit so he goes on a whaling trip while Linda is in London. Then he comes back and when William's reading group fails, they go to California together. Grandmother dies.

Notes I took while reading..

Chapter 1

-parents= mulattos, and one brother, William

-dad= carpenter

-doesn’t know she is a slave until 6 years old

-grandmother used to bake crackers after her slave work was done

-after mother and kind mistress died, bequeathed to mistress’s sister’s daughter and family (Mr. and Mrs. Flint)

Chapter 2

-father dies; masters don’t let her go see him bc he had taught them that they were “human beings”

-Harriet’s grandmother (Aunt Marthy) given her freedom @ an auction, bc mistress’s sister freed her

-Mr. and Mrs. Flint were very cruel (dog throw-up and cook incident)—especially to the cook

Chapter 3

-asks women of NY to compare their free lives w that of slave lives (pg 26)

-children: “no hand but that of death can take them from you”

Chapter 4

-pg 32: first time Harriet was punished--- gets new shoes from Grandma, but mistress makes her walk far in the snow w/ them off

-Benjamin throws his master to the ground and wants to escape to the North—got on a vessel, jumped off, captured, and returned to master

-escaped again, but them caught and rechained

-Benjamin’s mom wants him to be free, so hires a lawyer, etc.

-Ben reaches NY safely w/ the help of his old master’s labor, and his mom (Harriet’s grandmother) was informed

-meets his brother, Phil, who is on business for his mistress—Phil comes home and tells grandmother of the happy news of her freed son—soon, she pays $800 to free Phil J

Chapter 5

-Harriet is now 15, and her master (Dr. Flint) is now being verbally and physically abusive

Chapter 6

- “ I WOULD ten thousand times rather that my children should be the half-starved paupers of Ireland than to be the most pampered among the slaves of America. I would rather drudge out my life on a cotton plantation, till the grave opened to give me rest, than to live with an unprincipled master and a jealous mistress.”

-Mrs. Flint is very jealous, and Mr. Flint doesn’t let ANYONE punish Harriet

-Harriet finally tells Mrs. Flint about Mr. Flint’s behavior; Mrs. Flint watched over Harriet and when she slept

-Mr. Flint used the excuse that Linda was his daughter’s property, so he would not have to sell her

Chapter 7

-Linda falls in love with a black carpenter who wants to marry her

-first time Master ever strikes her (after Linda says she loves another man)

-Dr. Flint wants to take Linda and other slaves with him to Louisiana; plan ruined bc Louisiana isn’t that great

-Linda is punished for talking to her lover in the street; eventually lover leaves

Chapter 8

-lies told to slaves about the North and other things (how runaways suffer, while they are actually comfortable)

-northerner vs. southerner ideals; her idea of the work men do

Chapter 9

-Mr. Litch – had 600 slaves; many cruel punishments (suspending a man above the ground w/ rope over a fire); murder was common on the plantation

-description of slaves and their cruel punishments

-flesh torn apart by bloodhounds; whipped; put in b/w screws of cotton gin

-discusses what happens when slaves have offspring of the slaveholders

-“ I can testify, from my own experience and observation, that slavery is a curse to the whites as well as to the blacks. It makes the white fathers cruel and sensual; the sons violent and licentious; it contaminates the daughters, and makes the wives wretched. And as for the colored race, it needs an abler pen than mine to describe the extremity of their sufferings, the depth of their degradation.”

Chapter 10

-Dr. Flint wants to build a house for Linda

-A white man (Mr. Sands), who is friends with Linda’s grandmother, expressed sympathy for her bc of her master

-Linda becomes pregnant to avoid going into Flint’s cottage* (who did she have the child w?)

-her grandmother no longer wants to speak/see her—later forgives after Linda tells her everything

Chapter 11

-Mr. Sands says he will buy and care for Linda’s child

-Dr. Flint is very angry with Linda about the baby.. Linda said, "I have sinned against God and myself," I replied; "but not against you."

-Flint offers to take care of Linda and her child if she stops communicating w/ the baby’s father… she refuses, and he says that he will never sell her

-Linda is in a lot of pain during her pregnancy.. the baby is premature, but the boy lives

-William (Linda’s brother) helps Dr. Flint with everything and is required to bring notes to Linda – he was there when Linda was yelled at L

-“ O, the serpent of Slavery has many and poisonous fangs!”
Chapter 12
-mention’s Nat Turner’s rebellion and everyone= happy!
-many soldiers go around to search houses; the search of Linda’s house was led by Mr. Litch (cruel slaveholder mentioned earlier)
-When Turner is captured, the slaves are returned to their masters
Chapter 13
-church used to make servants obey their masters*(why did people go?)
-slaves had fun when singing songs and hymns
-new preacher comes in and many slaves enjoy the sermons! They are finally treated as human beings (white slaveholders did not like the new preacher bc he preached better to the slaves than to them)
-Linda teaches an old black man (Uncle Fred) to read the Bible
-talking about an outsider’s view of slavery: “What does he know of the half-starved wretches toiling from dawn till dark on the plantations? of mothers shrieking for their children, torn from their arms by slave traders? of young girls dragged down into moral filth? of pools of blood around the whipping post? of hounds trained to tear human flesh? of men screwed into cotton gins to die? The slaveholder showed him none of these things, and the slaves dared not tell of them if he had asked them.”
-Dr. Flint becomes Episcopalian
Chapter 14
-Dr. Flint threatens to sell Linda’s baby
-when Linda is pregnant again, Flint cuts off all of her hair
-second child= girl à yields more verbal abuse from Flint
-Linda names her son Benjamin
Chapter 15

- Linda’s children know that the doctor is bad

- Grandmother yelled at the doctor to get out of her house after witnessing him hurt Linda

- The doctor offers Linda light labor and a cottage if she stops communication w/ the father of her children

o Linda decided not to go, and tells the doctor that she will go to the plantation w/ her kids

Chapter 16

- The plantation is now run by the doctor’s son

- Linda sneaks back to the house to see her children

- Mr. Flint grants Linda a free day

o Linda spends the Sunday with her grandmother, devising a plan to escape slavery

o Escape plan: “My plan was to conceal myself at the house of a friend, and remain there a few weeks till the search was over. My hope was that the doctor would get discouraged, and, for fear of losing my value, and also of subsequently finding my children among the missing, he would consent to sell us; and I knew somebody would buy us.”

§ Grandma persuades her not to

- Wedding day comes

o Everything runs smoothly

- Linda’s children are going to be brought to the plantation

Chapter 17
- Linda runs away and confides her plan to a friend, Sally
-after she escapes to her friend’s house w/o her children, award for anyone who found her
Chapter 18
-grandma’s friend is willing to let Linda stay with her cook (Betty)
-Linda will stay in the room above the mistress’s apartment
-Linda’s other family (brother, aunt, and children) were put in jail
-the doctor took $500 from Linda’s benefactress to go and find Linda in NY
Chapter 19
-the doctor sells William and the 2 children to a slaveholder for $1900; the slaveholder sold them to Mr. Sands
-they were soon reunited w/ grandma
-Linda has a vision of her children; she is worried about their status, but then is relieved to hear they are with grandma and free
Chapter 20
-search for Linda begins again, so she must leave
-goes on a vessel and has to stay in a swamp until Peter finds a place for her
-snakes surronded her in the swamp
Chapter 21

- Linda now stays in the shed of her grandma’s home (in darkness)

- She finally sees her children through a hole in her place

Chapter 22: christmas time
Chapter 23:
-Linda becomes very sick in her small location
-hears her son scream and he is covered in blood (bit by a dog)
Chapter 24:
-Whig candidate for congress = Mr. Sands (Flint tries everything to make others vote for Democrat candidate)
-Sands promises Linda (1st time she has come down from den) that he will free her children
Chapter 25:
-Linda writes a fake letter to Dr. Flint from NY
-Flint goes to grandma and presents a fake letter to her from Linda
-she finally moves around her storeroom
Chapter 26:
-William is no where to be found after his journey with Sands
-Will sends a letter later saying he’s always wanted to be free
Chapter 27
-Mrs. Sands and her sister want to adopt Linda’s children
-Linda slips into the house to see her daughter before Ellen leaves
Chapter 28
-Aunt Nancy is dying ; controversy over where she should be buried
Chapter 29
-Linda has been in the secret location for 7 years
-her friend Fanny is also in concealment
-Peter has come to take Linda to the North if she wants to – later says no, and says Fanny can go – later joins Fanny bc vessel is detained (she also talks to her son!)
Chapter 30
-Fanny and Linda reunite on the vessel
-difficult for Linda to trust the captain, because going through slavery makes you trust no one
-next morning – sunshine – escape slavery J
Chapter 31
-meet Rev. Jeremiah Durham (Bethel church minister).. they are in Philidelphia
-Anti-slavery society comes to talk to Linda
- Linda realizes the differences bw the North and South (fire incident)
-when going to NY, are not allowed to sit in first-class bc they are colored
Chapter 32
-Linda finally meets Ellen again; in order to meet her and talk to Mrs. Hobbs, Linda says she has just arrived from Canada
-Linda learns that Ellen will become a servant to Mrs. Hobbs daughter
-writes to Flint and his daughter to see how she can be freed
Chapter 33
-employed w/ Mrs. Bruce by taking care of her child
-William comes to NY
Chapter 34
-response from Miss Flint’s brother received asking Linda to come home.. it was actually a disguised letter by Dr. Flint
-Dr. Flint is on his way to NY, so Linda goes to Boston to stay w/ her brother (Benny also comes to her)
-In the summer, Linda must start taking Mary (Mrs. Bruce’s baby) out for walks in a city full of Southerners
Chapter 35:
-prejudice is everywhere (hotel with other nurses only one shade lighter!)
-stands up for Colored rights at the hotel
Chapter 36
-Mr. Thorne (Mrs. Hobbs brother) has written to Dr. Flint about Linda’s location
- were able to change to comfortable seats on their way to Boston (Ellen and Linda)
- Linda educates Ellen
Chapter 37
-After Mrs. Bruce dies, Mr. Bruce sends Linda and Mary to London to meet Mary’s relatives
-12-day journey and Linda feels great that no one is judging her on her color ("unadulterated freedom" and a new view of Christianity)
-stays for 10 months
Chapter 38
-while she was away, Ben left on a whaling voyage because his fellow apprentices harassed him for his background
- Emily Flint finally writes back (now married as Mrs. Dodge) and offers Linda to purchase herself or come live w/ Emily in Virginia – Linda does not reply
Chapter 39
-Ellen is going to boarding school and Linda confesses her slave story
-Ellen says her father is nothing to her, and she loves Linda very much
-Linda tries an anti-slavery reading room w/ her brother, but not successful – eventually stays with Isaac and Amy Post (well known abolitionists)
Chapter 40
-William leaves for Cali, and takes Benny with him
-Ellen is doing really well in school
-Mr. Bruce marries again, and Linda is asked to nurse the new baby
- fugitives fear the fugitive slave law
-Luke – ends up in Canada
-Dr. Flint hears about Linda again and is coming for her.. Mrs. Bruce lets Linda take the baby with her
-Linda is sheltered by a senator’s wife in New England.. then goes to country
-She returns to NY when Dr. Flint leaves
Chapter 41
-Dr. Flint dies (Linda learns of this through letters from her grandmother)
-Flint family isn’t left with a lot.. Mrs. Flint says that Linda is too valuable a slave to lose
- Linda finds out about them visiting NY and goes to Mrs. Bruce’s friend’s hosue
-Linda has a friend learn of Mr. Dodge's intentions. 
-Mrs. Bruce arranges to buy her for $300 and give her freedom
-THAT'S WHEN SHE GETS HER FREEDOM and lives with the Bruces for a bit longer
-grandma and uncle phillip die soon after