Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl · Chapter
Appendix explained
The appendix includes a testimonial from Amy Post, a Quaker friend who hosted Linda Brent in 1849 and urged her to publish her narrative, and a statement from George W.
What happens
The appendix includes a testimonial from Amy Post, a Quaker friend who hosted Linda Brent in 1849 and urged her to publish her narrative, and a statement from George W. Lowther, a respected colored citizen of Boston, who attests to the truth of the events described. Post describes Linda's reluctance to share her story, her suffering, and the eventual purchase of her freedom, while Lowther confirms the accuracy of the narrative from his personal knowledge.
Themes in this chapter
Dehumanization and Identity
Linda's statement that 'the idea of having been bought was always galling to a spirit that could never acknowledge itself to be a chattel' underscores the dehumanizing nature of slavery and her struggle to maintain her identity as a person, not property.
Resistance and Escape
The appendix highlights Linda's escape to the North, her seven-year concealment, and the eventual securing of her freedom, emphasizing her active resistance against enslavement.
Northern Complicity and Abolitionism
Amy Post's role as a Quaker abolitionist and the reference to New York as a 'shabby place of refuge' critique Northern states' complicity in slavery despite being free.
Characters to notice
- Linda Brent
The author, whose story is attested to by Amy Post and George W. Lowther; she struggled with the shame of recounting her experiences and the galling nature of being purchased for freedom.
- William
Linda's brother, who introduced her to Amy Post and related some of the events of her life.
- Dr. Flint
Referenced as the master whose treatment of Linda is known to George W. Lowther.
- Ellen
One of Linda's children, whose imprisonment, sale, and redemption are mentioned by Lowther.
- Benjamin
One of Linda's children, whose imprisonment, sale, and redemption are mentioned by Lowther.
Key passages
“You know a woman can whisper her cruel wrongs in the ear of a dear friend much easier than she can record them for the world to read.”
Linda explains that sharing her painful experiences privately with a trusted friend is far less daunting than writing them down for public scrutiny.
This quote reveals Linda's deep sensitivity and the emotional toll of recounting her trauma.
“I thank you for your kind expressions in regard to my freedom; but the freedom I had before the money was paid was dearer to me. God gave me that freedom; but man put God’s image in the scales with the paltry sum of three hundred dollars.”
Linda expresses that her inner sense of freedom, granted by God, was more valuable than the legal freedom purchased for $300, which felt like a commodification of her humanity.
This highlights the theme of dehumanization and the moral conflict of being bought out of slavery.