Analysis of Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

• What was one of Harriet Ann Jacobs' challenges in her journey to freedom?

  She faced the difficulty of relying on herself and had to hide in friends’ homes, hoping they would not betray her to Dr. Flint
• How did Harriet Ann Jacobs rely on others during her escape?


  She leaned on her family and friends for aid, such as when they cared for her children and brought her news about their well-being.
• Why did Harriet Ann Jacobs not tell most of her family members where she was staying?


  She feared retribution and the possibility that they might be harmed if her location was discovered.
• What prevented Harriet Ann Jacobs from sending a message to her grandmother? 


  Everyone who went in or out of her grandmother’s house was closely watched, making it impossible for her to send a message.
• Why did Harriet Ann Jacobs move into a tiny, unventilated room for seven years?


  She moved there to secretly watch over her children and ensure their safety, relying on her own strength for comfort.
• What role did Harriet Ann Jacobs’ strength of character play in her journey?


   Her strength of character helped her endure the seven years of isolation and wait until she could be sure her children were safe.
• How do the Flints and the woman who helped Jacobs escape differ?


   The Flints are cruel and merciless slaveholders, while the woman who helped Jacobs escape treated her enslaved workers kindly and helped others escape brutal conditions.
• Why is the woman who helped Harriet Ann Jacobs referred to only as "the woman" in the excerpt?


  She is referred to as "the woman" to protect her true identity, as revealing her name could ruin her reputation during that time.
• What does the woman’s role in Harriet Ann Jacobs' escape represent?


  The woman represents white slaveholders who treated their enslaved workers with kindness and helped others escape from harsher conditions.