Garret Hawthorne

HIS 14 FALL 2012

Essay Assignment

Due: November 29, 2012

An analysis of the book Harriet Jacobs autobiography Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl reveals, in my opinion, that it is an accurate representation of the antebellum South under a slave system based on other published works such as Soujourner Truth, Address to the Womens’ Right’s Convention Akron, Ohio 1851 and Benjamin Drew, Narratives of Escaped Slaves 1855. The accounts described by Harriet Jacobs are consistent with these and many other
In my assessment for veracity within “ Incidents In The Life of A Slave Girl”
I find a resounding voice throughout the slave, Free Black and the Abolitionist communities.
As Harriet Jacobs speaks of the brutal
There is a true depiction of the personal accounts through the eyes of those who lived the experiences, which are revealed differently by each person involved. Autobiographies allow the unique experience of a particular view and historians can use a variety of autobiographies to help gain a well-rounded account of historical events. The use of autobiographies in conjunction with scholarly writings and captured news accounts provides for a rich analysis of historical facts. In my interpretation, autobiographies tend to be an effort to “tell all” and release secrets and pain. An opportunity taken to “set the record straight”, because of the candid way they are written the untold truths often shine through. Consequently, historians have access to the most accurate account of events.
Although autobiographies are a rich source of information we must not ignore the possibility that autobiographies can and do represent a skewed view and must be analyzed carefully