Beloved vs. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Essay Example

In most literature works talking about sex abuse and harassment, there is that aspect of the victims developing hatred feelings. These feelings results to the victims taking actions which are questionable though, to some extent, they are understandable. For example, in the novel Beloved, a lady is known by the name Sethe kills her child with a reason that she is preventing her from being defiled like she was. In another novel known as Incidents in the life of a slave girl, Linda was sexually abused which made her to be an unwanted relationship, bore children and still did not find happiness. This is because she never found her true love.

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There is an argument that the novel Beloved is being haunted specifically by both "histories as well as the memory of rape". As it can be seen in the novel, the author illustrates countless abuses of the slavery as well as illusions of rape which are of primary significance to the most focused theme in the novel known as sexual relationships. These relationships are more linked to dehumanizing, violent, as well as the struggle of powers in relation to what is related to both love and intimacy.

In the novel, the painful reminiscences of sexual violation together haunt each and every character involved in it. The typical example is the character which is known by the name Paul. D hide the traumatic effects of rape in "that tobacco caddy which is being suppressed in his torso where a red heart is used to be" (Morrison, 89). Also, another character known as Denver is being seen as a "captive in her own apartment and she fears to open it due to the sexual violation". However, there is a recitation of incidences of sexual abuse in the novel which are accomplished via a double structure of both memory and experience. They both serve primarily in situating the main action of the novel which focuses on Sethe murdering her own kid in an attempt of saving her from abuse by the owners of white slaves.

It is being narrated in the novel that Sethe killed a sibling of two years old with the reason that no white man will defile her since she was a victim of sexual abuse. She was a victim of sexual violation as the two men violated her whereby one man sucked her breast and the other one held her down (Morrison, 86). This aspect shows that there are those forces which are mightier than others since white men are abusing children and women who are seen to be weak. The might character are being represented as empowered human beings and the victims of sexual violation are being presented as inferior human beings.

The Novel beloved is full of allusions to sexual abuse and violation which is inclusive Sweet Home men's dreams, minus women as well as dreaming of rape (Morrison, 13). This is being supported by the way Sethe explains being a victim of sexual abuse. All the above-mentioned allusions are the cases of sex abuse or violence rather than be referenced as romantic intimacy. Paul D. and Sethe very first sexual encounter becomes over even before they could get their clothes off (Morrison, 25). In addition to that, there are sexual allusions which include suspicion of the society that Beloved is a dark girl which was being rumored to have been sexually exploited by a white man while she was in prison.

There is another retold assault in the novel that there were two boys who in a cruel way mocked maternal associations of Sethe through making her look like an animal to be milked ( Morrison, 86).In the novel, there are several incidences whereby the two boys defiled Sethe through sucking her breast and laying her down. Through doing so, the two boys degrade the dignity of Sethe since at that point she is being regarded as the inferior subject. The author is also explaining how Sethe feels powerless since she is not able to fight back or defend herself on that act. The effect of that kind of sexual abuse is that the victim sees himself or herself as a human being without the power of controlling his or her own body. Therefore, the decision of Sethe to murder her child can be said to be the act of empowerment as an attempt of trying to save her from sexual abuse an incidence which has already happened to her before.

In one way or the other, it can be said that Sethe has done wrong by killing her daughter in order to save her from sexual abuse. This can be controversial with what is being entailed in human rights sections. However, in other words, it can be argued instead of living with those painful memories about sexual deviation, it can be argued that Sethe protected her daughter from those disturbing memories of being sexually abused.

Incidents in the life of a slave girl it's a novel that tells the life of the author Harriet Jacobs.in this paper we will critically look at the theme of sexual abuse. At the age of six is when the novel starts as a happy kid living with her parents. His family is a bit financially stable slaves who are all working for masters. At this age, her mother dies and later sent to her mother's mistress who later dies (Jacobs). She does not realize as a kid that they were slaves until she is twelve. She becomes a mistress of a five-year-old Emily Flint which seems to her as very weird but what was ahead of her was nasty. "you are my slave you have to do what I ask" the master told her. The father of the youngster is a sexual assaulter a danger to the life of Linda the slave. After Linda reach at her puberty change the master Dr. Flint starts abusing her sexually. First Flint starts writing dirty notes which are a way of demanding sex from Linda. He goes further and constructs a cabin which will be the place Flint would assault her.

Mrs. Flint realizes the move by her husband which makes them argue with Flint. "are you having an affair with my husband?" Mrs. Flint asked. The sexual abuse tends to affect those surrounded by him, for example, his wife. Also, it's evident to note that the master does not respect the girl child rights and takes away the dignity of Linda the young girl. These shows how women slaves were mishandled sexually at a tender age thereby growing up hating men in general. The master does this knowledge in mind that slaves are his property and must agree to what he demands since slaves are private property. The master is seen as a sexual abuser not only to Linda but to other girls and women who are slaves. This shows that Dr. Flint has been abusing other ladies sexually placing him as an example of other masters at that time (Jacobs). The offense is seen as a non-issue to society showing how the social attitude towards sexual abuse.

Linda the slave girl is not willing to get into a sexual relationship with his master she decides to have sex with another man to divert attention. This move is seen as escaping sexual abuse from her master. She plans to get pregnant with the unmarried man and that her master would sell her as a result of his fury. Although the relationship is illicit, she decides its better than having an affair with Mr. Flint. "I am very ashamed by the bad relationship but its good than being sexually assaulted by her master (Jacobs)". .She gets two children as a result of the relationship who is Benny and Ellen this makes Dr. Flint furious with her and she hoped of being sold away.

This does not make him sell her rather he goes on and tries to blackmail her using sexual intercourse. Dr. Flint her master tries to make a deal with Linda that if she agrees to have sex with him, he would set them free including her children. Linda does not accept this deal rather she decides to work in the field and raise her children hiding (Jacobs). Linda finds her love later but the master condones their relationship this affects the love she has for the carpenter and interferes with her feelings in a dangerous manner.

Conclusion

Women who tend to go through sexual assault or abuse look for ways to free themselves. For example, Sethe went through sexual harassment and as a result, she took action of murder in the name of freeing her daughter to form definition. The similar scenario happens to when Linda escapes from the field to the north and goes to New York where she works for another master. She is denied seeing her children by her former master and goes on to console herself that her children will become his slaves and continue with his abuses. After her escape, her master continues to search for her around the states. Dr. Flint later sells Linda's children to a slave trader meaning that they would go through the assaults she went through. Sands who they sired a child with promises to set the children free but all is in vain.

Works cited

Jacobs, Harriet Ann. Incidents in the life of a slave girl: Written by herself. Vol. 119. Harvard University Press, 2009.

Morrison, Toni. Beloved. Christian Bourgois, 2015.