Harriet Jacobs is born as a part of a family of slaves. When her mistress dies, her new owner becomes the mistress’ niece. Since the niece is only three years old, Harriet’s actual owner is the father, Dr. Flint. When Harriet is a young teenager, Dr. Flint begins to pervert her rights. He leaves notes for Harriet, which are violating and deceiving. They include Dr. Flint’s plans of what he wants to do to Harriet. Although Harriet is literate, she pretends that she cannot read the letters. She sends them back to Dr. Flint, but reads them first for her protection as a distinct portrayal of her power. Dr. Flint also whispers foul words in Harriet’s ear that make her very uncomfortable. The letters and whispers are both signs of a sexually abusive relationship. Thomas Jefferson indicates in his writing

Thomas Jefferson recognizes that he has his own personal view on differences between blacks and whites, placing blacks on a more inferior level than whites. These differences are both physical and mental. Jefferson initiates his description of differences with the color of their skin and their skin texture. Blacks are able to work longer in the sun because they are more tolerant of the extreme heat. This is due to the amount of melanin in their skin and also due to the fact that they secrete more through their skin glands than anywhere else in their bodies. Because they secrete more through their skin glands than anywhere else in their bodies, they emit a very disagreeable odor. Blacks require less sleep and they do not tire easily. They are “more ardent after their female” (16). However, love seems like more of a desire than “a mixture of sentiment and sensation” (16). Their grief is fleeting and their wrongdoings are felt as less severe and easily forgotten. Jefferson compares blacks to animals in such a way that he implies that like animals, blacks have no “memory, reason, and imagination” (16). They are equal to whites in memory, but are much inferior in reason. Blacks are more brave and adventuresome, but this makes them more vulnerable to danger because they do not see it until it is present. Blacks are very uninteresting and inelegant, while whites are very tasteful.

Harriet Jacobs’s life contradicted many of these thoughts of Jefferson. Unlike Jefferson’s idea that blacks do not take their wrongdoings seriously and that their grief is fleeting, Harriet was ex

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