Question

Which three parts of this excerpt from Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Ann Jacobs express the view that even “kind” slaveholders regarded their slaves as merely property? She had promised my dying mother that her children should never suffer for any thing; and when I remembered that, and recalled her many proofs of attachment to me, I could not help having some hopes that she had left me free. …After a brief period of suspense, the will of my mistress was read, and we learned that she had bequeathed me to her sister's daughter, a child of five years old. So vanished our hopes. …As a child, I loved my mistress; and, looking back on the happy days I spent with her, I try to think with less bitterness of this act of injustice. She possessed but few slaves; and at her death those were all distributed among her relatives. Five of them were my grandmother's children, and had shared the same milk that nourished her mother's children. Notwithstanding my grandmother's long and faithful service to her owners, not one of her children escaped the auction block.

Answer 1

The three parts of this excerpt from Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Ann Jacobs that express the view that even “kind” slaveholders regarded their slaves as merely property are:

1) "After a brief period of suspense, the will of my mistress was read, and we learned that she had bequeathed me to her sister's daughter, a child of five years old."

2) "She possessed but few slaves; and at her death those were all distributed among her relatives."

3) "Notwithstanding my grandmother's long and faithful service to her owners, not one of her children escaped the auction block."

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (1861) is an autobiography that tells the story of a fugitive female slave and her struggle to reach her freedom. This excerpt from the book shows that slaveholders were never completely kind since they always ended up treating slaves as objects instead of people. In part 1), the word "bequeathed" means to give something to somebody and it is generally used to refer to personal property. In this case, it is the main character, a slave, who is given by her mistress. Furthermore, in part 2), slaves are also treated as if they were things or even animals when they are spread among the mistress' relatives. Moreover, part 3) shows that slaveholders thought they had the power to own not only their slaves but also the slaves' children and grandchildren, even if they showed loyalty.

Answer 2

Answer:

the first answer is   …After a brief period of suspense, the will of my mistress was read, and we learned that she had bequeathed me to her sister's daughter, a child of five years old.

the second answer is    Notwithstanding my grandmother's long and faithful service to her owners, not one of her children escaped the auction block.