The novel Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs is a story that shows several types of themes. Those themes could show a moral in the story that could be learned from and or could describe the story being told. The themes shown in this novel are Home and Family, Degradation Inherent to Slavery, and Race and Gender. The theme Home and Family were shown in this novel in different ways. One being said, “They lived together in a comfortable home; and, though we were all slaves, I was so fondly shielded that I never dreamed I was a piece of merchandise, trusted to them for safe keeping, and liable to be demanded of them at any moment.” (pg 7) One of the interesting things about Harriet's early life is that she did not know she was a slave; she lived in relative comfort and security with her mother and father - who were married - as well as her extended family. Harriet's realization that she was a slave was a startling one; once she learned that she was a slave she could never reverse this knowledge and was thus stuck with the psychological trauma of knowing that she was a piece of property. Also said, “Moreover, they thought he had spoiled his children, by teaching them to feel that they were human beings. This was blasphemous doctrine for a slave to teach; presumptuous in him, and dangerous to the masters.” (pg 12) One of the ways in which slaveholders justified slavery was by enforcing the claim that slaves were not really human beings. Harriet's father tried to teach his children that they had worth, but this interfered with the slaveholders' desire to keep slaves docile and dumb. These quotes/ examples demonstrate how the theme Home and Family were shown in the novel.
Another theme, Degradation Inherent to Slavery were demonstrated in the novel in different sorts of ways. As said, “The mistress, who ought to protect the helpless victim, has no other feelings towards her but those of jealousy and rage. The deg...