Chapter 5: The Trials of Girlhood

Chapter 5:
 The Trials of Girlhood




 Summary: Linda is being pursued by Dr.Flint invoking the jealous mistress. Dr.Flint devices a plan to get closer to his goal of getting Linda to submit to him. He assigns her to care for his daughter, forcing Linda to sleep wherever the daughter is. Dr.Flint would then move his daughter to his room, forcing Linda to sleep there as well. Mrs.Flint overhears his plan and forces Linda to promise that she won’t sleep with Dr.Flint. Linda promises with her hand on the Bible. The mistress promised to protect Linda from the master, but Linda knew the protection would not last. Linda then mentions two sisters, one white and the other is her slave. They both grow up together but the white sister marries while the other one is left behind to suffer from her master’s sexual exploits.


Importance: Linda is being filled with explicit fantasies produced by her master.  She is afraid that he will take away everything she believes in as a woman if her master gets what he desires.
Connection to Theme: Linda is becoming exposed to the thoughts of her master. On page 27, she states “He tried his utmost to corrupt the pure principles my grandmother had instilled”.

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