Chapter 8: What Slaves Are Taught To Think of the North

Chapter 8:

What Slaves Are Taught To Think of the North

Summary: Jacobs describes in this chapter what slave masters taught their slaves, mainly on how the north was. She talked about how a slave master told a story about a slave who escaped to the north and how the slave begged to be brought back because of the terrible conditions in the north. This story was absorbed by most slaves, further discouraging the thought of being free.

Importance: This chapter is important in that it showed a means slave master utilized to control their slaves and keep them from not only trying to escape to the north, but even considering it.

Connection to Theme: Although no violence or punishment was issued in this chapter, the most effective type of psychological abuse was still displayed. By diminishing their slaves’ hope of ever being free, they were able to control them in an almost absolute manner. It was written by Jacobs that while the lies seemed far-fetched, some of the ignorant slaves actually believed them and became submissive to their masters.