incidents 2

Reading pages 87-107 I found it really interesting that Brent always talks about how she wishes her children were dead, "I thought how well it would be for her if she never waked up"(89). If her child never woke up Brent would have no reason to run away since she ran away for her children. She does not want something like this too happen but she wants a better life for them by any means necessary. She is devoted to her a children to the point were she will take the chance of not being able to see them just so they can be free. One thing I noticed during this reading is that the childrens' father is not mentioned when it comes to helping them. After many unsuccessful attempts at freeing them it is as if they have lost trust in him, "don't trust too much too him. Stand by your own children, and suffer with them till death"(93). Brent does just that but doesn't suffer with them but for them she takes matter into her own hands. She is not there for them but does everything in her power to help them even though she leaves them behind. She does not consider taking her children with her because even though they have to live the rest of their lives without a mother she knows it is better then having to constantly hide just to be free.

Incidents

What goes through Mr.Flint's mind when he says such atrocious things to Brent? Even though she may seem like less of a person to him it does not make sense to corrupt not only himself but also a young girls' mind. It shows how perverse slave owners were. They could turn the best thing about a person into something dangerous, "If God has bestowed beauty upon her, it will prove her greatest curse"(Brent 27). Only the worst people could turn something like beauty into an excuse to abuse and mistreat a person. Jealousy then becomes the cause of most a female slaves suffering,it makes them ask questions such as this one;" Why does the slave ever love?"(36). Love and lust are not to be confused in this book. Mr.Flint's selfish ways make it impossible for Brent to even think of loving anyone. It is as if he has no regard towards his family. If he actually loved his wife he would not do such things to Brent. What bothers me the most in the novel is that she regards rape as the most everyday thing but does not refer to it directly it's as if she does not want accept what has happened to her and many other females. It makes you wonder what kept Brent going other than her family. At this point it does not seem like anything else is.