Hypocrisy

by Don Rey

     America, in the time of slavery, was often a very cruel and seemingly unrealistic place. As Harriet Jacobs depicts in her narrative, "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl," it was rarely better than a brutal world through the eyes of a black person. Slaves were subject to harsh, unfair judgment that was all too often hypocritical. The source for this hypocrisy was usually the white people’s feeling that black people were much less important and significant than white people. Slaves were treated with very little, if any respect. Jacob’s essay points this out very well. Directed at anyone, this type of treatment would bring feelings of inadequacy and pointlessness, and made the slaves feel inhuman. Of course, the slave holders’ intent was not to make slaves feel human, but certainly the women of the north (the audience of Jacobs’ essay) have at the very least an understanding that slaves are human. Jacobs struggles throughout her life to preserve a sense of herself. This sense of self is necessary for maintaining hope, and to maintain hope is necessary to life. The main character realizes this. Jacobs endured a great amount of hypocrisy from white people, making her life very difficult and often miserable, but she very effectively managed to preserve a sense of herself.

     Southerners were very hypocritical towards slaves and many instances of this are displayed in Jacobs’ writing. Hypocrisy is severely damaging to one’s sense of self and meaning. If unfair treatment is followed by unfair expectations, what is there to hope for? The reader often found Jacobs struggling to find that sense of hope. I believe she does manage to preserve the sense of self so important to her and so protecting of her well being, despite the physical and emotional blows she is subject to from her masters and mistresses. Also damaging to that sense of hope in slaves are the double standards held by many whites. The greatest of these is the teaching of Christianity to slaves. They urge slaves, using such false authority to strengthen their own, in the teaching of servitude and humility. They even enforce it, but do not follow it very well. A master would never think to serve a slave. Certainly Dr. Flint would not. In addition, whites expect slaves to report to them with the full, unbiased truth and are punished if this is or appears not done. On the other hand, "no promise or writing given to a slave is legally binding" (Jacobs 462). Slave holders considered slaves property just as livestock and treated them this way, but expected them to act refined and human. Double standards are the most obvious examples of hypocrisy. Jacobs also makes known more in-depth and more damaging instances of hypocrisy carried out by whites in her time as a slave.

     The author describes her life with her first mistress as one of joy and happiness, despite her status as a slave. She played with the children of the mistress and was treated well by the mistress and her family. Her mistress had promised to grant her freedom, as part of her will. She did not, however, keep her word (Jacobs 463). However upset and worried, Jacobs did not lose much hope at the time, so this may not have been a severely damaging act of hypocrisy, directly. Indirectly, however, this decision would change her life from the joyful one she had known since birth to one of misery. She was to become property of the daughter of Dr. Flint, a well-known man of moderate stature, and with an inconsiderate heart. The family she was now subject to would put her through endless, cruel emotional and physical struggles that would change her life completely. Even through this, she preserves that crucial sense of self.

     When will of another mistress comes into question, Dr. Flint tries again to have his way and make known his power. Jacobs’ grandmother, a well-known and respected woman was granted freedom by the will of her mistress. Her mistress had borrowed three hundred dollars with the promise of returning it. Along with her freedom, the mistress left the money to her in the will. Dr. Flint declared the estate insolent, so the payment could not be made to the grandmother. (Flint did keep the silver candelabra that were bought with this money, however.) In addition, Dr. Flint decided to have the grandmother sold, but sold in a private sale rather than a public auction. He stated that he "was unwilling to wound her feelings by putting her up at auction" (Jacobs 465). His real reason was so that his stature would not be damaged because this old woman was highly respected in the town. Jacobs writes, "My grandmother saw through his hypocrisy; she understood very well that he was ashamed of the job" (Jacobs 465). At the sale, only one person bid for her, and afterwards, granted her freedom. This situation showed very clearly the cowardly lack of consideration owned by Dr. Flint. Although it turned out well, the act of hypocrisy severely damaged Jacobs’ confidence. Her grandmother was set free, but she was to remain a slave, and under the authority of Dr. Flint. Jacobs’ integrity remained however, and her sense of hope and self were not gone.

     The greatest hypocrisy displayed by whites throughout Jacobs’ essay is that they teach the ways of Christianity, yet do not live as Christians. One place this is evident is in the time of Jacobs’ young adulthood. Dr. Flint wants her to submit to him, and tries very hard and on a number of occasions to convince her to (Jacobs, 478). This violates his Christian teaching very clearly in that it is adultery. If not according to the law, the Bible deems this adultery. It is also completely disrespectful in all ways, and would be violating Jacobs. It is true that she is a slave, but she is a slave that he, along with her other masters and mistresses, has taught Christian ways. Jacob manages to avoid submitting to him, but is put through great trouble and misery in doing so.

     In another instance of this, Dr. Flint asks her about her love for a free black man. When she responds truthfully and genuinely that she is indeed in love with him, he hits her. He has asked for the truth, and she being honest, tells him (Jacobs, 485). He does not like what he hears, and therefore feels the necessity to inflict physical harm. That which he does not like in what she has told him is the very basic Christian teaching and idea of love. He has punished her for love.

     In today’s society, hypocrisy is all too often a problem. It no longer causes any one specific group of people so much misery and pain as it did slaves, but it still does cause people these to some extent. I recently received back a graded lab that I had turned in late. I lost half credit on the lab, which was particularly damaging to my grade. Three weeks before this, I had called the head of the department, and overseer for this class regarding a schedule problem. She told me that she would process my request the following day, and contact me the following week. When I did not hear from her for those three weeks, I called again and she told me that the request may not be able to be processed, and the chances of my obtaining the class were slim now. The points lost on my lab were in part a disciplinary measure showing me that late labs were not warmly welcomed from students. What about important replies never made by administration? This made me lose much respect for the department, and also made me lose hope in obtaining my major at this school. By no means is this on the scale of hypocrisy that Jacobs endured, but rather far less damaging. Even less damaging as it was, it caused me much aggravation and frustration.

     Harriet Jacobs’ world was made very harsh by acts of hypocrisy that filled her experiences. The life she lived was a cruel one towards her because of the treatment she and her fellow slaves received from whites. Hypocrisy was possibly the most damaging aspect of this horrible treatment. Nevertheless, Jacobs never faltered in her preservation of self, and therefore never lost hope. It is evidence in itself that she is able to bring out all her experiences in this essay written to women of the north to inform them of what slaves like her put up with. By this, she shows that although she may regret some of her actions, she is not so ashamed that she is unwilling to describe her life in so much detail. Her amazing preservation of a sense of self has maintained a strong hope, and her hope has kept her alive and spirited.

Reference:

Jacobs, Harriet. "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl". Ways of Reading. Ed. David Bartholomae and Anthony Petrosky. 4^th ed. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 1999. 457-98