Linda Brent vs. Charlotte Temple

Contrasting and Comparing Two Characters Stephanie Adam

Proseminar Literature - Reading American Literature

Dr. Laura Bieger

WS 2013

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction ............................................ 2

2. Sentimental Novel ....................................... 3

3. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl ................... 3

3.1. Background Information ............................... 3

3.2. Summary .............................................. 4

4. Charlotte Temple ........................................ 7

4.1. Background Information ............................... 7

4.2. Summary .............................................. 7

5. Contrasting and Comparing Charlotte Temple and Linda Brent

.........................................................8

5.1. Up-Bringing and Prospective in Life .................. 8

5.2. Dealing with great Misfortunes ...................... 11

5.3. Support by Family and Friends ....................... 13

6. Conclusion ............................................. 14

7. Bibliography ........................................... 15

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1. Introduction

This paper deals with the comparison of two literary

characters from sentimental novels. Although Incidents in the

Life of a Slave Girl is non-fiction, the reader cannot, with

full certainty say, whether everything is true seeing as the

story is written from the Slave Girl herself and thus

biased. Charlotte Temple can be regarded as fiction even

though the author states at the beginning of the books that

[f]or the perusal of the young and thoughtless of the fair

sex, this Tale of Truth is designed; and I could wish my fair

readers to consider it as not merely the effusion of Fancy,

but as a reality. (Rowson 3) By stating this Rowson appeals

to the reader to believe that her tale is a Tale of Truth

and not of fiction, but yet in the same sentences she

contradicts herself and says that it is designed. Therefore,

the reader is not entirely sure whether this book is a work of

fact or fiction. This lead to the conclusion, that the

narrator, just like the author/narrator of Incidents in the

Life of a Slave Girl, is biased and unreliable.

It was for these reasons that this paper will compare and

contrast the two main protagonists Linda Brent and Charlotte

Temple in regard to three features. These three features are

up-bringing and prospective in life, dealing with great

misfortunes and support by family and friends.

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2. Sentimental Novel

A sentimental novel is, broadly, any novel that exploits

the readers capacity for tenderness, compassion, or

sympathy (Encyclopaedia Britannica)

3. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

3.1. Background Information

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl was written by

Harriet Jacobs under the penname of Linda Brent in 1861.

Jacobs wrote this book, after fleeing to the North, to reach

white women, who might not be able to fully understand the

consequences and tolls slavery took on the individual,

especially on female, slaves. Her book is written as part of

the Anti-Slavery movement, supporting the abolitionists cause

and winning over white women for the fight against slavery.

While writing the book, Jacobs had had help from a well-

known novelist of the time, Lydia Maria Child. Lydia Maria

Child helped Jacobs to make her book reader-friendly and to

put it into a format that was similar to that of a novel.

After the publication rumors stirred that the book was a work

of fiction and not a report on actual happenings. Only

decades, 1970s and 1980s, later Jacobs got the credit she

deserved when Jean Fagan Yellin began doing research

concerning the author and her life, and was able to use

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historical documents to prove the legitimacy of the author and

of the events portrait in the book. (Fagan Yellin)

3.2. Summary

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl tells the story of

Linda Brent/Harriet Jacobs. The narrative starts with Linda

being six years old and not knowing that she is a slave. After

her mothers death Linda was sent to live with her mothers

mistress. Six years later, this mistress dies and Linda is

entrusted to relatives of her. Her new masters were rather

neglectful and cruel towards her, with her new master, Dr.

Flint, taking a personal interest in her. Lindas mistress was

jealous of her husbands infatuation with the female slave and

thus was treating her more harshly than any other slave. Linda

trying to avoid any (forced) sexual relations with her master

enters a love affair with Mr. Sands, a white neighbor.

Although Linda is ashamed of her affair with Mr. Sands and

even has two children with him, she is certain that this is

better than being raped by Mr. Flint. When Mr. Flint finds out

about the affair, he sends Linda to one of his sons

plantations to be broken in as a field hand. Linda soon

discovers that her two children should suffer the same fate.

Unable to flee to the North with two small children, she hides

in her grandmothers attic, hoping that Mr. Flint would now

sell her children. Mr. Flint indeed sells her children to a

slave trader, who represented Mr. Sands. Mr Sands, the father

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of the children, promised to free his children one day. The

children are then sent to live with Lindas grandmother as

they cannot know where their mother is. Linda is unable to

leave the attic but is still able to watch her children

through a peephole. When Mr. Sands marries and brings their

younger child, Ellen, along with him to Washington D.C. to

watch over his newborn daughter, Linda realizes that he may

never free their children. Linda is thus determined to flee

with her children, worried that they remain slaves forever.

However, fleeing is a rather risky business for Linda, as Mr.

Flint is continuing his hunt for her.

Seven years later, Linda is able to flee but has to leave

her younger son behind with her grandmother. Linda manages to

get to Brooklynn where she is reunited with her now nine year

old daughter Ellen. Although they are reunited, Linda is

dismayed to find her daughter still living in virtual slavery

under Mr. Sands cousin, Mrs. Hobbs. Afraid that her daughter

will be sold once more, Linda takes on a post as a nursemaid

with the Bruces, a New York family, to keep an eye on her.

Linda, still being pursued by Mr. Flint, has to flee to Boston

where she is reunited with her son Benny. Mr. Flint is now

claiming that the sale of Benny and Ellen was illegitimate,

causing Linda to fear that they all should be enslaved once

more. After Mrs. Bruce death, Linda spends a year in London,

caring for Mr. Bruces daughter, where she discovers what it

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feels like to live free from racial prejudice. Upon return to

Boston, Linda receives word that Mr. Flints daughter Emily,

after the death of her father, is claiming ownership of her.

Seeing as the Fugitive Slave Act had just passed, Linda is in

extreme danger to be kidnapped and re-enslaved.

As Emily Flint and her husband arrive in New York to

claim Linda, she has to hide, but the new Mrs. Bruce offers to

buy her. Linda, although grateful to the new Mrs. Bruce,

refuses the offer, stating that she does not want to be bought

again, only to be sold once more. Mrs. Bruce ignores her

wishes and purchases her. Linda is devastated at being

bought/sold again and generally furious at the slave system

and in particular with Mrs. Flint.

At the end of the book, she notes that she has not yet

had the chance to make her dream of making a home for herself

and her children come true.

The book ends with two testimonials, one from Amy Post, a

white abolitionist, and the second one from George W. Lowther,

a black antislavery writer.

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4. Charlotte Temple

4.1. Background Information

Charlotte Temple was written by Susanne Rowson. The first

edition was published in England in 1791, followed by the

first American edition in 1794. The book became an instant

bestseller in America.

Charlotte Temple is a sentimental novel set in Great

Britain and in America.

4.2. Summary

Charlotte Temple, a 15 year old girl who is still

attending boarding school, is seduced by a young soldier named

Montraville. Montraville persuades Charlotte to follow him to

America and leave her family behind. Charlotte, madly in love

with him, agrees and follows him to America, convinced that

she can never come back home because of what she did. In

truth, her parents are desperate for her return and are

looking for her. Charlotte is, after their arrival in America,

slowly abandoned by Montraville, and passed into the hands

of Belcour, Montravilles best friend. Montraville then leaves

the now pregnant Charlotte completely, believing that

Charlotte has been unfaithful and the child is not his. He

arranges for Charlotte to get a monthly allowance paid through

Belcour. However, Belcour does not deliver the money but is

keeping it for himself. Furthermore, Belcour looks on as

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Charlotte spirals deeper and deeper into depression and

poverty. When Charlotte is unable to pay her rent anymore, she

is evicted and wanders the streets to find shelter. She finds

shelter with a supposed-friends servant and is giving birth

to her baby some nights later. Meanwhile, her parents are

still looking for her, and having received Charlottes letter,

her father decides to come to New York to see her. Shortly

after Charlotte gives birth her father finds her and she begs

him for forgiveness and asks him to take care of her child.

Montraville later finds out what happened to Charlotte and

about the part Belcour played in it. Therefore he challenges

Belcour to a duel, where Belcour is killed. Montraville is

living the rest of his life regretting his decisions

concerning Charlotte.

5. Contrasting and Comparing Charlotte Temple and Linda Brent

5.1. Up-Bringing and Prospective in Life

Linda Brent was brought up believing she was free, living

thus a care free childhood. Similarly, Charlotte Temple was

brought up not only believing but truly being free; she too

had a care free childhood. As far as the reader is aware, both

women grew up surrounded by parents who loved them.

With regard to Linda, her childhood ended abruptly at the

age of six when her mother passed away. This was the moment

that [she] learned, by the talk around [her], that [she] was

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a slave (Jacobs 6). After learning that she was a slave, her

prospect of live and what she could expect were limited. A

female slave was treated even worse than a male slave.

Therefore, she hoped to remain virtues, as her grandmother

wanted her to be. Being a slave meant, that one was not

protected by law, one was the property of someone else.

Someone who could do what he wanted with the slave, be it

torture, rape or murder. Linda is addressing the reader,

stating that she cannot be condemned for her actions regarding

her sexual history by other women, because they were not in

the same position as she was: Pity me, and pardon me, O

virtuous reader! You never knew what it is to be a slave; to

be entirely unprotected by law or custom; to have the laws

reduce you to the condition of a chattel, entirely subject to

the will of another. (Jacobs 35). Besides not being protected

by the law, they did not receive education, seeing as a slave

who could read and write posed a threat to their master.

Knowledge is power after all. Therefore, masters sought to it,

that their slaves remained uneducated. However, when Lindas

mother passed, Linda was passed into the service of her

mothers mistress and seeing as she was a kind woman, Linda

was taught how to read and to write.

Charlotte, on the other hand, grew up a free woman and

was able to decide on her own. She went to boarding school,

received a good education, she could choose who to marry and

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who to love. Additionally, she had the law on her side.

Charlotte was able to take legal actions against someone who

had wronged her.

When comparing Linda and Charlotte, Charlotte took her

life as granted and decided to leave her charmed life behind

to follow Montraville. The narrator provides her/his opinion

on Charlotte perusing love at all cost when stating Oh my

dear girls ... listen not to the voice of love, unless

sanctioned by paternal approbation: be assured, it is now past

the days of romance" (Rowson 20) In addition to not heeding

her parents advice, Charlotte was manipulated by her governess

Mademoiselle La Rue. La Rue wanted Charlotte to fall for

Montraville and follow him to the America, thus she tried

everything in her power to convince Charlotte of Montravilles

honest intentions. Furthermore, Charlotte was a rather naive

and easy to influence spirit. She dreamed of marrying the love

of her life but did not think about the consequences or if her

actions had any repercussions.

Linda on the other hand, had to fight for everything. She

chose to enter in an affair with a white lawyer to evade being

raped by her master. She gave her virtue to someone she chose

instead of it being taken from her violently. She tried

everything in her might and limited capabilities to make sure

her children would eventually be free. She took her life in

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her own hands, and managed to make a life for herself and her

children although the odds were against her.

5.2. Dealing with great Misfortunes

When it comes to dealing with great misfortunes, several

can be listed for both women. In the case of Linda, her

master, Mr. Flint, the birth of her children, having to stay

in an attic in order for her children to have a chance at

freedom and then at last her near re-capture by Mr. Flints

daughter. With regard to Charlotte, the meeting of

Montraville, her life in seclusion after coming to the United

States of America, her pregnancy and her live in poverty.

Comparing Linda and Charlotte one notices that even

though the odds are against Linda and life has dealt her the

worst of all cards, she never gave up. Linda tried to make the

best of the situation, she tried to rise above it and

influence the outcome in a, for her, favorable way. She

decided to start an affair with a white lawyer to evade being

raped by her master. When she had her two children she

initially wanted to run away with them, but decided against

it, as she was certain that she would never be able reach the

North with two little children. Nonetheless, she tried to

afford her children a chance at being free. Linda decided to

hide in her grandmothers attic, causing Mr. Flint, her

master, to believe that she ran away. She hoped her master

would sell her children, rather than taking the risk of them

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trying to run north as well. Her prayers were heard, and her

children were bought by their father, who had promised to free

them. By doing so, Linda made sure that her children,

especially her daughter, would not have to face the same

cruelty that she had to face as a female slave. She was able

to afford her children the chance at freedom, although she had

to pay the price of staying hidden in the attic until she

would be able to flee north.

Charlotte on the other hand, spirals deeper and deeper

into depression and, more or less, pities herself and dwelling

on why she did what she did. But she never has the strength to

change the outcome of her predicament. Charlotte resigns and

gives up, not really facing reality but more or less trying to

hide from it, seeing as she is the one who has to be pitied

and is not at fault. When finding out she is pregnant and

unmarried, Charlotte does not know how to handle her

situation. Although she has had a good relationship with her

parents, she believes that she is not able to return home, as

she had brought shame on her family. Nevertheless, Charlotte

writes her mother, apologizing and hoping that her parents

will ... curse [her] not ..., but let a tear of pity and

pardon fall to the memory of your lost. (Rowson 59)

Whereas Linda is able to grow with the challenges life

presents her with, Charlotte is not able to own up to her

mistakes and to make the best of her situation.

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5.3. Support by Family and Friends

Whereas Charlotte grew up in a sheltered and loving

environment with parents who were able to give her everything,

Linda had loving parents and was partly sheltered from the

outside world as well, but her parents were not able to give

her everything. Linda had a loving relationship with her

grandmother and brother and was able to turn to either of

them, but especially to her grandmother, when she needed them.

Charlottes closest confidant was presumably her governess,

Mademoiselle La Rue. Although both women had people they were

able to turn to, Charlotte had the misfortune of La Rue being

manipulative and lobbying for her own interests first and

foremost. Linda was supported by her grandmother she found

shelter in her attic, when she feigned to have run away - even

when Linda had brought shame on herself by starting an affair

and consequently having two children. Even though Linda knew

her grandmother would be disappointed and might not be able to

forgive her, she was sure that her grandmother would still

love her. Charlotte on the other hand, did not have the

courage to go to her parents, seeing as she was sure of how

her parents would react.

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6. Conclusion

After having compared Charlotte and Linda the author of

this paper comes to the conclusion, that Charlotte Temple

could have turned her life around by going home. However,

seeing as Charlotte Temple is a work of fiction and written as

a cautionary tale for young, virtues girls, the outcome of

Charlotte following her love had to be, in this case, a fatal

one. With regard to Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, it

can be said, that Linda Brent/Harriet Jacobs, was a very

strong young woman, who despite the obstacles that were in her

way managed to free herself and her children. She did not

succumb to the torture of her master but stood strong, proving

that you cannot break the will of a human being yearning to be

free and not held imprisoned.

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7. Bibliography

Encyclopaedia Britannica. sentimental novel. 2014. website. 05

February 2014.

.

Fagan Yellin, Jean. Harriet Jacobs: A Life. New York: Basic

Civitas, 2004. print.

Jacobs, Harriet. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.

Stilwell: Digireads.com Publishing, 2005. print.

Rowson, Susanna. Charlotte Temple. Stilwell: Digireads.com

Publishing, 2010. print.

1. Introduction2. Sentimental Novel3. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl3.1. Background Information3.2. Summary

4. Charlotte Temple4.1. Background Information4.2. Summary

5. Contrasting and Comparing Charlotte Temple and Linda Brent5.1. Up-Bringing and Prospective in Life5.2. Dealing with great Misfortunes5.3. Support by Family and Friends

6. Conclusion7. Bibliography