Linda's Freedom

Will Landschulz

Am Lit Per. 2

Mrs. LaMagdeleine

In Incidents in the life of a slave girl, the main character, Linda, has come under renewed persuasion and persecution from her old masters in the South.  The latest missive from the South came by way of Mrs. Emily Dodge, née Flint, Linda’s former mistress.  It outlined a promise of release from the perils and miseries of being a slave and a fugitive that is too good to be true, if only Linda would come back to the South to take the opportunity while it was offered.  Yeah, right.  Linda sees through this letter, and dismisses it with a comparison to a children’s rhyme:

        

“‘Come up into my parlor’ said the spider to the fly,

         ‘Tis the prettiest little parlor that ever you did spy.’” (210)

         After inquiries into Linda’s whereabouts, including a seemingly endless investigation by Mr. Dodge, Mrs. Dodge’s husband, Linda’s white friend Mrs. Bruce has finally had enough.  She went to Mr. Dodge and asked to buy Linda from him.  To Linda, this seems a lot like business as usual in the South, and she strongly favored going to live with her brother in California instead of having to buy her freedom.  To Mrs. Bruce, her approach is the most efficient means of procuring freedom for her friend.  She proceeds with negotiations, buying Linda as she would a live chicken, but with the intent to set the chicken free.  This produces mixed feelings in Linda once she is free.  She is glad that she was freed, but she feels that her freedom should have been hers by right, rather than for some merchant to sell to the highest bidder.