1. Jacobs' autobiography is accompanied by two advocacy letters attesting to the work's authenticity — one by Amy Post, a white Quaker abolitionist, the other by George W. Lowther, whom Brent's editor, Lydia Maria Child, identifies as "a highly respectable colored citizen of Boston." These testimonials reveal that had Brent succeeded in publishing the narrative on her own, readers would not have believed that it was written by a former slave. Given the relationship between the testimonials and the narrative, consider the following:
a. Does Brent's narrative live up to the expectations set by the testimonials?
b. Is the work as moving and dramatic as these writers say it is?
c. Does Brent's role as an observer of her own time, and as the author of her life's story, give her work credibility independent of what others say?
d. Could you argue that Brent's story is far superior to the material that supports it?
2. Does Brent's narrative support the concept that literacy is a metaphor for freedom? Explain.
3. Brent's relationship with her grandmother (Aunt Martha) gives her the strength to endure seemingly impossible hardships in order to be near her children. What impact do some of the other women in the narrative have on Brent's life?
4. The use of language is a critical factor in Brent's narrative. For example, numerous critics have pointed out that Brent's sophisticated manner of speaking seems incompatible with her character. Discuss.
5. Compare the opening chapter of Incidents with the opening chapter of Frederick Douglass's Narrative. What are some of the key differences between these two works?
6. Compare Brent's Incidents to Toni Morrison's Beloved. How does Morrison's graphic use of language to describe the horrors of slavery add to the emotional impact of her work?
7. In discussing the continuing problems of racism and the dismal social and economic status of inner-city blacks, historians often refer to "the legacy of slavery." Based on Brent's experiences as a slave and as a free woman in the United States, how valid are their observations?
8. In Chapter 1, "Childhood," Brent describes the "unusually fortunate circumstances" of her early childhood from ages 6-12, before she became fully aware of her slave status. With this in mind, read Zora Neale Hurston's essay, "How It Feels to Be Colored Me." How does Hurston's experience reflect Brent's?
9. When Aunt Martha tells Linda that her father is dead (Chapter 2), Linda recalls her initial response: "He had died so suddenly I had not even heard that he was sick." What does this incident reveal about Aunt Martha? About Linda? What are the circumstances surrounding her father's death? Why do you think Linda was not permitted to attend her father's funeral?
