Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is written by Harriet Ann Jacobs and edited by L. Maria Child. Harriet writes this story under the name Linda Brent; a girl born into slavery, suffering and fighting for her freedom (and later that of her children). Although Linda was born a slave, she didn't realize it until she was six years old. As a child, she was cared for by a kind teacher who promised Linda's mother to take care of her and protect her. When this mistress died, Linda hoped to regain her freedom. Unfortunately, she was placed in the care of the Flint family, where she grew up until her teenage years. Her life in this house was miserable and, like many slaves, she often wished her life would end. His first true love was denied him. She hoped that this free man could regain his freedom. The only way to do this was to put them on the market for sale. Mr. Flint denied it, claiming that it was his daughter's property and that he could not sell it. After having to abandon her first love, Linda's only hope of escape was Mr. Sands; her white lover and father of her two children. Life as a slave was tedious and full of pain, many of them hoped that death would come and take them away. They were constantly whipped, locked in prison, starved; and unfortunately the beautiful young girls, mistreated by their masters. When Linda and Benjamin (her brother) were taken to their new owner's home, Benjamin said they “[were] dogs [there]; soccer balls, cattle, anything naughty. Their former mistress took such good care of them that when they entered the Flint house, they immediately felt how cold this family was towards their slaves. Harriet states: "No pen can give an adequate description......in the middle of a sheet......and 'it made her sad to discover how the North aped the customs of slavery.' This story told by Harriet depicts the reality of how badly slaves were treated in the South and how they did not really get the freedom they sought in the North. Using primary sources to study the history of slavery is very important, because it is the only way to get a real idea of ​​what life as a slave was really like. A secondary source can only tell you what we can all say: “slavery was evil.” While a primary source recounts their daily sufferings and hopes for freedom. In conclusion, even though the North offered more “freedom” to slaves, they still did not have an egalitarian culture and society. The South exploited them much more, but the North still devalued them by giving them the most minimal and worthless things, while the whites left themselves the best..