Oh, Aunt Martha. I am so upset for Linda when her
grandmother tells her to, “Go away!” (48). Aunt Martha, don’t you think the
poor girl has gone through enough! Aunt Martha seems a little
judgmental and concerned with reputation (here is the same theme, again). Linda is so scared
to tell her grandmother about the pregnancy. She is sees it as a “confession”
(48). Perhaps, Linda doesn’t want disgrace to come to her family. In another example,
when Linda wants to run away, Aunt Martha’s response is, “Nobody respects a
mother who forsakes her children” (75). Among other reasons, Aunt Martha
doesn’t want people talking poorly about her granddaughter. I am glad when Aunt
Martha becomes the “good grandmother” again (49).
It interesting to note that, even today and especially with
the “older generation,” pregnancy out of wedlock comes with a lot of judgment. To
some people, it doesn’t matter what the girl’s circumstances are. If she is
pregnant, she is a sinner. What irks me even more is that many people who judge
unwed mothers only place fault on the woman! We constantly hear things like,
“There SHE goes, getting HERself knocked up again.” Rarely, does anyone say
negative things about a man having a baby before marriage. The same rings true
in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.
Aunt Martha’s first reaction is not anger toward the father. Instead, she
directs all her judgment onto Linda, with phrases like, “You are a disgrace…” (48).
I agree with your point about Aunt Martha. I think she is very concerned about her reputation and worries about what others think about her. So the question is why? To be honest, I think Aunt Martha is worried about her professional image. Jacobs repeatedly talks about how Martha makes cakes and food for members of the town, which in turn allows her to support herself and her loved ones. If the town's opinion about Martha were to become tainted, however, people may stop requesting that Martha make food. Linda's ruin has the potential to be Martha's ruin as well. Just a food for thought . . .
ReplyDeleteRight, I think it does come down to the fact that Martha has done well for herself working within the system of slavery and Linda has not and chooses not to try. It has taken Aunt Martha a long time and she is, rightfully or not, protective of the values of the institution itself, which are patriarchal as well as racist. To her credit, this is the ONLY place I can recall in the text where she puts societal values above interpersonal and family values.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Erin that Aunt Martha abides by Slavery as an institution. Linda forces her to break out from it, though, when she houses Linda in her attic. Aunt Martha is risking everything here, more than her snide comments to white men and Dr. Flint do.
ReplyDeleteWhat's saddest is I don't think Aunt Martha realizes how much freedom she has still given up while her granddaughter, Linda, has so much more freedom although seemingly it looks like she has none. She has Dr. Flint wrapped around her finger, though.
I think Aunt Martha, as tough as we think she is, is heartbroken only because she knows how hard slavery is and doesnt want to bring another child into such an undesireable situation. She's tough because she was made to be. Yes, her initial reastion to Linda's pregnancy was rough, but who would be happy to find out their granddaughter is pregnant by a white man, and has zero opportunities to better herself?
ReplyDeleteAnother great post and another great set of comments. Well done!
ReplyDeleteI have to chime in, even if it's too late.
ReplyDeleteI must add that these women (Aunt Martha and Linda) come from two different generations of slaves, and that may be a big part of why they make the choices they do. I know I am certainly not making the same life decisions for myself as my mother did. And Linda and Aunt Martha are two generations apart. I just feel like that would be a factor.