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. BackgroundInformation
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. CharlotteTemple
4.1. BackgroundInformation
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-BringingandProspectiveinLife
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. DealingwithgreatMisfortunes
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. SupportbyFamilyandFriends
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.
<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/534911/sentime
ntal-novel>.
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.