In "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" by Harriet Jacobs, one of the big topics is the fear of insurrection, which means the fear of slaves rising up against their masters. This fear was very real for people living during that time because slaves were treated very badly, and some would want to fight for their freedom.
Let's talk about Linda Brent, who is the main character in the book. At the beginning of the story, Linda is a young girl who just wants to be free and live a happy life. She is very scared of her master, Dr. Flint, because he treats her poorly and wants to control her life. She feels trapped and doesn’t know what to do.
As the story goes on, especially when we get to the chapter where the fear of insurrection comes up, Linda changes a lot. She becomes braver and starts to think about how to fight for her freedom. Linda starts to take action; she realizes that she can't just wait for things to get better. She begins to understand that she needs to be strong, not just for herself but for her children too.
By the end of the book, Linda is a different person. She goes from being scared and feeling helpless to becoming a courageous woman who fights for what she believes in. She shows a lot of strength and determination to escape from slavery, which is very inspiring! So, Linda's change from the beginning of the story to when she faces her fears really shows how the terrible situation can make someone stronger and more willing to stand up for themselves.