In "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl," Harriet Jacobs tells us about her life as a slave, and in the chapter "New Perils," we see some really scary things that happen to her. The setting of this chapter is important because it shows us just how tough life was for her and other enslaved people.
In "New Perils," the setting takes place on a plantation, which is a big farm where slaves worked. The say they live in small, simple houses, often not very safe or comfortable. The plantation is a place where the owners control everything, and there are a lot of rules that make life hard for the slaves. The buildings are often dark, and there’s not much freedom at all. This adds to the feeling of danger and fear that Harriet and others face.
Harriet talks about the dangers she experiences, like her master trying to control her life and make her do things that make her very uncomfortable. The setting shows us how there are always eyes watching her. She feels trapped because she cannot escape from the plantation, and there is nowhere to hide. This makes us see how scary her life is.
The plantation also represents the bad decisions and choices made by slave owners. The fact that so many people are kept like this makes us feel sad and angry. Because of the dark setting and the scary situations, we understand that Harriet is always worried about what will happen to her and that she has to be very brave. This chapter helps us feel what she feels, making us care more about her story.
So, the setting in "New Perils" is really important. It shows us how hard life as a slave was, and it helps us understand all the new dangers Harriet had to face. It makes her story even more powerful and teaches us about the struggles of enslaved people.