Freedom from Slavery

Linda finally attains her freedom from Mrs. Bruce (Mr. Bruce’s second wife), the person for whom she worked. Linda’s freedom was at stake when Dr. Flint’s daughter and her husband came looking for her. They were in desperate need of money. Fortunately, Mrs. Bruce employed someone to negotiate with Mr. Dodge for Linda and her children’s freedom in return for 300 dollars. At first, the offer was declined as it did not seem to be enough money, but then negotiator said that if they did not accept the offer, Linda would go out of the country. Mr. Dodge decided that “half a loaf was better than no bread” and sold her to Mrs. Bruce. A bill of sale was drawn up and then Mrs. Bruce freed her.

At first, Linda was horrified as she had actually been “sold” in New York, which was a free state. She was afraid she was going to be sold again because she thought she was going to be “sold from one slave owner to another” (349), which seemed like slavery to her. She thought the obligation could not be easily cancelled. Linda also did not think she, or anyone, else should pay for her freedom and especially pay money to those who had made her suffer. Most of all, she did not consider herself an “article of property”. In the end, Linda is deeply grateful to Mrs. Bruce for buying her freedom. However, Linda despises those who demanded money for her, since she never rightfully belonged to them. Once free, Linda feels like a great weight has been lifted off her shoulders, and she is no longer afraid to “unveil” her face and “look at people as they passed” (349). Ironically, it was a white, sacred, friend who had freed her, not her family.