Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (the North)

The North was not what Linda had hoped it would be. Linda expected the North was a place where she would be accepted regardless of her skin color. She was told that the North would not question her because of her race. When she got to the North she found out differently. On page 135 Linda discusses how she was not able to sit in the best cars, not because she did not have the money to sit there, but because colored people were not allowed in the best cars. Instead Linda was forced to sit in the back car which was unsanitary. She states that in the South she had to sit in that car but at least she was not expected to pay for that type of treatment. Linda finally attains her "freedom" by having Mrs. Bruce pay for her. Linda does not think that this is freedom because she does not believe that someone should have to pay for her. This gives her mixed emotions because she does not find it fair that Mrs. Bruce should pay for her. Linda wanted to obtain freedom her own way and she thought that by going to the North she would obtain it.