In this passage by Harriet Jacobs, located in the slave story Incidents in the Life of a Slave, the character Linda directs thoughts to the reader in response to comments made by an ignorant slave owner. The man continues to explain how he knows what the slaves want and how difficult it is to be mistreated and considered less because of one's physical characteristics. In a time of oppression and dehumanization achieved by whites through slavery, slave owners often spoke on behalf of their slaves to further assert their power. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Because this passage immediately follows a moment in which a slaveholder does exactly that, Jacobs makes it seem like Linda is confident enough in what she has to say that in that moment she is in a position of power and not the white male . This makes the chosen passage incredibly powerful because not only does Jacobs clarify why the slave owner does not understand the slaves' perspective, but he offers numerous glimpses into what it truly means to be a slave. He is able to recount the horrors he has witnessed and stuns the reader by recalling gruesome and terrible accounts of dehumanization. Through the opening line “what does he know” (Jacobs 64), the italics of “he” strips the slave owner of credibility, making it clear to the reader that Linda knows more than he does about being a slave. He has no reason to speak on behalf of slaves when in reality he will never face even half of the terrible things many Africans witnessed. Jacobs also questions the reader using repetition, further establishing his role as the dominant voice. The questions asked give a glimpse into the horror that many slaves faced during the years of forced oppression and also give the reader the sense that Jacobs is sure of what she is saying and therefore, the dominant voice in this situation. Through this passage, Jacobs is able to portray the strong will that Linda possesses and displays throughout the entire story. It shows the perspective of a slave who suffered while also alluding to the fact that even though she suffered, she survived through different coping mechanisms..