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Grandmother
Linda’s owner and the narrative’s chief antagonist. A wealthy doctor, plantation owner, and respected figure in the community, Dr. Flint is also an unscrupulous sexual predator. As soon as Linda becomes a teenager, he begins to harass her and proposition her sexually; not bothering to conceal his desires from Mrs. Flint, he leaves Linda vulnerable to her jealousy and retribution as well. Throughout the narrative, Dr. Flint tries to get Linda to sleep with him through both bribes and coercion, but she refuses to do so. Their long standoff shines a light on the particular vulnerability of female slaves, who have no defenses against sexual abuse. Dr. Flint’s moral bankruptcy and complete disregard for Christian principles contrasts with Linda’s strength of character, disrupting contemporary stereotypes that saw white people as “civilized” and slaves as “primitive.” Moreover, his behavior shows how slavery dehumanizes even those it ostensibly benefits. At the end of the novel, Dr. Flint dies; while Linda rarely expresses a desire for revenge on her captors, she admits that she finds it impossible to feel any sadness at this event.
Dr. Flint Quotes in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
The Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl quotes below are all either spoken by Dr. Flint or refer to Dr. Flint. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 2
Quotes
When my grandmother applied for him for payment he said the estate was insolvent, and the law prohibited payment. It did not, however, prohibit him from retaining the silver candelabra, which had been purchased with that money. I presume they will be handed down in the family, from generation to generation.
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Chapter 4
Quotes
For my master, whose restless, craving, vicious nature roved about day and night, seeking whom to devour, had just left me, with stinging, scorching words; words that scathed ear and brain like fire. O, how I despised him! I thought how glad I should be if some day when he walked the earth, it would open and swallow him up…
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Chapter 5
Quotes
He tried his utmost to corrupt the pure principles my grandmother had instilled. He peopled my young mind with unclean images, such as only a vile monster could think of…But he was my master. I was compelled to live under the same roof with him … He told me I was his property; that I must be subject to his will in all things.
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Dr. Flint Quotes in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
The Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl quotes below are all either spoken by Dr. Flint or refer to Dr. Flint. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 2
Quotes
When my grandmother applied for him for payment he said the estate was insolvent, and the law prohibited payment. It did not, however, prohibit him from retaining the silver candelabra, which had been purchased with that money. I presume they will be handed down in the family, from generation to generation.
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Chapter 4
Quotes
For my master, whose restless, craving, vicious nature roved about day and night, seeking whom to devour, had just left me, with stinging, scorching words; words that scathed ear and brain like fire. O, how I despised him! I thought how glad I should be if some day when he walked the earth, it would open and swallow him up…
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Chapter 5
Quotes
He tried his utmost to corrupt the pure principles my grandmother had instilled. He peopled my young mind with unclean images, such as only a vile monster could think of…But he was my master. I was compelled to live under the same roof with him … He told me I was his property; that I must be subject to his will in all things.
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