Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

by

Harriet Jacobs

Emily Flint / Mrs. Dodge Character Analysis

Dr. Flint’s daughter. Emily is Linda’s legal owner, as her first mistress bequeaths her to the girl in her will. Although Linda cares for Emily diligently as a child, Emily is determined that she won’t escape slavery; she sends her coercive letters in New York and eventually travels to the city with her husband in a failed attempt to recover her. While she’s a minor character, she seems to have inherited her mother’s vindictive and self-centered nature.
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Emily Flint / Mrs. Dodge Character Timeline in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

The timeline below shows where the character Emily Flint / Mrs. Dodge appears in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter One: Childhood
The Dehumanizing Effects of Slavery Theme Icon
Christianity Theme Icon
Women Theme Icon
In her will, the mistress gives Linda to her five-year-old niece, Emily Flint . The family’s hopes are dashed, and it’s bitter to remember that the same woman... (full context)
Chapter Two: The New Master and Mistress
The Dehumanizing Effects of Slavery Theme Icon
Motherhood and Family Theme Icon
Along with William, Linda moves to the house of Dr. Flint, Emily Flint ’s father. Both children are resistant to their lot as slaves, partly because their father... (full context)
Chapter Four: The Slave Who Dared to Feel Like a Man
The Dehumanizing Effects of Slavery Theme Icon
Women Theme Icon
...to get rid of the “little imp.” Her only consolation is that she loves young Emily Flint ; it seems the little girl loves her as well, but Linda wonders if her... (full context)
Chapter Thirty-Two: The Meeting of Mother and Daughter
The Dehumanizing Effects of Slavery Theme Icon
...necessary to legally free herself as soon as possible, Linda writes to Dr. Flint and Emily Flint asking him to sell her to Grandmother. She also seeks out William, who has moved... (full context)
Chapter Thirty-Eight: Renewed Invitations to Go South
The Dehumanizing Effects of Slavery Theme Icon
Women Theme Icon
Soon after this, Linda receives a letter from Emily Flint , now married and called Mrs. Dodge. She reiterates her refusal to sell Linda, as... (full context)
The Dehumanizing Effects of Slavery Theme Icon
...more peace of mind, Linda rejects the idea of trying to buy her freedom from Mrs. Dodge . She wants to invest her earnings in a home for her children, not pay... (full context)
Chapter Forty-One: Free At Last
The Dehumanizing Effects of Slavery Theme Icon
...receives word that Mrs. Flint is encouraging her daughter to recapture her former slave, and Mrs. Dodge ’s husband is an impoverished merchant who wants to sell her for quick cash. Linda... (full context)