Gold Chain

In this chapter Linda has yet another baby. This is odd because she is sad about people in slavery, which means her children will be too. A gold necklace was given to her baby when she was being baptized; this necklace is a sign of symbolism in this book. The gold necklace is a bond for slavery. “She clasped a gold chain round my baby's neck. I thanked her for this kindness; but I did not like the emblem. I wanted no chain to be fastened on my daughter, not even if its links were of gold. How earnestly I prayed that she might never feel the weight of slavery's chain, whose iron entereth into the soul!" (68, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl) She says that she doesn’t want any chain, not even a gold one, on her baby’s neck. Linda does whatever she can to keep the idea of slavery from her baby. She doesn’t want her to “feel the weight of slavery.” I thought it was weird that she wouldn’t accept the present from her old master. I agree that Linda is strong toward her view on slavery and she doesn’t want her children to have any part in it, I believe that she is doing the right thing. Though I would have taken the chain anyway because it’s gold.