Chapters 5-8

It is hard for a slave to even love at all. If they do love someone, they soon figure out that it is not as easy as they thought. As Linda put it, although she loved a free black man, he would have no power over her master if they became married. She also said that if they were to have any kids that they would then belong to Dr. Flint, so it would be hard enough to have a family. Throughout chapters 6 and 7, Linda repeatedly asked to be sold to her lover. She thought that since Mrs. Flint was jealous of her that she would be more than willing to sell her, that way she could stop worrying about Linda and her husband. But, as soon as Dr. Flint found out about Linda’s affection towards this man, he told Linda never to mention his name or to speak of the situation again. He told her that if he caught the man in his premises that he would shoot him as he would a dog. The man told Linda that he was going to Savannah to look at a piece of property and that he would be back to see her, but, as hard as it was for Linda to tell him, she told him that it would be best if he stayed there. For Linda to tell this to a free man, shows that she really cared for him.