The Bondwoman’s Narrative: Chapter 17: Escape Summary & Analysis

Mrs. Wheeler’s sentence horrifies Hannah. She would have been less upset if Mrs. Wheeler had had her publicly beaten or had sold her at auction. But being forced into marriage is something Hannah cannot and will not tolerate. She’s always believed that the main reason enslavers tolerate and encourage enslaved people to marry is to increase the population of enslaved people—children born to an enslaved mother inherit the condition of enslavement from her. Since she long ago swore to herself to remain celibate—and accordingly turned down the advances of men she liked—it’s intolerable to be forced into marriage now, especially with a man she would never have chosen herself.

Hannah retreats to her room and opens her Bible (a gift from Aunt Hetty long ago) to a random passage. It happens to be a story from Genesis, in which Jacob flees from his brother Esau. Hannah takes this as a sign from God not only that it’s right to flee, but that she will be successful in doing so, even though she doesn’t yet have a plan.

The following morning, Hannah—making a show of obedience to Mrs. Wheeler’s commands—goes to the fields, where she spends a hard and painful day picking cotton. When she grows faint near the end of the day, the overseer gives Bill permission to take Hannah to his cabin to recover. The outside is disgusting, but the inside is even worse. It’s crammed with women and children, and so dirty that Hannah can barely comprehend how they stand it. A fight quickly breaks out, and this gives her cover to slip away.

Hannah makes her way toward the house and slips inside under the cover of darkness—luckily, a careless servant left a door ajar. Luckily, too, she happens to have an outfit of men’s clothes that fit her exactly, which she hid away (along with a candle, some matches, scissors, and a few other supplies) in her old room some time previously. In the nighttime darkness, she slips into her room, dons her disguise, and prepares to run for her life.