Truthful Incidents

That Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is not fiction only serves to help its cause. First of all, this greatly enhances the credibility of the writer. If it were simply a made-up story about fictional events, its potential as a form of abolitionist advocacy would be severely reduced. An opponent could easily say that the events contained within this fine literary work are not representative of actual scenarios; it could be touted as Northern propaganda designed to offend and endanger the Southern way of life, as was common at the time. In addition, the reader also knows that the story is told by the writer, so there is no chance of facts becoming misrepresented or altered by being "passed on" by several people. This also ties in to the emotional appeal presented by the writer; one can know that her views on the situation could only be heartfelt due to the fact that she experienced the hardships herself; this also makes her more credible. Lastly, her overall logic for desiring the abolition of slavery can be supported by her various experiences and observations as a slave. The non-fictitious nature of Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl definitely has a major influence not only on its reception, but on its own influence on the world.