History of Mary Prince: A West Indian Slave

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Prince proves that she is a fighter, not only as a free woman asking the publication of the story of her life, but also as a slave. Repeatedly during the narration we can notice her rebellious attitude towards her slave condition. Mary tries to create her autonomy through the marriage, running away and openly defying her master, joining a religious community and earning money for her freedom. The Narrative shows her strong spirit and resistance to her condition. Her story which is not a simple account of black slavery, has contributed to the fight for emancipation from bondage in English colonies, indeed several copies of the History were ordered by evangelical women and anti-slavery propaganda. In order to force the government to remove slavery from its overseas territories.

Today her autobiography is an immortal testimony because Mary asked someone to write her story; her words are not empty words but ink on paper: it is history and it cannot be forgotten. As bell hooks says: ‘as the years pass and these glorious memories grow much more vague, there will remain the clarity contained within the written words’. (bell hooks, 1998, pag. 431)

In conclusion we can say we explored different important features of Mary Prince’s story, understanding the reasons of her alterations of the reality due to the traumatic abuses she experienced, and the motives of determined omissions about her sexual relationships due to her religious moral.

However censured or not, The History of Mary Prince: A West Indian Slave has strongly contributed to increase awareness in the slavery cause leading to the development of a new society, with new morals. Her strength, her willpower, her thirst for freedom as well as the scars on her body and soul and all the atrocities suffered will be remembered forever.

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