In reference to Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, to what extent do you think Harriet was successful in "getting free" from the Flint's?

I think that the answer to this question can be posed in both a
literal and symbolic manner.  From a literal point of view, I think that Linda/ Harriet was
successful in achieving freedom.  There is some level of discontent at the fact that people of
color could only enjoy their freedom through the purchase of it, but overall, being able to
escape the bizarrely sexual clutches of Mr. Flint would be success enough.  On a more symbolic
level, there might be some discussion whether or not the experience of slavery can ever be shed
into a transcendent realm of freedom.  I think that this is a challenging element within all
slave narratives.  Physical freedom does not preclude the emotional experience of reliving the
horrors of slavery and subjugation.  In this light, I am not sure anyone is really "free."  The
experience of flight to a realm where one's freedom can be somewhat recognized might not
completely eliminate the experience of pain inherent in slavery.  In this light, one must always
temper the concept of "getting free" with the fact that emotional scars will remain in the psyche
of the individual long after the physical experience has passed.