Harriet E. Wilson’s Our Nig depicts the life of a Black woman in the North. Wilson exhibits the continuing struggle free slaves in the North experience through detailed accounts of the protagonists, Frado, inhumane treatment. Frado suffers this treatment from a Northern woman with distinct Southern qualities, Mrs. Bellmont, while she stays at her home. Wilson displays hope for Frado through the male figures in the household and steadily weakens that hope with the abuse she receives from the malicious Mrs. Bellmont. Mrs. Bellmont’s consistent villainous behavior towards many individuals in her household and the constant barbarous abuse towards Frado strongly support her being a she-devil. Others may argue that Mrs. Bellmont is not a she-devil and is in fact a woman of strength and dignity that cares for her children’s future. Her ability to maintain an orderly home and take in a Black girl with little hesitation is a suitable representation of her compassion to Frado and her family. Mrs. Bellmont offers her children advice when picking future marital patterns and shows a …show more content…
Bellmont and most of the children of Mrs. Bellmont, excluding her daughter Mary, did what they could to prevent the inevitable abuse Frado would receive for absurd reasons. Mrs. Bellmont and her daughter brought pain to Frado and attempted to diminish her character when she was present. Mr. Bellmont called sternly for her to come down; poor Jane nearly fainted from fear. Mrs. B. and Mary did not care if she "broke her neck," while Jack and the men laughed at her fearlessness (29-30).The hate amid this mother and daughter duo towards Frado would bring her a never ending amount of loathing of her existence. "Saucy, impudent nigger, you! is this the way you answer me?" and taking a large carving knife from the table, she hurled it, in her rage, at the defenseless girl (35). Mary despised Frado just as much as her mother but did not want to receive the consequences for inflicting harm to