Frances Harper wrote many poems to help the abolitionist movement and end slavery. One of the techniques she uses throughout all of her poems are imagery about the truth of slavery and the cruelty that went along with slavery. Along with the use of incredible imagery in her poems, she also uses emotion to connect with the reader and add to the picture she is painting in your mind. One reason why emotion could be a key element in her poetry at this time is many women/slaves at this time could relate to the thought of their child being taken away from them. By her using emotion she allows the readers at this time to go back and remember what it felt like to lose their child and would feel more sympathetic for her. Also, the imagery she creates could draw in the readers and make them want to help her abolitionist movement. This could particularly work with the Northern women because they were against slavery and by Harper painting pictures and using emotion many women would begin to feel very sympathetic and would want to get the abolitionist movement going and really help the slaves in the South. "The bowed and feeble head, The shuddering of the fragile form, The look of grief and dread?" This line could really effect women or even abolitionist men in the North because the imagery of praying is presented. At this time many people were Christian and were very religious so praying could be relatable no matter where or who you were. "He is not hers, although she bore him" targets the women mother readers of this poem because at this time women stayed at home and took care of the children and by her bringing up the emotion of losing their child could hit a woman in the heart and this could trigger their response to feel sympathy for her and to understand why she wants the abolitionist movement to succeed and to be free. Slaves at this time were not treated like humans and as we discussed in class, children of slaves were immediately taken away from their mothers so that the emotional bond they might have is never there and they had no knowledge.
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