Final answer:
Harriet Jacobs wrote her autobiography to expose the cruelty of slavery, especially the sexual exploitation of black women, and to support the abolitionist movement.
She aimed to persuade and inform her readers, hoping to elicit empathy and provoke action towards emancipation. Her influential work suggests that she achieved her aims.
Step-by-step explanation:
Harriet Jacobs' purpose in writing and publishing her story, as exemplified in her autobiography, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, was primarily to expose the brutal realities of slavery, particularly the sexual exploitation of black women, and to foster abolitionist sentiment among her readers. Her narrative offers a first-hand account of the struggles of being a female slave, aiming to persuade readers on the moral necessity of ending slavery. Considering the impact her work has had historically, sparking conversation and change, it can be argued that she successfully achieved her purpose.
Jacobs' narrative also serves to inform her audience about the specifics of her experiences with slavery and its indoctrinated horrors. The vivid and personal account in the narrative appeals at an emotional level, intending to garner empathy and support for the antislavery cause. By doing so, she used her story as a vehicle for social change, contributing to a greater understanding of the plight of slaves and the urgency for emancipation.