Poor Treatment Of Slaves In Frederick Douglass

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The practice of slavery is a way to dehumanize a certain group of people. It gives slave masters the absolute power and autonomy to control slaves’ lives and to use them to achieve desires. It also enables slave masters to use them for business purposes making slaves work at several industries such as farming and poultry. The poor treatment of slaves before the American Civil War has been adequate detailed in several published books, articles, and even in the movie industry. The primary purpose of this text is to give a detailed account of the poor treatment of slaves in the Frederick Douglass’ narration.
Separation of children from their mothers is one of the several ways in which slaves were poorly treated. Nurturing is a crucial factor in …show more content…

Whipping is a form of punishment widely used in certain parts of the world when an individual violated a law or a set rules. During the slavery period, slave masters used whipping when a slave breaks the set rules of the master or even when the slaves act in accordance to the rules set by their masters. This barbaric act left slaves with irreparable physical and emotion wounds. “He would at times seem to take great pleasure in whipping a slave. I have often been awakened at the dawn of day by the most heart-rending shrieks of an own aunt of mine, whom he used to tie up to a joist, and whip upon her naked back till she was literally covered with blood. No words, no tears, no prayers, from his gory victim, seemed to move his iron heart from its bloody purpose”. This denotes how clod-blooded and merciless some slave masters were. Also, it shows the strategies used by slave masters to physically and mentally control their slaves. This inhuman behavior also instills fear into the heart of other slaves who are made to watch the boorish behavior of their master and who could become rebellious.
The killing of slaves is another form of slaves’ maltreatment. Many slaves were killed by slave masters for committing offenses that can be easily overlooked or punished without killing. Rather, capital punishment was frequently exercised. “Mr. Gore then, without consultation or deliberation with any one, not even giving Demby an additional …show more content…

They are treated like animals and in many cases are treated worse than an animal. They live in treacherous weather conditions and proper clothing apparel is not provided. During the winter, many slaves suffer from severe cold in which little to no warmth provided was provided by their masters. Subsequently, in the summer, slaves suffer from poor room ventilation which results in serious health issues. “I suffered much from hunger, but much more from cold. In hottest summer and coldest winter, I was kept almost naked—no shoes, no stockings, no jacket, no trousers, nothing on but a coarse tow linen shirt, reaching only to my knees”. Also, slaves are not provided with bed to sleep on. They often eat one meal a day and the meal does not contain the adequate nutrients needed for the body to function properly. Even when it is time to eat, slaves are fed as if animals are fed; no spoon, plates to be used to eat their meals resulting in using bare hands to

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