The Life of a Slave Essay - 1189 Words

The Life of a Slave Imagine, if you will, rising earlier than the sun, eating a mere â€Å"snack†- lacking essentially all nutritional value - and trekking miles to toil in the unforgiving climate of the southern states, and laboring until the sun once again slipped under the horizon. Clad only in the rags your master provided (perhaps years ago), you begin walking in the dark the miles to your â€Å"home.† As described by the writers Jacob Stroyer and Josiah Henson, this â€Å"home† was actually a mere thatched roof, that you built with your own hands, held up by pathetic walls, over a dirt floor and you shared this tiny space with another family. Upon return to â€Å"home,† once again you eat the meager rations you were provided, and fall into bed†¦show more content†¦As seen in the writings of countless authors such as John Barbot and James Barbot, Jr., slaves faced unbearable living conditions in disease infested ships and often starved to death or died during their transatlantic voyage. Slaves were surrounded by the unfamiliar skin of the white man, as well as a dialect unknown to their ears. Unable to communicate, he suffered from not only the reality of his situation, but also the uncertainty of the future. Unable to cope, many slaves committed suicide in hopes of returning to their home, at least in spirit. Once, and if, they finally made it to the Americas, they were sold at auction and forever separated from any kin they may have had. As life continued, many slaves did adapt to the language, but few were ever able to fully embrace the culture – a culture that seemed to thrive on their demise and suffering. Once a slave acculturated himself to his â€Å"new home,† he found himself unable to re-establish his family ties. Even if a slave was lucky enough to find a significant other, often times they were separated by sale, as can be seen in the account of Laura Spicer and her lost love. Moreover, couples often found their children sold off to other masters never to be seen or heard from again, at ages as young as eight years old. Therefore, a slave’s life was full of perpetual uncertainty, and fear of abandonment and neglect. Their bonds of love were never enough to out-weigh the voice ofShow MoreRelatedThe Life of Slaves926 Words   |  4 PagesUntil recently, the historical and sociological focus on slavery had been limited to that of what the slaveholders did to the slaves and how they were treated. The new focus on â€Å"what enslaved men, women, and children did when the owners were not around,† (Schwartz 2001: pg 2) offers a new perspective on the communit y most affected by the institution of slavery. Having a more complete view of this institution provides greater context for understanding the ripple-affect of oppression within the AfricanRead MoreThe Daily Life Of A Slave964 Words   |  4 PagesThe daily life of a slave in North Carolina was incredibly difficult. Hard workers, especially those in the field, played from sunrise until sundown. Even small kids and the elderly were not exempt from these long work hours. Slaves were generally granted a day off on Sunday, and on infrequent holidays such as Christmas or the Fourth of July. During their few hours of gratuitous time, most slaves did their own personal study. The diet supplied by slaveholders was generally short, and slaves often supplementedRead Morethe life of a field slave VS the house Slave948 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ The Life of a Field Slave VS the House Slave Slavery was a ruthless and dreadful way of life for all slaves. Yet there were differences in rank between slaves. Minor class slaves were â€Å"field slaves†. Superior class slaves were â€Å"house slaves†. The daily routines of these slaves differed to a great extent. Field slaves only function was production. Their duties were to plant and cultivate the crops, clear the land, flame the undergrowth, roll the wood, split rails, transport waterRead MoreThe Life Of A Slave Girl The Typical Slave Family1754 Words   |  8 Pages1619 the first African slaves arrived into the United States to help with the production of crops that colonies like Jamestown needed assistance in gathering. With the idea of cheap labor being introduced the slavery system was created and would eventually evolve into a nightmare of constant abuse and cruelty. Slaves were thought of as just items to be owned and possessed no legal power. They were given scraps of food and small portions of water to split amongst other slaves who lived on or aroundRead MoreLife as a Slave in the autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave834 Words   |  4 PagesI don’t know why my life is of interest to you, as far as I’m concerned, I didn’t do anything miraculous, like raise the dead or cure cancer. But if my story will motivate someone to fight against human injustice, then I will tell you all about it. My story began as Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, on a cold February day around 1818, in Talbot County, Maryland. I was born into slavery, to a black woman, Harriet Bailey, and a white father, who I would never know. They took me from my grandmotherRead MoreIncidents in the Life of a Slave Girl1112 Words   |  4 Pages In the non-fiction book â€Å"Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl,† by Harriet A. Jacobs and published in Boston in 1861. The author Jacobs was born into slavery in 1813, in a town called Edenton, North Carolina. Jacob uses the pseudonym Linda Brent to narrate her first person account. The book opens with Jacobs stating her reasons for writing a biography of her life story. Her story is agonizing and she had rather have kept it confidential, although she felt that by making it public thatRead MoreIncidents in the Life of a Slave Girl1455 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl,† Harriet Jacobs gives a detailed account of the life story of â€Å"Linda Brent† which is the pseudo name for herself, outlining the events which primarily focuses on her escape from her slave master, â€Å"Dr. Flint.† After learning that Dr. Flint has already fathered 11 children from his slaves, it is hard to imagine why he is never able to successful pursue Linda. After all, just based on the sheer number of his incidents of sexual relations with his slaves, it would seemRead More Life of a Slave on the Plantation Essay1464 Words   |  6 Pages Life of a Slave on the Plantation African slavery started at the 16th century and ended in the 19th century. Slave life was the most brutal and disrespected period of America. When Africans first stepped foot on the slave ships coming to America things were bad. The white man beat, raped, and treated the black men like animals. Life on the plantation wasn’t any better. The slaves didn’t work for a paycheck, they worked for their lives. The black man had difficulties adapting to the environmentRead MoreThe Life of Slaves in 1850 Essay928 Words   |  4 Pages Slaves in 1850 couldn’t do much with their lives. They could stay on their master’s plantation and do all sorts of extremely hard labor, get beaten, and experience what it is like to have family members sold away. Or they could try to escape. When a slave would try to run away he would normally have people sent, by his master, to hunt him down. If the slave was found he would most likely be killed; however, frequently all of the other slaves would have to watch him be executed and then later wouldRead MoreThe Life Of A Slave By Harriet Jacob Essay1505 Words   |  7 Pagespeople were treated so badly and it was â€Å"normal,† it was acceptable. These slaves lived and worked in very harsh conditions. I believe the only reason why we know so much about how bad slaves were treated is because of three autobiographies, Incidents in the Life of a Slave by Harriet Jacob, Autobiography of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass, who had a huge impact during the times of slavery, and Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup. Because of these three autobiographies historians can