Memories Of A Slave Auction Analysis

Slavery is one of the worst things that happened in American history. It brought harm to millions of people in the South and left a mark on our legacy as a country. Many people, however, do not know what the life of a slave was truly like. The life of a slave was degrading, unfair, and agonizing for those who endured it.
In "Memories of a Slave Auction", the author wrote, "One of the most degrading events in the lives of slaves was the slave auction." Before the auctions, slaves were forced to shave and clean up in order to look more presentable for potential buyers. Back then, the healthier you looked, the more money you would cost at an auction. Men and women were the lined up on opposite sides of the room and placed from tallest to shortest, also known as most to least desirable. They were them prodded with canes and anything the buyers had in order to check the condition in which they were in. This is degrading to the slaves because they were placed in a situation where they would be unclothed and vulnerable in front of people they were
Slave families could be broken up at anytime at slave auctions, and would not be put back together. For example, in the article the author wrote," She [Eliza] begged the man not to buy her son Randall unless he also bought herself and her daughter Emily. She promised, in that case, to be the most faithful slave that ever lived. The man answered that he could not afford it. Then Eliza burst in a paroxysm of grief, weeping mournfully." This quote expresses how easily slaves could be ripped from the arms of their family members. If a slave were to refuse to be sold, or refuse to work in the field, they would be whipped. Even worse, if a slave tried to run away, they would be tortured and killed. The life of a slave is extremely unfair, because the slaves had no say in their treatment and were treated even worse than cattle on a