How Does Slavery Affect Humanity

Humanity is the benevolence and humaneness of a person or the collective human race. Slavery can cause the humanity to fall away from both the slave and the slaveholder. Slavery has negative connotations for both parties of the endeavour, as the hatred between both groups erase any form of compassion evident in either party before the harsh labors of slavery. The harsh realities and horrendous effects that occur to both the slave and slave owners as their humanity sits upon the brink of existence is showcased within the novel written by Frederick Douglass titled, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave. Within the confines of slavery, slaves lost their humanity more gradually than the slaveowners. Whilst being a slave the meager idea of freedom and escape, however brief and flaunting the idea is, gave slaves a semblance of hope which keeps their humanity somewhat intact. Throughout Frederick Douglass’s years as a slave, often the idea of escape fueled his resiliency and gave him the strength to endure through the horrors of slavery. Even when conditions were better the idea of escape never left Douglass and fueled him through his years of slavery: “I have observed this in my experience of slavery,—that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only increased my desire to be free” …show more content…
Although slaves lost humanity as well, it was in a less corrupt and subjective way. The extreme subordination and loss of hope created the loss of humanity as slaves became more machines than human. Slaves loss humanity through the loss of humanity within their owners. Albeit benevolent slaves and slave owners were around, the staggering amount of intentionally cruel humans—slave or slaveholder— was appalling. Slaves and slaveowners alike both lost their humanity within the ensnaring dark grasps of