Slave Narrative

"I have often seen slaves, particularly those who were meagre, in different islands, put into scales and weighed, and then sold from three pence to six pence or nine pence a pound. My master, however, whose humanity was shocked at this mode, used to sell such by the lumps And at or after a sale, it was not uncommon to see negroes taken from their wives, wives taken from their husbands, and children from their parents, and sent off to other islands, and wherever else their merciless lords choose; and probably never more during life see each other! Oftentimes my heart has bled at these partings, when the friends of the departed have been at the water side, and with sighs and tears, have kept their eyes fixed on the vessel, till it went out of sight."

http://www.wsu.edu:8000/~dee/Equiano.html

Reflection: This passage reveals the harsh beatings and cruel treatments that slaves received. Although Equiano received many beatings, he learned how to block out the pain; he becomes numb to what is bestowed upon him. Unfortunately he had to start learning at a very young age, when he was 11 he was taken away from his family and was put to work. Personally, I would have never been able to handle that and I admire Equiano for being able to.