The Effects of Dehumanization On Slaves

Dehumanization played a crucial role in Beloved, slavery and the civil war by demoralizing, degrading and insulting African Americans. In Beloved, the slaves were dehumanized throughout the story. There were many instances where a slave was demoralized, degraded or abused. There were many instances where one would "get the bit". In chapter seven, Paul D explains how he had the bit in his mouth. "I couldn't... I had a bit in my mouth" (Morrison 69). This …

…work. Thanks to Abraham Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation, slavery was abolished, and the War Between the States was over. The damage had been done, however. Brothers were forced to fight against brothers, and friends against friends. So much blood was shed for such a despicable cause. It is a clear example of dehumanization when a country is on the verge of downfall and the citizens are at war over a topic such as slavery.