The Psychological Toll of Slavery

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Recommended: Effects of slavery on slave holders

In the novel Kindred by Octavia E. Butler, Butler tells a story of an African- American woman named Dana who travels from 1976 in California to the 1800’s in Maryland. Dana goes back in time to save Rufus, her ancestor, every time he is faced with life threatening situations. Throughout her journey in Maryland she gets life experience of what being a slave was like in the past. In the novel we learn of two slaves, Sarah and Alice, who live on the Weylin plantation. Sarah, an older slave, is the cook on the plantation who seems to make herself adjust to life as a slave. Alice who is owned by Rufus struggles to make their relationship work. Through the characters of Dana, Alice, and Sarah the reader is able to understand the emotional endurance of the psychological toll of slavery.

One important psychological toll of slavery is fear of slave owners, abuse, and of losing everything. Many slaves lived in fear throughout their life and some of them learned to accept the fear. Sarah lives with constant fear throughout the story. The only person she has left is Carrie, her daughter who cannot speak. Sarah’s husband died and three of her children were sold. Here we can see that Sarah accepted the life of slavery out of fear: “She had done the safe thing-had accepted a life of slavery because she was afraid.”(145) Many slaves during that time seemed to make themselves accept their life. They would accept and behave in order for their family and their own safety, although the slaves were never always safe and still risked being separated from their family.

Also, the abuse that the slaves receive traumatizes them and therefore fear being mistreated. Many of the slaves back then feared the slave owners because they were capable of anythin...

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... lover.”(260) Although Dana made it clear to him from the start Rufus now Knows what he wants. He seems to want to have control over Dana just like he controls other slaves. Dana does not want to take any chances with him so she does the unexpected and stabs Rufus. By Dana killing Rufus it is clear to see how much anger and pain can be built up in a slave. This pain can cause the slaves to hurt themselves or someone around them.

Throughout the characters in Kindred the reader is able to determine the emotional endurance of the psychological toll of slavery. The novel gives us examples of what the life of a slave was like. Many slaves would end their life while others seemed to maintain strength to keep their family safe. Whether slaves were able to adjust to their life as a slave or not one thing they all had in common were the struggles they went through daily.

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