Dehumanization and Commodification

Slaves are treated as property to be bought, sold, inspected, and valued like livestock, stripping them of their humanity and reducing their worth to market price.

Brown notes that every white person, regardless of wealth, can participate in buying and selling slaves, reducing human beings to common property.

Slaves are treated as cargo: chained promiscuously, prepared for market by dyeing hair, and sold at auction like livestock.

Clotel's body, moral character, intellect, Christianity, and chastity are each assigned a monetary value and sold separately at auction.

Slaves are treated as commodities: their ages are falsified for market, families are torn apart by sale, and they are advertised like livestock.