The atrocities of slavery know no bounds. Its devices leave lives in ruins, families destroyed, and countless people dead. Yet many looked away or accepted it as a necessary part of society, even arguing that it was beneficial to all. The only way this logic works is if slaves are seen as less than human, people who cannot be trusted to take care of themselves. Toni Morrison's Beloved examines the consequences of a life of slavery. Paul D and Bubble, two former slaves have experienced the worst slavery has to offer. Under their original master, Mr. Garner, slaves were treated like human beings. They were encouraged to think for themselves and make their own decisions. However, upon Mr. Garner's death, all that changes. Under their new master, the teacher, they are relegated to a position among the animals. They are seen as beasts of burden rather than equals. Paul D and the other slaves are stripped of free will and manhood. The teacher treats them as if they were emotionless animals. The teacher is not alone; it is representative of society in general and its mentality towards African Americans. The system of slavery by nature devalues ​​the lives of slaves and demotes them to a less than human status. By being a slave, Paul D is dehumanized and stripped of his identity as a person. With the Garners he had a certain degree of free will, he could move up to a certain point. When the Master takes over, this little freedom is taken away from him. He is treated like a horse, used for labor and then confined when not needed. He is not trusted, he is not listened to, much less respected. When a bite is placed in his mouth it is as if it were an inanimate object or not an animal. P... middle of paper... it doesn't have to be like this. The dehumanization of Beloved's characters didn't happen by accident. The system of slavery cannot produce any other result. When a human lives a limited life devoid of free will, they will inevitably begin to lose what makes them human. This is also because white people believe them to be close to animals first and foremost. In their eyes the slaves are much less than the humans they are and consequently the image of the white man is imprinted on the slaves. Not only was this what the slave owners thought, but over time the slaves themselves began to believe it. Both Sethe and Paul D fell as if they were less than human. They may actually lose their human characteristics or feel that way just because that's what they've been told their whole life. Works Cited Morrison, Toni. Beloved: a novel. New York: Random, 1987. Print.