The Hands of a Slave
From an early age, Florens became obsessed with the idea of wearing shoes. She used to wear the old shoes her masters would otherwise throw away and even though they did not fit well, they did protect her feet from the outside elements. Because of this, her feet were not like the feet of other slaves, but were in fact dainty and delicate. Her hands, however, looked like the hand of a slave, with cuts and blisters all over them. This image of the damaged hands shows just how hard a slave’s life was and how their bodies reflected the conditions of their labor.
Cargo
Jacob listens to D’Ortega's financial woes—he has lost practically two full ships of slaves from Africa—and is struck by how D’Ortega talks about the slaves who died tragically in a very dehumanizing way, presenting them as nothing more than just goods that can be traded for money. The image of "goods" or "cargo" emphasizes the fact that slaves were not considered actual people, rather disposable items that could be replaced at any time.
Fine Clothes
While at D’Ortega’s home, Jacob notices just how finely dressed D’Ortega is, especially in comparison with himself. He has a coat, stockings, a "fanciful wig" (16), and an "embroidered silk and lace collar" (17). Jacob is a bit jealous as well as resentful, for the clothes indicate a station to which he cannot reach. The clothes are an important image because they are a visual representation of a person’s social status; they are as gaudy and impractical as D'Ortega himself.
Violence in London
Rebekka grew up impoverished in a fervently religious household, and part of the local entertainment was to attend hangings and drawing and quarterings. She remembers how "Brawls, knifings, and kidnaps were so common in the city of her birth" (75) and how people laughed and mocked those who were tortured and/or executed. Violence was a spectacle and one she was happy to get away from. These images help cement why Rebekka was so prone to isolate in the New World as well as foreshadow the violence carried out by whites on Black and Brown bodies.
