Question
In entering upon the duties of a slaveholder, she did not seem to perceive that I sustained to her the relation of a mere chattel, and that for her to treat me as a human being was not only wrong, but dangerously so.
—Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass,
Frederick Douglass
Read the passage from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass and use context clues to figure out the meaning of the word chattel. Use the drop-down menus to answer these questions.
Chattel means
.
Which clues in the text helped you determine the meaning of the word chattel?
What kind of context clue is this?
Answers
GPT-4o mini
Chattel means **a personal possession or property, especially in the context of the ownership of slaves.**
The clues in the text that helped determine the meaning of the word chattel include the phrases "the relation of a mere chattel" and "for her to treat me as a human being." These phrases suggest that the speaker is being viewed as property rather than a person.
This is an example of **definition context clues,** as the relationship between the speaker and the slaveholder is contrasted with the idea of being treated as a human being.
The clues in the text that helped determine the meaning of the word chattel include the phrases "the relation of a mere chattel" and "for her to treat me as a human being." These phrases suggest that the speaker is being viewed as property rather than a person.
This is an example of **definition context clues,** as the relationship between the speaker and the slaveholder is contrasted with the idea of being treated as a human being.