The theme of slavery is one that is explored deeply in Elizabeth's memoir. In Chapter 1, she looks at the different ways that slavery impacts her life, particularly in terms of the physical and mental hardships she has endured.
In terms of physical hardship, Elizabeth reflects upon the beatings and other forms of physical abuse she has endured while enslaved. She also speaks of the ways in which her body has been subjected to unnatural and extreme labor, such as when she was forced to carry large amounts of bricks up and down a steep incline. Furthermore, she describes the way that her body was moved around by her slave masters, such as when she was taken from her mother and sold.
Mentally, Elizabeth speaks of the way that slavery has deprived her of the basic right to think and feel freely. She reflects upon the way that her thoughts and feelings were constantly monitored and controlled, and how her opinions and desires were never considered. She speaks of the way that the idea of freedom felt so distant and unattainable, and how she was often made to feel powerless and insignificant in her own life.
These two aspects of slavery - the physical and mental - are explored in depth throughout Elizabeth’s memoir. They are contrasted in the way that physical hardships can be seen to be more tangible, while the mental aspects of slavery are more abstract and difficult to understand. This contrast serves to emphasize the importance of considering the psychological impacts of slavery, as well as the more obvious physical ones.