Final answer:
The passage describes the harsh conditions enslaved children faced, eating mush from a communal trough without spoons, illustrating the deprivation and competition for food.
Step-by-step explanation:
The extract reveals the severe and impoverished conditions faced by enslaved children during the time of slavery. To eat their allotted meal, which consisted of mush, a basic porridge made of coarse corn meal boiled, they had to gather around a communal wooden tray without the amenity of individual eating utensils. This lack of basic human dignity and individual care is exemplified by the desperate scenario where children ate with whatever was at hand — from oyster shells to shingle pieces, or directly with their hands due to the absence of spoons. The competitive nature of this feeding process left many unsatisfied, as the fastest and strongest children could secure more food or a better position at the trough.