Final answer:
Mrs. Flint spat in the kettles and pans to prevent the enslaved women and children from eating leftovers, an act of cruelty and control within the system of slavery. Option b is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The passage suggests that Mrs. Flint's action of spitting in the kettles and pans was a deliberate tactic to assert her dominance and enforce the social hierarchy of the time. Among the options provided, the most likely answer is b. To keep the enslaved women and children from eating the leftovers.
This behavior is indicative of the cruel and dehumanizing practices that were employed to suppress and control enslaved individuals. It was not merely a show of personal displeasure or superiority; it was a calculated act to deprive enslaved individuals of food, thereby keeping them in a constant state of need and dependency. The actions of Mrs. Flint and other similar acts outlined in the provided historical contexts show a pattern of psychological and physical cruelty aimed at maintaining the oppressive system of slavery.
Therefore, based on the passages given, the most accurate answer to why Mrs. Flint spit in the kettles and pans is to discourage the enslaved from consuming leftovers, highlighting the extreme extents to which slaveholders would go to dehumanize and control their slaves.