Final answer:
Mrs. Auld's moral transformation signifies a transition from kindness to cruelty due to the corrupting influence of slavery, highlighting themes of dehumanization and loss of innocence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The moral transformation of Mrs. Auld indicates a shift in her character from kindness and compassion to cruelty and conformity to societal norms of slavery. Initially, Mrs. Auld's interactions with Frederick Douglass, a young enslaved person, were filled with warm, kindly emotions, as she had never owned slaves and did not treat Douglass with the harshness typically displayed by slave owners.
However, under the influence of her husband and the prevailing slave-holding culture, she underwent a transformation, adopting the traits of a typical slave mistress - becoming cruel and detaching herself from her innate sense of humanity. This change is significant as it underscores the corrupting influence of the institution of slavery on individuals and addresses broader themes of dehumanization and the loss of innocence.