Question

Read this excerpt from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.

We were not regularly allowanced. Our food was coarse corn meal boiled. This was called MUSH. It was put into a large wooden tray or trough, and set down upon the ground. The children were then called, like so many pigs, and like so many pigs they would come and devour the mush; some with oyster-shells, others with pieces of shingle, some with naked hands, and none with spoons. He that ate fastest got most; he that was strongest secured the best place; and few left the trough satisfied.

Which detail from the passage is evidence that the slave children were not fed enough?

Our food was coarse corn meal boiled.
It was put into a large wooden tray or trough, and set down upon the ground.
...and like so many pigs they would come and devour the mush[.]
...he that was strongest secured the best place; and few left the trough satisfied

Answer 1

The detail indicating that slave children were not fed enough is the description that shows a struggle for food and that few were satisfied after eating, pointing to insufficient provisions.

Step-by-step explanation:

The detail from the passage that provides evidence that the slave children were not fed enough is "...he that was strongest secured the best place; and few left the trough satisfied." This statement directly suggests that there was a struggle to access the food and even after that struggle, most did not have enough to eat, indicating that the provision was insufficient. Furthermore, the use of a common trough and the lack of utensils imply a lack of individual portions, which would ensure each child received a sufficient amount. Finally, the comparison to pigs portrays a dehumanizing method of feeding, which typically does not prioritize the well-being or satisfaction of those being fed.