The racism within Clotel shows how slaves were reduced to property. Individuals of mixed-race heritage, particularly Clotel and her lineage as the daughter of a white slaveowner like Thomas Jefferson, illuminates the complex challenges of racial identity and the discrimination endured by those straddling racial boundaries. Clotel's depressing experiences vividly depict the racial stratification inherent in antebellum America, where Black individuals are systematically subjugated and denied fundamental rights and freedoms, underscoring the pervasive nature of racial oppression within society.
The suffering within Clotel's journey is filled with loss and despair as she grapples with the separation from her children and endures the harsh treatment
