The skeleton figure itself depicts a result of slavery which is neither glorious or humane. The Africans' treatment of their former master reflects the horrors that they have experienced as slaves themselves. Death in the most horrible sense is a result of the institution slavery, which makes man capable of the worst inhumanities after having faced the same under the hand of a master.
ho made no resistance".
As the scuffle aboard the whaler is broken up, Babo submits to his captors without resistance. Though he makes no fight, he also makes no defense for himself during the court deposition. The reader is able to perceive the opinions of Delano through his thoughts and of Cereno through the deposition, but Babo's side of the story is never heard. He makes no resistance but also does not yield any insight into his opinions or intentions. His motive seems so simple--freedom--yet the reader knows little as to his thoughts behind staging the rebellion as he did. What treatment did he experience as a slave? Why did he choose to return to Senegal and did he really intend to reach the country? How long beforehand had he planned the mutiny? Did he intend to carry it out with so much brutality? The reader is only told that "he uttered no sound, and could not be forced to" (Melville 258). Through his silence, Melville characterizes society of his time by pointing out the absence of the black voice in literature and in society overall. Blacks were not given an expressive place in society for lack of education and attention from the white population. The cause of antislavery was always argued by the predominantly white abolitionists rather than Africans and African Americans who were directly affected by slavery. .
Example: "Follow your leader" .
Melville. "Benito Cereno." The words written under the skeleton of Aranda, the figurehead of the San Dominick. .
-- a veiled threat to the original crew of the San Dominick .