“My mama worked for these here people to pay for her passage. But then she had me and since she died right after, well, they said I had to work for em to pay it off. I did, but now I want me some velvet.”
From the passage, I learned that Seth was never given the liberty her mom worked for. Seth is on the run for her life (literally), away from slavery. Unlike her mother, Seth has a more progress in getting away and wants velvet. I think the velvet symbolizes a fresh start, because the Amy, woman she encountered, described velvet as a world just born; clean and new.
I think the haunting effects of slavery is the constant risk of being betrayed/captured and ending up in a possibly more worse situation.
