Within Jamaica during the Atlantic slave trade, there was a common practice of Obeah (a kind of sorcery practiced within the Caribbean), which led to death through the use of magic. This magic was a type of practice that was able to control the dead. This was mainly practiced by the slaves of the island. In the novel Wide Sargasso Sea written by Jane Rhys it is shown that within this island the practice of Obeah was so prevalent, a majority of the slaves were aware of the common practice. Similarly, death was common within the island of Jamaica, due to the constant influx of foreigners,  disease was the main cause of death for both white slave owners, and slaves as well. Vincent Browns’ article  The Reapers Garden demonstrates how the African Obeah practitioners used this magical practice to bring death onto their slave master, plantation owners, and also slaves. In Jamaica this practice of Obeah was heavily used among the slaves to help control death within their society.

       The novel Wide Sargasso Sea alludes to the practice of magic within the island as one of the main slaves Christophine is a known Obeah practitioner. She was well respected among the island and was known for her capabilities. Many slaves resorted to Obeah because they desired freedom from their harsh world, and it was a common belief on the island that once dead, one would be liberated and brought back to their home estate. However many white slave owners realized the high death rates among their slaves and this resulted in a loss of profit. Therefore the white slave owners were stated by Vincent Brown to have found ways to instill fear among slaves by mutilating the bodies of the dead. This in result helped decrease the suicides on their plantations as well as further control the slaves.

        Many of the Obeah and voodoo practitioners were slaves the white plantation owners restricted the use of such practices, when they knew it were going on. Within the novel of Wide Sargasso Sea, Rochester is warned that the family he married into has a curse by Daniel Cosway. Antionettes mother, had died after having gone insane after the burning of her house in Coulbri. Antionettes mother was hated by the slaves and others because although the slaves were now emancipated, they had not forgotten her and her ancestors. Having mistreated slaves and wrongfully harmed many, this resulted in the slaves revolting against her and her family by striking and more, in many ways resulting in her death. 

        Many instances in which death and magic are associated recur within Jamaica during the Atlantic slave trade. Much of this magic stems from Obeah which was practiced heavily by slaves. This sorcery helped give the slaves power over their masters. However, the masters found ways in which to instill fear into their slaves to alter this practice. Within both Wide Sargasso Sea and Reapers garden it is shown that death and magic were used within the Atlantic slavery and had varying effects.