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Olaudah Equiano’s “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African. Written by Himself” discussed the challenges of the African slave as they were oppressed and repressed by the hegemonic society of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The narrative is considered to be one of the first autobiographies of former slaves, embarking a work of paramount literacy and historical significance (Lauter, 491). The widely recognized narrative is argued to be a great commercial success as it is believed to have influenced the abolishment of slavery. This social structure existed not only in the United States, but in other countries as well. Equiano was determined to voice his concerns of the African …show more content…
The encounter with the two men as Equiano described being kidnapped and separated from his sister reflected the experience of many Africans alike: We were then unbound, but were unable to take any food; and, being quite overpowered by fatigue and grief, our only relief was some sleep, which allayed our misfortune for short time (Lauter, 504). This experience could speak for the many African slaves who were forced to do extreme labors such as sugar cropping, or picking cotton with their bare hands for long hours during hot days without any food or hydration until late evening. Aforementioned, this narration could also be considered as a strategy to elicit an emotional response from his reader to understand the cruelty of slavery: Although Equiano himself does not move to a sweeping or vigorous anti-slavery position, the arrangement of the narrative, whether purposeful or not, certainly indicates the need for such a position (Elrod, 12). The short, intense moment of reconnection that Equiano experienced with his sister when he noticed her at the slave market really intensifies the emotion in his …show more content…
This is when Equiano begins to reflect on the horrors of the African being separated from his family, village, and entire life: Surely, this is a new refinement in cruelty, which, while it has no advantage to atone for it, thus aggravates distress, and adds fresh horrors even to the wretchedness of slavery (Lauter, 513). Equiano is questioning the British about the institution of slavery as they claim they have a strong love for God; he explains having no logical reason for the inhumane treatment further complicates their Christian ideologies. The inhumane treatment caused Equiano to create his own biblical appeal towards Africa as a way to possibly overturn Christian colonial ideas about slavery (Johnson, 1004). Arguably, this can be where the idea of Equiano’s narrative originality comes into question as he created approaches to gain the attention of his
Olaudah Equiano’s “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African. Written by Himself” discussed the challenges of the African slave as they were oppressed and repressed by the hegemonic society of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The narrative is considered to be one of the first autobiographies of former slaves, embarking a work of paramount literacy and historical significance (Lauter, 491). The widely recognized narrative is argued to be a great commercial success as it is believed to have influenced the abolishment of slavery. This social structure existed not only in the United States, but in other countries as well. Equiano was determined to voice his concerns of the African …show more content…
The encounter with the two men as Equiano described being kidnapped and separated from his sister reflected the experience of many Africans alike: We were then unbound, but were unable to take any food; and, being quite overpowered by fatigue and grief, our only relief was some sleep, which allayed our misfortune for short time (Lauter, 504). This experience could speak for the many African slaves who were forced to do extreme labors such as sugar cropping, or picking cotton with their bare hands for long hours during hot days without any food or hydration until late evening. Aforementioned, this narration could also be considered as a strategy to elicit an emotional response from his reader to understand the cruelty of slavery: Although Equiano himself does not move to a sweeping or vigorous anti-slavery position, the arrangement of the narrative, whether purposeful or not, certainly indicates the need for such a position (Elrod, 12). The short, intense moment of reconnection that Equiano experienced with his sister when he noticed her at the slave market really intensifies the emotion in his …show more content…
This is when Equiano begins to reflect on the horrors of the African being separated from his family, village, and entire life: Surely, this is a new refinement in cruelty, which, while it has no advantage to atone for it, thus aggravates distress, and adds fresh horrors even to the wretchedness of slavery (Lauter, 513). Equiano is questioning the British about the institution of slavery as they claim they have a strong love for God; he explains having no logical reason for the inhumane treatment further complicates their Christian ideologies. The inhumane treatment caused Equiano to create his own biblical appeal towards Africa as a way to possibly overturn Christian colonial ideas about slavery (Johnson, 1004). Arguably, this can be where the idea of Equiano’s narrative originality comes into question as he created approaches to gain the attention of his