A Short Document Analysis on The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano Olaudah Equiano’s autobiography, written in England, 1789, provides a significant outlet for revelations about early modern slavery by describing a detailed, first person narrative account of actual events in our history that can be examined by the past actions of humanity to better understand European motives, ideals, and goals behind the Atlantic Slave Trade as well as how these objectives impacted the world and lives around them in a negative way during the early modern period to present day. In this “broadly accurate” documentation, within the first paragraph, European men are introduced in a skeptical way by Olaudah by the characteristic of “stout”,
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This is a result of unchecked nationalism and a huge transnational problem that affected many cultures in Africa due to disrespect and unrestrained pride for European ways of life forced on to small African communities in life threatening conditions. Once the slaves were no longer up to par with that owner, they were sold for money, even “little white shells” to other people, which shows that Europeans put monetary value on human life and existence to better their own lives. It was as if they were not human, but mere objects that had no feelings. This is proven by the horrible conditions Olaudah describes being put through on the ship where the treatment made him wish for “the last friend, death, to relieve me” (Equiano p702). The word “friend” shows such loneliness and hopelessness in life that only death can relieve him of his misery. This is crucial to historians to understand soaring death rates at that time due to “air that soon became unfit for respiration, loathsome smells, and a sickness among the salves, of which many died” and connect it to correctly capture historical events to teach to future generations (Equiano …show more content…
The reasoning for this prolonged ideal of racism and neglect that is still current is due to the long term existence of slavery and the magnitude it kept overtime as a major player in economic success with trade and production of goods. Olaudah’s personal experience makes the history much more personal and believable due to the significant emotional ties he holds that puts the reality of the past directly in front of
This is a result of unchecked nationalism and a huge transnational problem that affected many cultures in Africa due to disrespect and unrestrained pride for European ways of life forced on to small African communities in life threatening conditions. Once the slaves were no longer up to par with that owner, they were sold for money, even “little white shells” to other people, which shows that Europeans put monetary value on human life and existence to better their own lives. It was as if they were not human, but mere objects that had no feelings. This is proven by the horrible conditions Olaudah describes being put through on the ship where the treatment made him wish for “the last friend, death, to relieve me” (Equiano p702). The word “friend” shows such loneliness and hopelessness in life that only death can relieve him of his misery. This is crucial to historians to understand soaring death rates at that time due to “air that soon became unfit for respiration, loathsome smells, and a sickness among the salves, of which many died” and connect it to correctly capture historical events to teach to future generations (Equiano …show more content…
The reasoning for this prolonged ideal of racism and neglect that is still current is due to the long term existence of slavery and the magnitude it kept overtime as a major player in economic success with trade and production of goods. Olaudah’s personal experience makes the history much more personal and believable due to the significant emotional ties he holds that puts the reality of the past directly in front of