While the laws and institution of slavery no longer exist in modern day society, it was once a common aspect that was woven into western civilization. Even though slavery has not existed for some time, the effects that it had on the civilization were long lasting. While the abolitionist movement was successful it took great effort to take hold in European society. This can be attributed to the distance between Europe and the new lands were the more brutal treatment of slaves was taking place, out of sight and out of mind. This would change with the release of a firsthand account detailing the life and struggles of a single man who experienced the best and worst of mankind. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano captures the
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Within his culture slavery is an accepted norm, yet its nature is dramatically different than the western institution of slavery. In his native culture slaves typically were acquired through war and conflict, or in less common cases from criminal offenses. Upon entering into servitude, the slave is treated with dignity and is expected to participate in the same amount of labor as the rest of the village. “They do no more work than other members of the community, even their masters; their food, clothing, and lodging were nearly the same as theirs; and there was scarce any other difference between them”(Chapter 1 about 10 pages in). The author also draws parallels between his people’s culture and that of the Jewish religion. It is soon after that Equiano discusses his kidnapping and movement across the continent towards the ocean. During this time he experiences different villages and people, but is always looking for his opportunity to escape from his captors to return home. At one point he does escape his captors clutches only to realize the hopelessness of his situation, he then resigns himself to remain. Soon after he is introduced to Europeans and the horrors of the slave ship during the Atlantic …show more content…
“How he, as a Christian, could answer for the horrid act before God? And he told me, answering was a thing of another world, what he thought and did were policy” (chapter 5 about 12 pages in). So while the Christian morals suggest that you should treat others how you would like to be treated, in the West Indies, cruelty was just a way of life for the local slave owners. Trying to understand how Christians can act so un Christian like leads him to believe that “Such a tendency has the slave trade to debauch men’s minds, and harden them to every feeling of humanity”(chpt 5 second to last paragraph). This can challenge the authors’ belief and desire to be a good Christian, yet it encourages him to be even better due to answering not to man in the afterlife but to
Within his culture slavery is an accepted norm, yet its nature is dramatically different than the western institution of slavery. In his native culture slaves typically were acquired through war and conflict, or in less common cases from criminal offenses. Upon entering into servitude, the slave is treated with dignity and is expected to participate in the same amount of labor as the rest of the village. “They do no more work than other members of the community, even their masters; their food, clothing, and lodging were nearly the same as theirs; and there was scarce any other difference between them”(Chapter 1 about 10 pages in). The author also draws parallels between his people’s culture and that of the Jewish religion. It is soon after that Equiano discusses his kidnapping and movement across the continent towards the ocean. During this time he experiences different villages and people, but is always looking for his opportunity to escape from his captors to return home. At one point he does escape his captors clutches only to realize the hopelessness of his situation, he then resigns himself to remain. Soon after he is introduced to Europeans and the horrors of the slave ship during the Atlantic …show more content…
“How he, as a Christian, could answer for the horrid act before God? And he told me, answering was a thing of another world, what he thought and did were policy” (chapter 5 about 12 pages in). So while the Christian morals suggest that you should treat others how you would like to be treated, in the West Indies, cruelty was just a way of life for the local slave owners. Trying to understand how Christians can act so un Christian like leads him to believe that “Such a tendency has the slave trade to debauch men’s minds, and harden them to every feeling of humanity”(chpt 5 second to last paragraph). This can challenge the authors’ belief and desire to be a good Christian, yet it encourages him to be even better due to answering not to man in the afterlife but to