Oladuah Equiano Research Paper

Olaudah Equiano, born in 1745, was a prominent member of the british movement for ending the slave trade and wrote an autobiography entitled, “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano”. Equiano 's main purpose within writing this excerpt from chapter two of his autobiography was to convince his audience to support the anti-Slave Trade movement, this is evident in his tone switching by the paragraph, his switch of style from a narrative to rhetorical questioning, and his liberal use of phrases that would create sympathy.

Equiano was first taken by some “kinsmen” or people from his village. He and others were later separated to do the hard work, but most of all Equiano was sold into slavery multiple times. He had finally found this suitable place in which he was brought to be on board on the ship “for the West Indies.” He was taken by the African leaders from other countries during his slavery time to the slave ship.

" We are almost a nation of dancers, musicians, and poets. Every great event, such as a triumphant return from battle, or other cause of public rejoicing, is celebrated in public dances, which are accompanied with songs and music suited to the occasion. The assembly is separated into four divisions, which dance either apart or in succession, and each with a character peculiar to itself. The first division contains the married men who in their dances frequently exhibit feats of arms, and the representation of a battle. To these succeed the married women who dance in the second division. The young men occupy the third; and the maidens the fourth. Each represents some interesting scene of real life, such

Equiano’s rhetorical devices which include ethos, pathos, and logos abet to define and accomplish his rhetorical purpose. His ethos, or ethical assurance, is conveyed in his level of education portrayed by his sentence structure and high diction. Furthermore, as proven in historical documents, Equiano was a slave aboard one of the many slave ships. With this, the reader can accredit Equiano’s narrative to be a reliable and first-hand source to the journey of the “Middle Passage.”

The Life of Olaudah Equiano focuses on the various scenes to which Equiano or otherwise known as Gustavus Vassa was a witness too. Equiano’s story allows for an in depth perspective of slave trade and the way it functioned. Equiano takes the reader upon his journey as an African Slave beginning with his experiences in his native village, his numerous amounts of masters, cruelties and oppressions across the globe, and all the way to his success as a freeman. Equiano strongly focuses on the fact that almost every event in his life made an impression on his mind and influenced his conduct. Hence, making sense of the importance of his status and growth despite of his roots. Equiano always remained aware of his race and culture however he was in search of a freedom that no matter whom he was told to be his identity of obtaining this as well as soon gaining control of his own life always remained the same.

Olaudah Equiano, the author of The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano was captured in Africa and sold into slavery. Later in life, he purchased his freedom and wrote his autobiography in 1789. Equiano experienced hardships beyond imaging in his years as a slave and oftentimes witnessed extensive cruelty by whites towards Africans. Equiano 's experience of the Atlantic slave trade and middle passage as we understand it today was typical of a regular captive. The Atlantic slave trade, more specifically the experience that Equiano had was horrific. The Atlantic slave trade stands as one of the greatest mistreatments towards other humans to have ever happened, for nearly 400 years this occurred. Equiano 's experience however

Throughout the book The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Equiano tries to say that he is just an ordinary person, but this cannot be the case. He survives several ship wrecks, learns to read and write, and is able to buy his freedom. This is far from ordinary and borderlines with extraordinary. As he describes his adventures he starts by telling you a depressing story of how his sister got separated from him. This sets up the reader to know that there is plenty more tragedy to come. This is when he gets thrown into a life of slavery. From there he tries to wiggle his way out from the life of a slave and to create his own. Equiano uses anecdotes that he has experienced to prove to his readers that slavery is cruel and unforgiving, such as the time when he was being transported, to the treatment under his masters, and finally even when he was a free man.

Equiano then travels to America and the West Indies with King Robert. The King allows his friend, Captain Thomas Farmer, to take Equiano as sailor on several of his voyages. On his voyage both King and Farmer accused Equiano of making plan to escape. With time King starts to see trustworthiness and loyalty in Equiano, and promises Equiano money towards his freedom. Equiano makes money by trading goods between ports on the sea. King

Soon after being captured, the siblings were separated, with Equiano spending months serving a black tribal chief who treatment toward him was moderate. However, he was again sold to that of the British slave traders who treatment toward him was more brutal. After he had being sold and traded so many times, to different masters, a plantation owner from Virginia, United States bought him. When he taught that his life was improving or getting better, he was sold to a British Royal Navy officer (captain and lieutenant), who then give him the name Gustavus Vassa. Equiano who works for his new master in different positions (personal servant, ship steward, etc.), travel with him to several countries and colonies in and around the Mediterranean

The slave trade, yet horrific in it’s inhumanity, became an important aspect of the world’s economy during the eighteenth century. During a time when thousands of Africans were being traded for currency, Olaudah Equiano became one of countless children kidnapped and sold on the black market as a slave. Slavery existed centuries before the birth of Equiano (1745), but strengthened drastically due to an increasing demand for labor in the developing western hemisphere, especially in the Caribbean and Carolinas. Through illogical justification, slave trading became a powerful facet of commerce, regardless of its deliberate mistreatment of human beings by other human beings. Olaudah Equiano was able to overcome this intense

An ironsmith, ship steward, crewman, cook, clerk, navigator, amateur scientist, and even a hairdresser. These are all jobs that Olaudah Equiano held during his lifetime. He has been called the "most influential African writer in both Africa, America and Britain before the Civil War", and was born in Essaka, Nigeria sometime during 1745 (O'Neale, 153). His family was part of the Ibo tribe, which was located in the North Ika Ibo region of Essaka. In his earliest years, Olaudah Equiano was trained in the art of war. His daily exercises included shooting and throwing javelins. As he states in his autobiography, two men and a woman, who came over the walls while the rest of the family was away, abducted Olaudah and his sister in

Becoming a slave at the age of 11, when he was captured and sold into slavery in the area that is now modern Nigeria, Olaudah Equiano can be considered a pioneer in the abolitionist movement. Most of the information regarding his experiences as a slave and a freeman, along with his thoughts regarding slavery and abolitionism, can be found in his autobiography. In The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, we find numerous accounts about the atrocities committed against the enslaved Africans. The reader is also able to experience, by participating in the work of the author, in the physical and spiritual transformation of Equiano, from a freeman, to a slave, and back to freedom.

“ The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano” is a slave narrative that describes the experiences of one African slave’s capture and enslavement. In this story Olaudah is a young African boy who is captured and put on a slave ship to be traded in another country. This story reveals multiple human traits, some are good and some are bad. The human traits that were most displayable in the story is fear, disgust ,and cruelty.

The narrative by Olaudah Equiano gives an interesting perspective of slavery both within and outside of Africa in the eighteenth century. From these writings we can gain insight into the religion and customs of an African culture. We can also see how developed the system of trade was within Africa, and worldwide by this time. Finally, we hear an insider's view on being enslaved, how slaves were treated in Africa, and what the treatment of African slaves was like at the hands of the Europeans.

In The Interesting Narrative and Other Writings by Olaudah Equiano, Equiano gave interesting descriptions of his and others experience as a slave. He begins his novel by first explaining the place where he grew up, Nigeria, Africa. This part of Africa during that time was very fruitful and rich. Given this location, it can be understood that Equiano came from a family of wealth and power. He was the youngest and most favored of his siblings. Equiano explained the different African traditions and practices, i.e. honoring the dead, arranged marriages, dance ceremonies. Equiano loved Africa and his family but sadly one horrific day, he and his older sister were stolen from their home and later separated from each other. Not only was he