The Narrative Style of Aphra Behn's Oroonoko Essay

In Abina and the Important Men, lies a portrayal of daily life and operations of the area of Asante and its relations with British jurisdiction, on the Gold Coast of West Africa in 1876. Specifically, it is a story about a girl from Asante named Asina who is sold into slavery at a very young age and her journey to achieve justice. While Abina’s story was not well documented and well known, it’s brief mention in archived stories arose attention for the powerless and the silenced. Through Abina’s narrative and her fight for justice, and the contextual history of African and British relations, the depiction of “important men” their roles and how they impact her life and people like her are displayed.

. . To which [a person] a thousand times prefer Death."# She further describes how one is sold into slavery, being either sold one by one or in lots with women and children, but families are not sold together; instead, they are separated, as a family cannot be trusted together for fear that they will commit "some great Action, to the ruin of the Colony."# At first, slavery is depicted as more of an embarrassment than a painful way of life, and Oroonoko lives a decent life for a while. Oroonoko is sold to Trefry, a Cornish gentleman who assists the Governor, and he proves to be a kind and gentle man to Oroonoko. Trefry cares deeply for Oroonoko, and "ever after lov'd him as his dearest Brother, and she'd him all the Civilities due to so great a Man."# Oroonoko is reunited with his love, Imoinda, who has also been sold into slavery, and the two are allowed to marry (which was a privilege that was not granted often). However, the lifestyle Oroonoko leads is not typical, as he reveals when he makes a speech to other slaves. Oroonoko reveals that slaves suffer "Loads, Burdens, and Drudgeries as were fitter for beasts than Men" and that both guilty and innocent slaves "suffer'd the infamous Whip. . . Till their Blood trickled from all Parts of their Body."#

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.

The characters are called the important men because they control the labor power of individual in the workplace. During that time many women and men in Africa were slaves. Many of these individuals “important men” who have control and power towards slaves were born from freeborn women. The enslavement of Abina was a different enslavement because even thought she couldn’t have her own freedom, the work that she was performing was the same work that free women were performing. Abina took the case to court to make to got herself heard and to advocated for the rights of the women’s and men who were unlawfully enslaved by these “important men”. Abina lost the case to Quamina Eddoo because of the lack of witness when the purchase of Abina was being done. Another factor was that in certain way, Abina was being paid for her service because she was shelter, food, and clothing was provided to her by Quamina Eddoo. In the section of “The transcript” Abina told the court all of these equipment and services that were being given to her and that in most cases are not offered by slave’s owners. Abina was never beaten or physical assault by Quamina or his men, this gave another prove that even thought she was in slavery her owner didn’t commit physical abuse toward

My room-mate had a single story of Africa; a single story of catastrophe”. Adichie also tells how growing up in Nigeria reading only American and English children’s books made her deaf to her authentic voice. As a child, she wrote about such things as blue-eyed white children easting apples, thinking brown skin and mangos had no place in Literature. That changed as she discovered African writers.

Behn continues to lessen Oroonoko’s heroic stature by attempting to Europeanize him and diminish his self-identity. A hero is known for their self-confidence and uses that to help others. By getting rid of someone’s identity, he loses any sort of possibility of succeeding

As one reads Octavia Butler’s “Wild Seed,” often the reader will find themselves quickly getting wrapped up in the conflict and surface story between Doro and Anyanwu. It is apparent there was a struggle of power between these two immortal beings that went far beyond simple gender identity and equality, and delved deeply into the cultural schemata of the master-slave paradigm. This motif is what carries the story throughout the novel, over centuries and changing landscapes; and yet although the people’s names change within the context of Anyanwu and Doro’s world this paradigm stays consistent.

The story by Abani is set in an African background. It may be unfair to render the people as backward automatically, but their decision to act arbitrarily and against the wishes of the elders speaks of weakness regarding civility. Like the villagers in Jackson’s story, the bloodthirsty mob carries out an illogical and crude act with no regard for the life of the man they perceive to be a thief in the hope that the children will learn a valuable lesson.

When in the presence of the woman Romana trying to attack him, Condé writes, “He was about to throw himself on her, knock her down, kill her perhaps, when a voice reminded him of his difficulties in the Ashanti kingdom after the rape of Ayaovi. What would happen if he now committed murder? (Condé 265).” In two ways here, Malobali has grown up. First he realizes that all his actions have consequences and that he must realize them before making unwise decisions. In realizing this, Malobali represents Africans evolving as a whole to recognize that they must work together as a people. Secondly, Malobali realizes that Women are people too who can be reasoned with and respected rather than literally beat into submission. On a grand scale, Malobali’s second revelation represents a change in attitude toward women by African people. Still, more important is Malobali’s evolution in the context of the African Slave Trade.

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

Mr. Mdeouze influenced Jose to write that incredible story. He told him enough stories to open up his imagination and produce a beautiful paper. Mr. M taught Jose the power of language. For extra credit for this class, I listened to an interesting lecture about African Storytelling. This is what Mr. M reminded me of. Traditional storytelling is usually told by adults and spoken to children about life, rewards, and consequences. The fables are usually metaphorical stories that have to do with lessons children will learn in their daily lives. While Jose listened to Mr. M’s

For some, coming of age is a time of obstacles and success in a young youth's life. It involves a number of trials that is needed to overcome to become mature. Although, obstacles are not the only features that a young adolescents will encounter. The journey will happen beginning with successes and triumphs that will come to the shaping of who they are to become. One can simply presume that the occurrence taking place in the world would have a strong impact on how an adolescent comes of age. The tale Old Chief Mshlanga focuses on the main character, the protagonist known as “she” or little Nkosikaas her encounter with an African chieftain that causes her to see the differences between her people and the natives of the land they reside. The author, Doris Lessing, uses the protagonist to show radically changing attitudes towards the Old Chief Mshlanga.

The story, Oroonoko; or, The Royal Slave, written by Aphra Behn, depicts the main character, Oroonoko, as being an African prince that lives among his people, whom all abide by a code of virtue and fidelity. When Oroonoko is faced with a dilemma in his own country and living among a “civilized” white society, that are devout Christians, he is confronted with the burden to uphold his code of virtue and maintain a title of being a “Noble Savage” by means of loyalty, religious beliefs, and honor.

Babakiueria revolves around a role-reversal society in which white people are treated unfairly. Throughout the film commentator, Duranga Manika, strives to explain the Babakiuerians’ way of life, however she fails to apply a willingness to fully understand certain aspects of their life so judgment can be rendered fairly. As the white people are not highly valued in this society it is reflected in the way the government treats them and how Manika describes them.

Elisabeth says then there will never be any solution to the problem of novel in Africa if the Africans wanted a ‘living voice’. The main problem faced by them was because the African writers unlike the French and the English were not acting as writers but were actually behaving like interpreters of their exotic cultures and that the root of their problem was ‘ Having to perform your Africanness at the same time as you write.’