The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano

1. Equiano describes many of the horrors involve with the slave trade. Choose one passage from the narrative that had the biggest impact on you. Be prepared to discuss your choice.

"Happily perhaps, for myself, I was soon reduced so low here that it was thought necessary to keep me almost always on deck; and from my extreme youth I was not put in fetters. In this situation I expected every hour to share the fate of my companions, some of whom were almost daily brought upon deck at the point of death, which I began to hope would soon put an end to my miseries. " I think this passage had the biggest impact because it clearly shows how the slave traders treat the slaves as livestock. The idea of keeping someone just barely alive, just so they could survive and be sold for money is really cruel.

2. What do you think motivates the slave traders to behave so cruelly?

I think that they behave cruelly for their profit. If they behaved nice, and offered extra food and space, they sacrifice money, and even space for more profit. Behaving nice might also suggests weakness, which might encourage the slaves to revolt. Another reason about why they behave so cruelly might be that they no longer see the slaves as human. Because of being in the slave trade for so long, and treating humans as livestock everyday, the slave traders may have forgotten the worth of human lives.

3. Although terrified as a captive on the slave ship, Equiano's curiosity still surfaces. What marvels does he encounter, and how do they affect him?

The marvels were how the ship worked. Equiano had believed it was done by magick, and that the white people were spirits. I think Equiano's curiosity had helped him survive the misery. Because of his curiosity, Equiano may have been distracted from the horrors of the ship. Equiano's belief of the white men's use of magic may have also made Equiano acknowledge the vast difference between the whites and the blacks. Because of this, Equiano kind of treats the white men as a difference entity, always referring them as if they were "they" and referring to blacks as "we".

4. Equiano suggests that the cruelty he and his fellow captives experienced are "hardships which are inseparable from this accursed trade" of slavery. What do you suppose he means by this.

Maybe it means to show that although the slave traders benefited greatly from the slave trade, there is always another perspective, and in this case, the slaves perspectives. It suggests that we cannot just focus on the benefits, and sometimes we must face the "hardships" and the bad side of everything.

5. Surviving in such harsh circumstances is difficult, and many African captives died aboard the ships. What have you learned about Equiano that may have helped him survive his ordeal?

I think that it was his curiosity that kept him alive. Because of his age, he is still very curious and enthusiastic and therefore, never gave up. Equiano spent his time thinking about the mysteries of the ship and the white people, instead of spending his time dreading and sulking. Therefore, he wasn't as badly affected as the others, which helped him survive.


6. As a free man, Equiano became an abolitionist and worked to end slavery. If he could travel in time and see American society today, what would he say? what would he take pride in? What would he want changed.

I think he would be very pleased with how America turned to become. He would take pride in the fact that black people have become so recognized, and that even a black guy is running for president. However, I think that as a African, he would be disappointed to find that most African Americans have become Americanized, and have lost the tradition and culture of Africa.