Being so young and naive caused Equiano to look upon many of the happenings as "magic." For instance he does not understand how the ships move so he attributes that to magic. He has never seen white people before and asks if they,the captives, will be eaten.
How does Equiano’s age affect his experiences during the voyage?
How does Equiano's age affect his experiences during the voyage? Since he was young, Equiano was allowed to be on the deck of the ship, allowing him to spend less time in the filthy room all of the other slaves were held. The ship crew showed him different navigational tools as well, teaching him about the tools when he questioned about them.
How do the crew members treat Equiano during the voyage?
The crew members allowed young slaves, like Equiano, to stay on the deck and out of the horrible conditions of the slave room for some time. They also taught Equiano about the different devices they had that he was interested in, allowing him to be curious about something and not punishing him for it.
How did Equiano get his freedom?
He was purchased in 1763 by Robert King, a Quaker merchant from Philadelphia, for whom he served as a clerk. He also worked on King's trading sloops. Equiano, who was allowed to engage in his own minor trade exchanges, was able to save enough money to purchase his freedom in 1766.
What happened to Equiano after he left the West Indies?
Though he witnesses the sale of slaves in the West Indies, Equiano himself is not purchased, and he stays with the Dutch ship, traveling from the West Indies to North America. There he is purchased and put to work on a Virginia plantation, doing light field work and household chores.
How did Equiano treat his slaves?
As an upper class citizen, he was entitled to own slaves. Although a slave himself at one time, he looks back on his village's use of slavery as decent, not detestable like what he sees in the West Indies. The slaves are treated almost like everyone else in his eyes, with equal types of food, clothing, and housing.
What do some captives do to escape the misery?
Some slaves hurl themselves overboard. What do some captives do to escape the misery of the Atlantic crossing? They did not take care of the slaves. They didn't feed them, and did not care about their well-being.
Who was Equiano's intended audience?
I emphasize the fact that Equiano's reading audience was mostly composed of American and European abolitionists. His immediate purpose was to influence the British political leaders who were debating the slave trade issue in Parliament in the late 1780s.
What does their treatment of the slaves reveal about the crewmen's attitude toward their captives?
How do the white crewmen view their captives? What does the treatment of the slaves reveal about the captors' attitudes toward human life? The Traders greed has led them to load the ships with more slaves then can comfortably fit causing unsanitary conditions and illness.
Which physical hardships does Equiano say the captives suffered?
What physical hardships do the captives suffer during their passage across the Atlantic Ocean? The ship is crowded, that the people are almost suffocated. They are chained together. It is very hot and sickness is going around.
What did Equiano fear when he was first brought aboard the ship?
What does Equiano fear will happen to him when he is taken aboard the ship? He fears the white man will kill and eat him. Why might he be so afraid? His fear probably result from him never seeing a white man before.
Why is it important to learn about Equiano?
A: Well, for people in Africa, Equiano's narrative is very important because it is the anchor of African studies. In every discipline, you study Equiano. Historians begin with Equiano. Social scientists begin with Equiano.
What is the main idea of the Life of Olaudah Equiano?
In its introduction, Equiano states that the main purpose of the book is to "excite in [the reader's] august assemblies a sense of compassion of the miseries which the Slave-Trade has entailed on my unfortunate countrymen." The book succeeded dramatically in this regard, since it offered a vivid first-hand account of ...
What is Equiano exposed to?
After the ship's arrival in England, Equiano is exposed to Christianity. When he asks questions about his first encounter with snow, he is told it is made by "a great man in the heavens, called God.". He attends church, and receives instruction from his new friend, Robert (p. 105 ).
Where did Equiano travel?
In service to Captain Pascal and subsequent merchant masters, Equiano traveled extensively, visiting England, Holland, Scotland, Gibraltar, Nova Scotia, the Caribbean, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and South Carolina. He was purchased in 1763 by Robert King, a Quaker merchant from Philadelphia, for whom he served as a clerk.
Why is Equiano horrified at Montserrat?
Doran takes him back to the West Indies, and Equiano is horrified at the sight of Montserrat, because he is fearful of being sold into this "land of bondage . . . misery, stripes, and chains" (p. 190 ).
Where was Olaudah Equiano born?
Written by Himself. Vol. I. Olaudah Equiano was born in 1745 in Eboe, in what is now Nigeria. When he was about eleven, Equiano was kidnapped and sold to slave traders headed to the West Indies. Though he spent a brief period in the state of Virginia, much of Equiano's time in slavery was spent serving the captains of slave ships ...
Who sent Equiano to school?
During stopovers in England, Captain Pascal sends Equiano to wait upon two sisters known as the Miss Guerins. They become, in a sense, patrons to Equiano, not only treating him kindly but also supporting his education and his interest in Christianity by sending him to school.
Who was Equiano married to?
Following the publication of his Interesting Narrative, Equiano traveled throughout Great Britain as an abolitionist and author. He married Susanna Cullen in 1792, with whom he had two daughters. Equiano died in London in 1797.
Who bought Equiano?
He was purchased in 1763 by Robert King, a Quaker merchant from Philadelphia, for whom he served as a clerk. He also worked on King's trading sloops. Equiano, who was allowed to engage in his own minor trade exchanges, was able to save enough money to purchase his freedom in 1766.