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What Is The Life Of Religion In Olaudah Equiano

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The autobiographical tale of Equiano Travels by Olaudah Equiano is a powerful look at one of the most prolific and interesting men of color. The narrative allows readers to get to see the world through Equiano's own personal experiences. In the book, Equiano recounts his happy childhood in Eboe his and sister's kidnapping when he was eleven. He later recounts his early time as a slave in Africa being forced to endure a torturous journey across Africa. Than being separated from his sister, and never seeing her or his family again being whisked farther away from them and into the slave trade by boat where he remained enslaved for several more years. The main purpose of Equiano book was to provide the European government with a compelling narrative to end slavery and abolish …show more content…

His narrative is one of the few that discusses the difference between American and African forms of slavery. His autobiography discusses the religious practices of western Africans, compares these practices to Christianity and Judaism, and narrates his trials as a slave in Africa. The book to me is essentially the retelling of the story that focuses on Equiano life as a form slave through his experiences as a slave and how he develops over time through his experiences of capitalism and spirituality. This is the major point of my essay that I want to focus on. My hypothesis question is Did Equiano really believe in Christianity and that God would set him free or was he simply using religion as a way of manipulating the British and American readers. Also, to further this point capitalism is major party of Equiano life I want to look at if Equiano was truly a religious man first or was he just a capitalist using religion to succeed

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Both Mary and Equiano suffered greatly upon their being taken. They both endured mental, physical, and emotional distress at being torn from their families and friends. Equiano was only a child when he was taken from his village, away from everything and everyone he had ever known, so the natural fear of parental separation would be terrifying in itself. Many years later, as he was being shipped overseas, he witnessed the cruel and inhumane treatment of innocent people. In describing the living conditions of the slave ship, Equiano states, “The shrieks of the women, and the groans of the dying, rendered the whole a scene of horror almost inconceivable” (Equiano 1279).

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972 Words | 4 Pages

He used both sides of the coin to convince the slave owners. He stated that not all slave owners were bad and said that one of his slaves owner treated him as family. He also said that slave owners were not listening to their own philosophy, and said “O, ye nominal Christians! might not an African ask you, Learned you this from your God who says unto you, Do unto all men as you would men should do unto you?” (Equiano 61).

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289 Words | 2 Pages

According to PBS Africans in America, after Equinao bought his freedom he became an active abolitionist in England. Olaudah Equiano’s descriptions of the middle passage severed a purpose for

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1160 Words | 5 Pages

This was the corruption of the white men of that time who were afraid of the truth surfacing and everyone finding out the truth about slavery. Equiano was able to share a little detail about how slaves were treated by saying that “[he] was first transported to Barbados and then Virginia, where he was purchased by a local planter,” (512). This action shows the reader that the slaves were treated as a form of property that was sold for labor. Equiano was never given the chance to gain the same freedom as a white man, he had to work for money. He goes on to say "I was now exceedingly miserable, and thought myself worse off than any of the rest of my companions ...

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507 Words | 3 Pages

He travelled a lot. To the Mediterranean, the Atlantic and the Arctic as he attempted to reach the North Pole. When returning to London, he came into contact with an anti-slavery campaigner, Granville Sharp when Equiano had heard his friend, John Annis, a former African American cook and a freed slave, was kidnapped by John’s former owner. Equiano and Sharp tried to save Annis but didn’t make it.

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552 Words | 3 Pages

Equiano experienced the worst situation when his sister and him were taken as slaves. He was separated from his sister after being captured, and he never had the chance to see her again after that. As slave he used other names such as Gustavus Vassa which was given by British and American masters. He used that name for his book called “Equiano’s Travels : The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa the African” (Perkins 162). He fought to end slavery after writing his first African-American slave narrative and autobiography.

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1405 Words | 6 Pages

17.1 Captivity and Enslavement, Olaudah Equiano, the interesting Narrative of the life of Olaudah Equiano written by himself 1. What are Equiano’s impressions of the white men on the ship and their treatment of the slaves? How does this treatment reflect the slave traders’ primary concerns? Equiano’s first impression of these white men is a feeling of uncertainty and sorrow for the future. As his story goes on Equiano is afraid of these white men, but also he is wishing to end it all because of the conditions and treatment of the slaves.

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964 Words | 4 Pages

Olaudah was a very well-articulated man in his autobiography and he had many thoughts expressed as an enslaved man towards the colonies and Philadelphia. Olaudah Equiano has been enslaved for many years after being taken from his homeland of Essaka. He wasn’t always in Philadelphia or in the colonies because of his master’s travels to many diverse places like the West Indies, Pennsylvania, London, England, Georgia, Louis borough Caribbean, and South Carolina. Olaudah was a very vigilant man in seeing the condition and treatment of his fellow brethren slaves in different places around the world. The more he saw the unkind treatment of slaves, the more and more he detests it.

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679 Words | 3 Pages

By bringing up religion he appealed to the Christian morals that so many British people lived by. For example, when Equiano told of how he learned about God, was taught by Daniel Queen to read the Bible, and of his own baptism he persuaded the readers that his religious beliefs were genuine. The use of God as a pathos method made the British feel guilty for the hellish enslavement of the African's even though they thought they lived by the values of humanity, love, and faith. When Equiano said he would rather have “God's thunder” kill him than to “be sold from lord to lord” the British could not ignore his plea to abolish slavery for the sake of abiding by their own Christian

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683 Words | 3 Pages

For Equiano to be able to make the readers see the reversal of perceptions about white people, Equiano needs to separate himself and produce this sense of exceptionalism through first person pronouns. Once he establishes himself

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507 Words | 3 Pages

The autobiography “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano” of former slave Olaudah Equiano, is a detailed account of his journey, starting from the time he was kidnapped from his home, separated from his family, and later separated from his sister. He was eventually loaded into a slave ship, which sets sail for Barbados. The story continues through the time he was a slave until the time he bought his own freedom and, subsequently, write the autobiography. To help readers visualize the reality he lived through, Equiano uses in-depth descriptions of the experiences and conditions he endued in his journey. The transatlantic journey taken by Olaudah Equiano in “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano” demonstrate him to be curious, strong-willed, and frightened individual.

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188 Words | 1 Pages

The Narrative of the Enslavement of Ottobah Cugoano, a native of Africa; begins in the same fashion of Olaudah Equiano by narrating his upbringing. Cugoano was born in Agimaque to a father that was the companion of the chief of the country of Fantee. When the chief died, he was sent to live with the nephew where enjoy two years of peace and tranquility. After this period, he was called to go visit his uncle in the Assine. On a faithful day after three months of living with his uncle he and some local children decided to go into the woods to gather some fruits and hunt some birds.

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879 Words | 4 Pages

In (1) Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass addressed to (2) white Americans unaware of the consequences of slavery, (3) Douglass (4) appeals to empathy by presenting his story in order to (5) promote the abolitionist movement and to (7) illustrate (8) the harsh realities of enslavement. Douglass strengthens the abolitionist movement by presenting the irony in the lifestyle and values of Christian slaveholders. When clarifying his point of view towards Christianity, Douglas claims, “so wide, that to receive the one as good, pure and holy is of necessity to reject the other as bad, corrupt and wicked.” pg.119. The author uses diction to exploit slaveholders religion and how it was used negatively and contrary to what Douglas believes

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946 Words | 4 Pages

The main character, who is also the narrator, is as mentioned earlier an afro-american male around twenty years of age. His name remains untold in the chapter. He has been battling the question of

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1563 Words | 7 Pages

Religion was a vital part of the Egyptian way of life. Egyptian writings clearly show this fact with texts proclaiming, “May Amon favor you!,” and, “Now while he was making an offering to the gods, the god seized one of his youths and made him possessed.” These two quotes reflect Egyptian focus on religion. They blessed others in the gods’ names and offered sacrifices to the gods.

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