Olaudah Equiano

Olaudah Equiano provides the reader with first hand information that would not normally be brought to light. He describes where he came from and how he got to the state of slavery. Olaudah Equiano is very graphic in giving his description of his native land, which is very important in providing the reader with an understanding of his perceptions of situations. He describes his native land as simple and plain in their customs. After the description of his culture the reader may portray the group as naive. This is demonstrated by their lack of exposure to liquor (page 35) and their contradictory rules for extra-marital relations between mates. However interpreted, his account of his upbringing and surroundings is priceless to the reader. This form of first hand account seems to be left out of all other references to slave trade. Olaudah Equia

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Slaves would get their freedom more often as time went on but the conditions they endured throughout the West Indies and Americas would scarcely change. The author met with people who treated him as an equal and he met with people who treated him no different than a slave. One interesting theme of this treatment was that cities were particularly tolerant and agreeable to the lives of freed men. The author was victim of this from time to time and often there was no restitution for such crimes. His master had informed him one time that if he ever raised the money he had paid for him he could buy back his freedom. And for females it was worse as they fathered bastard children to fathers whom denied any knowledge of them.

The author's interpretation of slavery and the events that transpired in his life were no doubt influential on all who read the pages. no provides a great account of how he came to be a slave and exchanged owners many times before he found himself aboard ships. However sometimes if he got a white person involved, he could get what he was owed.

Freedom was not taken seriously and was laughed at by many whites, Olaudah Equiano describes circumstances where freed men were forced into slavery and leaving their families behind. The slave trade for most was a one way ticket to a certain death by being overworked, beaten to death, or disease. He soon learned that he could make a considerable amount of money by doing this. This became his motivation for a while and before too long he had saved enough money to do so. He experienced masters with different temperaments and fulfilled different duties while enslaved. In June of 1776, he sought passage to Jamaica; he met a man by the name of Hughes who informed him that he was to sail that way.

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Approximate Word count = 927
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

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