Overall Olaudah Equiano had a good life in comparison to slaves of that time period. While many slaves had a short life expectancy and did very unpleasant work, Olaudah Equiano was blessed with doing interesting work and being able to travel all over the world at the same time. Throughout his travels he witnessed the horrific situation of the slave trade, sometimes even first hand.
             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 Equiano provides a great account of how he came to be a slave and exchanged owners many times before he found himself aboard ships. He experienced masters with different temperaments and fulfilled different duties while enslaved. This time was also a period of exploration for him as he saw new things for the first time and learned about things he never dreamed existed.
             Another informative aspect of the narrative was the author's insight as to how freed black men were treated. 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 o...