Olaudah Equiano

Having reading Equiano's personal narrative in a previous class, it was interesting to read through it again. I discovered some things that I had not thought of before on my first read through. For example, after reading the introduction it discusses that some scholars believe that Equiano may have been born in the Carolinas; it never occurred to me that the beginning description of his life in Africa might have been generalized and fictionalized of the majority of Africans forced into slavery. If this were true, I think it would make a huge difference, shedding light on the context of his narrative. If Equiano had not written he was born in Africa, whether it is true or not, the tale of his journey to claim his freedom would have had, perhaps, a different tone. Albeit, I think his writing would still have been effective in bringing awareness to the the horrors of slavery; it just would have a different impact, that is to say a different perspective. Instead of having a story of a free-born African forced into slavery and working his way up to achieving freedom, it would have been a tale of a man of African ancestry born into slavery in America, working his way up to achieving freedom. Regardless of where Equiano was born, his story is full of interest and complexity. Such as, working on a ship that transports slaves. It is this kind of context that brings depth and a sense of the cruel reality of those times.