Slavery is a state in which another powerful man denies freedom to some people. Enslaved people were mostly transported to provide labour to European countries overseas. In this case, they were considered to belong to someone else. In some communities, enslaved humans were considered movable and transported to other countries to provide labour. In contrast, they have held captives in other societies and remained to work in their homeland. The enslaved people were not responsible for their work, and they usually had fewer rights than their owners. Although the enslaved were working to some limits, they did so much work without being paid.
Firstly, the persona Olaudah Equiano is a slave captive transported through a water vessel. They were so close together, which led to a lack of fresh air and increased heat in the room, which was smaller than the number of people in it (Moodera 3273). Youths were considered more energetic, as Oluadah was among the youth who could do a lot of work. In this case, children and women were the ones who suffered more as they had weak lungs, which could not outstand the bad air they were breathing. Due to lack of air, many died on the way. They were not even given food as the whites could eat the food alone to satisfaction and throw the remaining food back into the water.
From the background point of view, these people seemed powerless; hence they could not defend themselves. Their homeland seemed to have been taken by the whites, which is why they were controlling them in such a manner. As Olaudah Equiano says, they were out together to an extent; some died. They have no freedom and power to demand better living standards. Men were chained together, which made them see it as a worse misery than death; hence, they decided to die by throwing themselves into the water.
In this case, the writer tells us that other men had power over some people. Hence, they could command them, and whites took their power as they were chained (Vidal 92-110). They had no freedom as they even watched fish fly over the vessel, and some even fell on the deck, but they could not reach them because their hands were not free. In the case of race, whites were not held as enslaved people, but only people from other races were mistreated according to their race, gender, and ethnicity.
The significance of writing this is to keep a history of the freedom founders’ lives. People from different races are now citizens in permanent foreign countries which are not their original countries, not remembering that their forefathers went there through miserable ways. The writer is trying to remember how the heroes worked hard for their future generation, enjoying it in current days. The writer hopes their generation will not be chained and transported to work under harsh conditions.
To conclude, the writer has clearly shown us how enslaved people suffered during those times. They had no freedom over anything as they were denied even fresh air for breathing. They could die locked in chains, children and women could suffer to death without any help as men were denied the freedom to take care of their wives and children. They could not be given food no matter how plenty it was, even if they had not eaten.
Works cited
Moodera, Jagadeesh Subbaiah, et al. “Large magnetoresistance at room temperature in ferromagnetic thin film tunnel junctions.” Physical review letters 74.16 (1995): 3273.
Vidal, Cécile. “Private and state violence against African slaves in lower Louisiana during the French period, 1699-1769.” New World Orders. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013. 92-110.