Introduction
The focus of the book analysis is The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, written by Olaudah Equiano in the 18th century. It is an autobiography document that contains a wide range of narratives on spirituality, travel, and, most importantly, slavery. The book was written and published in London, Great Britain, in 1789. The intended audience is primarily comprised of individuals who are not aware of or did not experience the horrors and hardships of slavery. The main purpose of the document is to depict and illustrate the author’s life and the challenges he faced throughout his journey from being a slave to becoming a free and independent man.
Main body
In order to properly understand the book and its context, it is important to factor in the key authorship elements. Olaudah Equiano was an African man from Nigeria who was enslaved at a young age and separated from his family. The author became a Christian later in his life, and he strongly advocated for the abolishment of the institution of slavery. Throughout his journeys, he was owned by several masters, the majority of which mistreated and betrayed him, but in the end, he was able to gain freedom. For example, directly experiencing all horrors of slavery firsthand made the author a strong opponent of slavery, where he writes, “I called on death to relieve me from the horrors I felt and dreaded” (Equiano, 1789). The source tells the audience about the beliefs and perspectives of slaves, who were the prime victims of the practice. The main reason why Equiano wrote the text is to show people, especially those who are not slaves themselves, that it is highly immoral and evil. Therefore, the motives are rooted in showing the real aspects of slavery from both slaves’ and non-slaves’ perspectives since the author was also able to buy his freedom.
It should be noted that the target audience of the book is the general public. The author wrote the autobiography to illustrate and share his experiences of slavery from dual perspectives. The author writes, “I was now persuaded that I had gotten into a world of bad spirits and that they were going to kill me” (Equiano, 1789). In other words, the author demonstrates the horrors of slavery as a former slave during his travels and later, also as a free man because he was employed by slave owners as a free man. The source was meant for the public to see and learn about the struggles and hardships experienced by the victims of the practice. The audience did not have any effect on the document since the writing is an autobiography making it true to itself. For the most part, the author was speaking for himself, but it is evident that Equiano was also representing all slaves.
One needs to consider the language of the writing to promote a deeper comprehension of its context. The language and writing style used in the book demonstrates that the author struggled with belongingness. Equiano’s choice of words and language clearly separate the oppressors from the oppressed, but as a single identity, he experienced the challenges of belonging to one group fully. For example, the author writes that he “had suffered so many impositions in my commercial transactions in different parts of the world, that I became heartily disgusted with the sea-faring life” (Equiano, 1789). Equiano was a free businessman but was always discriminated against by white people due to his race, even after he bought his own freedom. The document was originally written in English, and thus, the book has no translation-related issues. The language does not convey specific metaphors and symbols, except for the Bible, which represented the core of European civilization and the gateway to becoming part of the society.
The reliability of a document is dependent on its category and purpose. The book by Equiano can be considered a reliable source of historical information since it is a narrative autobiography. Its reliability is further improved by the fact that Equiano’s recall of his life experiences contains perspectives of both a slave and a free person. For example, the author was shipped to America in horrendous conditions, where he writes that he initially “filled me with astonishment, which was soon converted into terror when I was carried on board” (Equiano, 1789). Therefore, the book contains detailed descriptions of how slavery was practiced by both groups. However, the author was a strong proponent of the abolitionist movement, which is why the autobiography might be skewed toward these beliefs, which is still beneficial since slavery is universally accepted as an immoral practice, and there is a scarcity of historical documents containing perspectives of slaves themselves.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the book by Equiano is highly informative and relevant for class discussions and lectures. The author’s autobiography provides more in-depth knowledge and insight on the subjects addressed during the lectures, particularly slavery, human freedom, and religious and cultural differences. The author writes, “all the nations and people I had hitherto passed through resembled our own in their manners, customs, and language” (Equiano, 1789). In other words, the document helps to expand one’s knowledge by providing a multifaceted perspective on the practice of slavery due to the overall uniqueness of Equiano’s life in regards to his travels, voyages, and interactions with both different cultures.
Reference
Equiano, O. (1789). The interesting narrative of the life of Olaudah Equiano.