About the Author from The Interesting Narrative of the

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MAKING MEANING

from The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano Concept VocabularyAs you perform your first read of this excerpt from The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, you will encounter these words.

loathsome wretched dejected

Base Words Words that seem unfamiliar may actually contain words you know. Try looking for such familiar base words “inside” unfamiliar words. The word insupportable, for example, contains the base word support. You know that support means “to bear” or “to hold up.” In this word, the prefix in- means “not,” and the suffix -able means “capable of being.” Insupportable means “not capable of being borne or held up.”

Note how the addition of prefixes or suffixes affects the meaning of the base word in these words.

unmercifully in a manner without mercy

heightened made higher or more intense

mariners sailors

Apply your knowledge of base words and other vocabulary strategies to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words you encounter during your first read.

First Read NONFICTIONApply these strategies as you conduct your first read. You will have an opportunity to complete a close read after your first read.

About the Author

The son of a West African tribal elder, Olaudah Equiano (1745–1797) might have followed in his father’s footsteps had he not been sold into slavery. He was taken first to the West Indies and later brought to Virginia, where he was purchased by a British captain and employed at sea. Renamed Gustavus Vassa, Equiano was enslaved for nearly ten years. After managing his master’s finances and making his own money in the process, he amassed enough to buy his own freedom. In later years, he settled in England and devoted himself to the abolition of slavery. In addition to writing his two-volume autobiography to publicize the plight of slaves, he lectured and rallied public sympathy against the cruelties of slavery.

notice the general ideas of the text. What is it about? Who is involved?

connect ideas within the selection to what you already know and what you have already read.

AnnotAte by marking vocabulary and key passages you want to revisit.

ReSPonD by completing the Comprehension Check.

! STANDARDSReading Informational TextBy the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 11–CCR text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

LanguageDetermine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 11–12 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

92 UNIT1•WRITINGFREEDOM

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BACKGROUNDIn the first several chapters of his autobiography, Olaudah Equiano describes how slave traders kidnapped him and his sister from their home in West Africa and transported them to the African coast. During this six- or seven-month journey, Equiano was separated from his sister and held at a series of way stations. After reaching the coast, Equiano was shipped with other captives to North America. The following account describes this horrifying journey.

A t last when the ship we were in, had got in all her cargo, they made ready with many fearful noises, and we were all put

under deck, so that we could not see how they managed the vessel. But this disappointment was the least of my sorrow. The stench of the hold while we were on the coast was so intolerably loathsome, that it was dangerous to remain there for any time, and some of us had been permitted to stay on the deck for the fresh air; but now that the whole ship’s cargo were confined together, it became absolutely pestilential. The closeness of the place, and the heat of the climate, added to the number in the ship, which was so crowded that each had scarcely room to turn himself, almost suffocated us.

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AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Olaudah Equiano

from The Interesting Narrative of the Life of

Olaudah Equiano

SCAN FOR MULTIMEDIA

NOTES

Mark base words or indicate another strategy you used that helped you determine meaning.

loathsome (LOHTH suhm) adj.

MEANING:

from The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano 93

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This produced copious perspirations, so that the air soon became unfit for respiration, from a variety of loathsome smells, and brought on a sickness among the slaves, of which many died—thus falling victims to the improvident avarice, as I may call it, of their purchasers. This wretched situation was again aggravated by the galling of the chains, now become insupportable, and the filth of the necessary tubs, into which the children often fell, and were almost suffocated. The shrieks of the women, and the groans of the dying, rendered the whole a scene of horror almost inconceivable. Happily perhaps, for myself, I was soon reduced so low here that it was thought necessary to keep me almost always on deck; and from my extreme youth I was not put in fetters.1 In this situation I expected every hour to share the fate of my companions, some of whom were almost daily brought upon deck at the point of death, which I began to hope would soon put an end to my miseries. Often did I think many of the inhabitants of the deep much more happy than myself.

I envied them the freedom they enjoyed, and as often wished I could change my condition for theirs. Every circumstance I met with, served only to render my state more painful, and heightened my apprehensions, and my opinion of the cruelty of the whites.

One day they had taken a number of fishes; and when they had killed and satisfied themselves with as many as they thought fit, to our astonishment who were on deck, rather than give any of them to us to eat, as we expected, they tossed the remaining fish into the sea again, although we begged and prayed for some as well as we could, but in vain; and some of my countrymen, being pressed by hunger, took an opportunity, when they thought no one saw them, of trying to get a little privately; but they were discovered, and the attempt procured them some very severe floggings. One day, when we had a smooth sea and moderate wind, two of my wearied countrymen who were chained together (I was near them at the time), preferring death to such a life of misery, somehow made through the nettings and jumped into the sea; immediately, another quite dejected fellow, who, on account of his illness, was suffered to be out of irons, also followed their example; and I believe many more would very soon have done the same, if they had not been prevented by the ship’s crew, who were instantly alarmed. Those of us that were the most active, were in a moment put down under the deck; and there was such a noise and confusion amongst the people of the ship as I never heard before, to stop her, and get the boat out to go after the slaves. However, two of the wretches were drowned, but they got the other, and afterwards flogged him unmercifully, for thus attempting to prefer death to slavery. In this manner we continued to undergo more hardships than I can now relate, hardships which are inseparable from this accursed trade. Many a time we were near suffocation from the want of fresh

1. fetters (FEHT uhrz) n. chains.

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wretched (REHCH ihd) adj.

MEANING:


dejected (dee JEHK tihd) adj.

MEANING:


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air, which we were often without for whole days together. This, and the stench of the necessary tubs, carried off many.

During our passage, I first saw flying fishes, which surprised me very much; they used frequently to fly across the ship, and many of them fell on the deck. I also now first saw the use of the quadrant;2 I had often with astonishment seen the mariners make observations with it, and I could not think what it meant. They at last took notice of my surprise; and one of them, willing to increase it, as well as to gratify my curiosity, made me one day look through it. The clouds appeared to me to be land, which disappeared as they passed along. This heightened my wonder; and I was now more persuaded than ever, that I was in another world, and that every thing about me was magic. At last, we came in sight of the island of Barbados, at which the whites on board gave a great shout, and made many signs of joy to us. We did not know what to think of this; but as the vessel drew nearer, we plainly saw the harbor, and other ships of different kinds and sizes, and we soon anchored amongst them, off Bridgetown.3 Many merchants and planters now came on board, though it was in the evening. They put us in separate parcels,4 and examined us attentively. They also made us jump, and pointed to the land, signifying we were to go there.

2. quadrant (KWOD ruhnt) n. instrument used by navigators to determine the position of a ship.

3. Bridgetown capital of Barbados.4. parcels (PAHR suhlz) n. groups.

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This portion of a 1788 British abolitionist poster depicts the Brookes, a slave ship, and the maximum number of slaves that it could transport legally. Slave traders carried as many slaves as the law allowed, knowing that many would die during the journey.


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NOTESWe thought by this, we should be eaten by these ugly men, as

they appeared to us; and, when soon after we were all put down under the deck again, there was much dread and trembling among us, and nothing but bitter cries to be heard all the night from these apprehensions, insomuch, that at last the white people got some old slaves from the land to pacify us. They told us we were not to be eaten, but to work, and were soon to go on land, where we should see many of our country people. This report eased us much. And sure enough, soon after we were landed, there came to us Africans of all languages.

We were conducted immediately to the merchant’s yard, where we were all pent up together, like so many sheep in a fold, without regard to sex or age. . . . We were not many days in the merchant’s custody, before we were sold after their usual manner, which is this: On a signal given (as the beat of a drum), the buyers rush at once into the yard where the slaves are confined, and make choice of that parcel they like best. . . . ❧

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Comprehension CheckComplete the following items after you finish your first read. Review and clarify details with your group.

1. According to Equiano, what physical hardships do the captives suffer during their passage across the Atlantic Ocean?

2. What do some captives do to escape the misery of the Atlantic crossing?

3. Why does Equiano blame the illness aboard ship on the “improvident avarice” of the slave traders?

4. How does Equiano’s youth affect his treatment during the voyage?

5. What happens to the captives when the ship reaches Barbados?

6. Notebook Confirm your understanding of the text by creating a timeline of the narrative’s events.

RESEARCHResearch to Clarify Choose at least one unfamiliar detail from the text. Briefly research that detail. In what way does the information you learned shed light on an aspect of the narrative?

Research to Explore This autobiographical account may spark your curiosity to learn more about the author, the era, or the topic. You may want to share what you discover with your group.


THE INTERESTING NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE OF OLAUDAH EQUIANO

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

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MAKING MEANING

Cite textual evidenCe to support your answers.

GROUP DISCUSSION

In order to have a successful discussion, everyone should participate. Encourage group members to take turns offering their ideas and opinions.

Close Read the TextWith your group, revisit sections of the text you marked during your first read. annotate details that you notice. What questions do you have? What can you conclude?

Analyze the TextComplete the activities.

1. Review and Clarify With your group, reread paragraph 1 of the selection. Discuss the conditions that the African captives endured aboard the ship. Why were so many people crowded below deck?

2. Present and discuss Now, work with your group to share the passages from the selection that you found especially important. Take turns presenting your passages. Discuss what you noticed in the selection, what questions you asked, and what conclusions you reached.

3. essential Question: What is the meaning of freedom? What have you learned about American freedoms from reading this text? Discuss with your group.

Concept Vocabularyloathsome wretched dejected

Why these Words? The three concept vocabulary words from the text are related. With your group, discuss the words and determine what they have in common. How do these word choices enhance the impact of the text?

Practice notebook Confirm your understanding of these words from the text

by using them in sentences. Be sure to include context clues that hint at each word’s meaning.

Word Study notebook latin Root: -ject- The Latin root -ject- means “to throw.”

It contributes to the meaning of the concept vocabulary word dejected, as wellasmanyotherwordsin English.

1. Explain how the meaning of the root -ject- is evident in the meaning of the word dejected.

2. Look up each of these words in a dictionary: conjecture, trajectory, and projection. Explain how the root -ject- contributes to the meaning of each of the words.

! WORD NETWORK

Add words related to freedom from the text to your Word Network.

" STANDARDSReading Informational TextDetermine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.

LanguageConsult general and specialized reference materials, both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, its etymology, or its standard usage.


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PracticeAs a group, complete this chart. Identify passages from the autobiography that give factual details, passages that convey personal reflections, and passages that feature strong descriptive language. Then, explain the persuasive impact of each passage.

ELEMENT OF SLAVE NARRATIVE EXAMPLES FROM TEXT PERSUASIVE IMPACT

Factual details

Personal reflections

Strong descriptive language

Analyze Craft and StructureLiterary Nonfiction: Persuasive Purpose The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano is an example of a slave narrative, or an autobiographical account of a person’s life as a slave. Most slave narratives, written when slavery was a legal practice, have an implicit, or unstated, persuasive purpose: to expose the evils of slavery and, in so doing, turn the public against the practice. Equiano’s account combines factual details and personal reflections with powerful descriptive language that constitute emotional appeals to his readers. Notice, for example, how words such as shrieks and groans evoke readers’ sympathy and outrage in this depiction of the ship that brought Equiano from Africa:

The shrieks of the women, and the groans of the dying, rendered the whole a scene of horror almost inconceivable.

The abolitionist movement in the United States owed much to the revelations of former slaves. Only the hardest of hearts could fail to be moved by Equiano’s narrative.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What is the meaning of freedom?

CITE TEXTUAL EVIDENCE to support your answers.


THE INTERESTING NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE OF OLAUDAH EQUIANO

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Conventions and StyleEighteenth-Century Narrative Style Equiano’s account is an example of eighteenth-century narrative style. The formal language of the period has several characteristics that distinguish it from modern style.

CHARACTERISTICEIGHTEENTH-CENTURY STYLE

MODERN STYLE

Sentence Length: the number of words, phrases, and clauses in a sentence

Sentences are long and contain multiple clauses and phrases.

Sentences vary in length, and most have fewer than three clauses.

Usage: the ways in which words are commonly used

Word meanings change over time, as do word forms, including formation of singular and plural nouns. Modern readers may contest usage or need to confirm archaic meanings.

Word meanings and forms continue to change over time. In addition, new words continue to enter the English language from other languages or are coined to refer to new situations, ideas, or objects.

Mechanics: punctuation and spelling

Eighteenth-century writers punctuated text however they chose.

Punctuation marks are used according to established conventions.

Read It Notebook Work individually. Read the passage from Equiano’s narrative

carefully, and then answer the questions that follow.

One day they had taken a number of fishes; and when they had killed and satisfied themselves with as many as they thought fit, to our astonishment who were on deck, rather than give any of them to us to eat, as we expected, they tossed the remaining fish into the sea again, although we begged and prayed for some as well as we could, but in vain; and some of my countrymen, being pressed by hunger, took an opportunity, when they thought no one saw them, of trying to get a little privately; but they were discovered, and the attempt procured them some very severe floggings.

•How many sentences does the passage contain?

• Identify an example of eighteenth-century usage.

•What punctuation marks does the author use to separate details regarding the plight of the captives?

Write It Notebook Rewrite the passage in modern style. Then, share passages

with your group and discuss whether or not the change in style lessened the persuasive impact of the original passage.

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

! STANDARDSWriting

Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.

Language Demonstrate command of the

conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

Apply the understanding that usage is a matter of convention, can change over time, and is sometimes contested.


Documents

About the Author from The Interesting Narrative of the